○《肖申克的救赎》中的救赎主题浅析AnAnalysisoftheThemeofRedemptioninTheShawshankRedemptionⅠ.IntroductionThefilmTheShawshankRedemptionwhichisadaptedfromthesamenamenovelofStephenKinghasleftadeepimpressiononthepeople.Fromthetitleofthefilm,itisnotdifficulttoseethatthefilmistalkingabouttheissueofredemption.Thenwhatisredemption?TheLordJesusinTheGospelhasprovidedaroadtoredemptionforus.Theso-called―save‖isrevealingthedistressofhumanbeings;so-called―redemption‖isthatthewaytoachieveourgoals.WhattheChristiansaremostconcernedaboutiswhethertheirsincanbepardonedandtheirsoulscanbesavedornot.AllthosearevividlyembodiedinTheShawshankRedemption.Thestorybeginswiththetrialofayoungbanker,AndyDufrense,victimizedbycircumstantialevidence,resultinginaconvictionforthemurderofhiswifeandherlover.HeissentencedtotwoconsecutivelifesentencesatShawshankStatePrison.Heexistsinthisprisononlyinappearance,keepinghismindfreefromthedrabwallsaroundhim.Hisabilitytodothisresultsinthegainingofrespectfromhisfellowinmates.Andy‘sdemeanorandundeniablesenseofhopecauseRedtotakeadeeperlookathimself,andtheworldaroundhim.AndyprovestoRedandtheotherinmatesthatintheconventionalwallsofShawshankprisonconventionwillfindnohomeinhislifestyle.Andykeepshopeallthetime.Hespendstwentyyearstotunnelingthewall,andthencrawlingfivehundredyardtothebeautifulnewworld.Throughhisownefforts,Andynotonlyescapesfromtheprison,butalsosavesagroupofinmates.Thefilminspiresustolovelifeandedifiesustothinkabouttheimportanceoflivingandnottoloseourselves.Italsogivesapositiveforceandthecouragetofacedifficultiestous.Itmakesustorealizethatordinarylifeisvaluable.Inprison,Andyovercomesallthedifficultieswithhisamazingdeterminationduringhisprogress.Whywecannotaffordthepainandsufferingoflife?Theauthorholdsthatweshouldneverlosehopeanddignityinanytime.Peopleoftengetusedtolife.Theyareaccustomedtothesurroundingenvironment,fromschoolstotheworkenvironment,fromsocialpracticetofamilylife.Theyhavegoals,butastheyearsgobythegoalsgraduallyfaded,astheyhadbeeninstitutionalized.TheShawshankRedemptionhelpsre-examinelifeandfindthedreamsagain.Andyretrieveshisfreedomatlast.Timeandperseverancecanhelpachieveeverything.Peopleshouldtreatwellwiththeirownlivesandrealizethedreams!Ⅱ.TheOriginandConnotationofRedemptionWhenthethoughtthateveryChristianisguiltyandneedsredemptionhasbecomeadeep-rootedtraditionwhichrootsineveryonelivingintheChristianculturebackground,thethinkingabouthowtogetredemptionandwhatisthevalueofredemptiontohumanbeingsisengagedactively.2.1TheOriginFirst,lookatthetitleofthefilm─TheShawshankRedemption.Thetermof“redemption”originatesintheBible:“Zionshallberedeemedwithjudgment;andherconvertswithrighteousness.”(Bible,2000:15)“RedemptionisoneofthemostbasicdoctrinesofChristianity.ItmeansifpeoplealwayshavethefearandfaithtowardsGod,theywillsurelygetGod‘sredemption.ChristianityholdsthatbecauseoftheancestorsofhumanbeingsviolateGod‘swill,andthereforetheyareguiltypersons.InordertoultimatelyacquireredemptionofGod,humansmustrepentinthislifeandkeepafirmbeliefinGod."(Maigelaen,2003:3)Christianityisawayoflife,alsoamanifestationofvalues,ethicsandculturalvalues.ItinfluencesprofoundlyallaspectsofAmericanlife.Therefore,thesecularmeaningofthisChristiandoctrinehasalsobeendeveloped:onlykeepingfaith,peoplecangethope,savethemselvesandtheworld,too.Onthefirstday,Andywitnessedtherejectionoft...
