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Shawshank Redemption

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Shawshank Redemption
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1. Find out basic information about the text.

a) Name of text:
The Shawshank Redemption

b) Composer:
Frank Darabont

c) Source (Where you got the text from. Include date of publication, or date of accessing website):
Castle Rock Entertainment, September 23rd 1994

d) Type of text
Film

2. Summarise the text.

In 1947, banker Andy Dufresne is sentenced to two life sentences, being found guilty of murdering his wife and her lover and to serve his sentence at Shawshank State Penitentiary. He befriends ‘Red’ a smuggler of contraband who gives Andy a rock hammer which Andy claims he will use to create chess pieces. Later Red also gets him numerous large posters of prominent celebrities such as Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe. After showing skills with accounting Andy is made the Warden’s financial assistant to assist the corrupt use of prison labour to make personal profits, to do this Andy creates and alias to cover up the crime. A new member is welcomed to the prison, Tommy Williams, who after hearing of a similar case at another prison declares Andy’s innocence. This is revealed to warden Norton who dismisses the notion as he is afraid of his corruption being revealed and having no one to run his scams. Andy receives brutal beatings and punishment to ensure his submission. Whilst having a mysterious chat with Red, Andy asks Red to promise if he ever gets out of prison he will find a package in a field near Buxton and keep it. The next day Andy has disappeared and a furious Norton hurls a stone carving at a poster of Rachael Welch on the wall, revealing an incredible tunnel carved by Andy out of the prison. After escaping Andy withdraws all the Warden’s money under the alias name and moves to Mexico on the beach. Red is finally released on parole after 40 years at Shawshank and

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