Posters for the film illustrate the liberating, redemptive power of hope and the religious themes of freedom and resurrection, with the words: "Fear can hold you prisoner, Hope can set you free." The patiently-told, allegorical tale (unfolding like a long-played, sometimes painstaking, persistent chess game) of friendship, patience, hope, survival and ultimate redemption by the time of the film's finale was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Morgan Freeman), Best Adapte

While playing chess with his 'friend,' (a "civilized, strategic" game which Andy relishes but Red hates), Andy asks Red to help acquire alabaster and soapstone rocks from outside the prison yard to be carved into chess pieces: "The years I got. What I don't have are the rocks." In his bunk later that night, Andy carves a chessman for his new chess set - the piece is a noble-looking knight. With one end of his rock-hammer, he carefully scratches his name into the concrete wall, adding his mark to the other names there. [An important plot point is missing from this sequence in the film - shown later.]

As part of their entertaining betting game, the inmates taunt and 'bait' the "fishees" or first-timers - and "they don't quit till they reel someone in." The one nicknamed 'Fat-Ass" (Frank Medrano) is mercilessly teased by Heywood: "This place ain't so bad. Tell ya what. I'll introduce ya around. Make you feel right at home. I know a couple of big ol' bull queers that'd just love to make your acquaintance, especially that big white mushy butt of yours." When the squeamish, hyperventilating victim wails and pleads despairingly: "Oh God! I don't belong here! I wanna go home," the prisoners chant: "Fresh fish!" The oppressed Fat-Ass blubbers his complaints to Hadley and is beaten with an unceasing rain of baton blows and kicked in the face until he lies still on the cold floor. The captain of the guard commands his lackeys: "Call the trustees. Take that tub of s--t down to the infirmary." Red loses his cigarette bet to Heywood:

I must admit, I didn't think much of Andy first time I laid eyes on him. Looked like a stiff breeze would blow him over. That was my first impression of the man.

Elsewhere The Shawshank Redemption shines by virtue of its compelling minor characters. From the very good to the very bad, almost every speaking part adds something to the backdrop behind Robbins and Freeman. In no particular order, veteran thespian James Whitmore gives elderly librarian Brooks Hatlen a rich, resonant lustre. Effortlessly indicating how prison can drain everything worth cherishing from an inmate, before tossing the empty husk into an uncertain world, Whitmore is memorable. Youngster Gil Bellows, as delinquent Tommy, is also fine, casting a crucial joker into Andy's disastrous hand. At the other and of the scale, both Gunton and Sadler are titanium hard and blood-vomit repellent. There is nothing but agony in their words and actions, a state far harder to achieve than to describe. Placed together these roles illuminate the prison, moving but never distracting the focus from Andy and Red's friendship.

I like to think the last thing that went through his head - other than that bullet - was to wonder how the hell Andy Dufresne ever got the best of him.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 12579
Approximate Pages = 50 (250 words per page double spaced)