People change throughout Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. They become institutionalized. They grow more corrupt. They get old and scared, old and brave, or just plain old. Either way, they're not the same at the end of the story as they are at the beginning. Those changes highlight a lot of the book's other themes, like hope (and how it makes people better), injustice (and how it makes people worse), and secrets (and how they do a little of both). Shawshank transforms the people stuck there, though sometimes that transformation can actually be a good thing (or at least make for a really good movie).
Questions About Transformation
- Does Andy really change over the course of the story? In what ways?
- How does Andy's presence in Shawshank change the guards and wardens? Are they better or worse for it?
- In what ways does Shawshank transform those who are there? How does that differ from the way Andy transforms people?
- Change takes place slowly in this book. What does that say about the process of transformation? Would that be any different if the story weren't set in a prison?
Chew on This
Ultimately, change plays a positive role in the story, helping our heroes escape their miserable lives.
Change is both good and bad in Shawshank; it has the power to both hurt and help people.