Virtue movie illustrates: Hope
“Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies,” says Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) in a letter to his friend Ellis “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman) in the movie The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Both men served time at Shawshank State Penitentiary in Maine. Red, a longtime prisoner, and Andy Dufresne, a banker who was convicted of murdering his wife and her lover in spite of his claims of innocence. These two men become friends in this horrific and sadistic prison.
The movie centers on hope as Andy continues to amaze the other prisoners with his extraordinary acts of disobedience and optimism. He also has a dream of escaping the prison and going to a remote place in Mexico where there is “no memory”. But Andy has a tireless commitment to choosing his hopes and dreams over his suffering and pain. As he says to Red, “You either get busy living or get busy dying.” Andy chooses life.
Watch this scene as Red has been released from prison after 30 years and remembers Andy’s instructions to find a rock under a tree where something is kept for him. Spoiler warning! If you’ve never seen this movie, this is the end of the movie so you may not want to watch.
What inspired you about this movie clip? How have you used hope in difficult times?
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