Reading Journal: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption

091163 Minsoo Ha

After reading until the end, my chest filled with a feeling of hope. I forgot for a while that Red was actually a convict, a cold blooded murderer who was guilty of murdering his wife and killing a bystander in the process. I could only feel sympathy and empathy for the young man who had been robbed of his youth and his freedom, and had been tormented by the enclosed society of prison and had become an “institutionalized man”. This is the magic of Stephen King’s narratives, I feel. It is so easy to project yourself onto the characters and find yourself among them as they undergo the flow of the story’s plot. You might find yourself
The great tale of Andy Dufresne, or rather, Peter Stevens and his escape from Shawshank is narrated by the convict Red. It is quite obvious that Red admires Andy, and his recollections are of quite questionable credibility due to the fact that most of his stories are second hand, but the readers can’t help but to trust the old man as he gives us a realistic tour around the Shawshank’s deepest depths and its not-so-public incidents such as the brutal actions of the Sisters, the selfish and greedy prison guards, and the struggles of an innocent man wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit.
Listening to the tales of the great Andy Dufresne made me wonder about how he was able to achieve such a quest. What was the driving force for an innocent man who had been convicted wrongly of murder of his own wife, sentenced to two life sentences in imprisonment, and be placed in the harshest environment that had existed during that age to remain sane? Although the escape itself is quite admirable, the fact that he was able keep the situation from overwhelming him is the most incredible feat that he had accomplished in my eyes. He had created a false identity through his friend; he had a fortune hidden away safely; he even managed to whittle away at 4 feet of concrete for freedom. But it was his relentless attempts for freedom, the glimmer of hope in his eyes that so many in Shawshank had lost that had allowed him a second chance at life as Peter Stevens.
I sometimes find it hard to maintain that glimmer of hope even though I’m in a far better position compared to the sickening environment of Shawshank. As Andy said, ‘it isn't just a piece of paper that makes a man, and it isn't just prison that breaks one, either.' Maybe it’s time to let myself out of the prison that I’ve created, the helpless depths of despair that I so often find myself in, and “hope”.

The Hero's Journey - Nemo

Group:Won Woo, Minsu, Somin, Hyeongbin
Our Film: Finding Nemo
Why we chose it: It was an animation that everyone knew.
ACT I

1. Ordinary World:While Marlin is very protective, Nemo is excited to go to school.
2. Call to Adventure:To prove himself brave, Nemo ventures out to the “Butt” and gets captured by a scuba driver.
3. Refusal of the Call:Marlin is afraid to cross the “Great Barrier Reef”, into the open ocean.
4. Meeting the Mentor:Through Dory who overcome her short-term memory loss by humor, Marlin regains hope and believs in Nemo.
5. Crossing the Threshold:Marlin and Dory swim together into the open ocean.

ACT II

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies:Marlin and Dory meets the would-be vegetarian sharks Bruce, Anchor and Chum and escapes the mine field.
They encounter a surf-cultured sea turtle Crush and travel the “East Australian Current”.
A friendly pelican Nigel recognizes Marlin and take them to the dentist.
7. Approach to the Innermost Cave:Believing Nemo is dead, Marlin leaves Dory and swims away but Dory relight Marlin’s hope.
8. Ordeal:To save Dory from the jellyfish, Marlin almost dies from the sting but recover to meet Crush who tells Marlin how he can trust his son when knocked out of the current.
9. Reward:While Marlin believes Nemo is dead, Nemo drains out to the ocean and meets Dory, leading Nemo back to Marlin.

ACT III

10. The Road Back:To save Dory from the net, Marlin lets go of Nemo realizing that he must have confidence in his son.
11. Resurrection:Having once believed Nemo was dead, Marlin apologizes to Nemo for not having faith in him.
12. Return With the Elixir:Marlin and Nemo return to home and from the lessons of their adventures, live a happier life.

Points of contention (ifs/ands/buts):
It was surprising to see how a child animation had such a complicated hero’s journey.