Power Relations In Rita Haywor

A detailed Summary of Power Relations In Rita Haywor


Power Relations in Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption

Steven King's novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption explores themes of different types of power in relationships between men. Be it by brute force or authority, manipulation or friendships, every man in Shawshank is a part of the power structures that dwell within those walls. There is physical power, implied power, power for change, and, most importantly, the power to stay true to yourself in these trying circumstances. All these relationships and more form the basic makeup of the struggles of everyday life in Shawshank prison.

The most obvious positions of power in Shawshank belong to those who have physical power over the inmates. The sisters-the Shawshank term for prison rapists-prey on the weak and inexperienced, "Most often what they take by force they could have had for free, if they had wanted it that way... but for the sisters, the joy had always been in taking by force." The prison guards keep the upper hand over the inmates by the constant threat of a trip to the infirmary-or worse. "In prison, every man's a nigger and you have to get used to the idea if you want to survive men like Hadley and Greg Stammas, who really would kill you as soon


In The Shawshank Redemption, we definitely see the interplay of different types of power. We see, also, that brute force and authority only take you so far. One man flexing the might of his muscles, whether literally or through his position of authority can do something. One man with the help and support of many can do still more. But one man with intelligence and inner strength can eventually do almost anything. All it takes is time-and maybe a little rock hammer.

Another type of power not to be underrated in such a small, tight-knit community as Shawshank is the power of connections. Friendship, business partnerships, and relationships based entirely on bribery abound. Red kept his reputation as 'the guy who can get it for you' through his ability to make friends and acquaintances quickly with the constantly changing assemblage of people, inmates and prison workers alike, who could help him out. Speaking about smuggling in a murderer's coin collection, he explains "with a little help of his mother and a middleman who used to drive the laundry truck, I was able to get it for him." Andy, perhaps even more than Red, always benefited from the many people looking out for him, though he was a solitary man by nature. For instance, he never would have found some proof of his innocence, were it not for a young man whom Andy had helped pass his high school equivalency tests. "[Tommy

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Approximate Word count = 935
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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