The Shawshank Redemption: Red's Spiritual Growth and the True Protagonist

The Turning Point in the Parole Hearing

Watching "The Shawshank Redemption," I found myself thinking about why Red passed his parole hearing at the end of the story. In the early and middle parts of the story, whenever Red was asked if he had been "rehabilitated" during parole hearings, he always gave the same answer:

"I've been rehabilitated. I won't do it again. I've been born again."

But after Andy escaped, Red's answer changed dramatically at his hearing:

"You want to know if I'm sorry? I haven't had a day without regret. Back then, I was just a stupid kid who committed a terrible crime. I wish I could tell that kid to straighten up. But I can't, because that kid isn't here anymore. All that's here is an old man filled with regret for something that can't be undone. There's no going back now. Rehabilitation is just a word. Just stamp 'rejected' on my form and be done with it. To be honest, I don't care about parole anymore."

After saying these words, Red was granted parole. His answer showed a completely different, much deeper way of confronting himself than before.

What Changed Red

So what changed Red so dramatically? It was his encounter with Andy. Andy was someone who always valued "hope."

• Telling Red to cherish his harmonica and his musical past
• Working to improve the prison library
• His dream of opening a hotel in Zihuatanejo
• His incredible perseverance in completing a tunnel that was said would "take 600 years" in less than 20 years

Whenever Andy talked about hope, Red would deny it, saying "hope is not something you should have." But Andy didn't just talk about hope; he actually made it real.

True Self-Reflection

After Andy's escape, Red says:

"The guys inside loved to talk about Andy. There were all kinds of stories. Sometimes I feel lonely. Andy's gone. I had to tell myself: some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. When they fly away, you're supposed to be happy they're free. But still, the world feels dull and empty after the bird has flown. In short, I missed Andy."

This line reveals Red's admiration for Andy and his deep resonance with the concept of freedom. Red had become able to properly separate his facade—"I should be happy Andy is free"—from his true feelings: "Actually, I miss him and feel lonely." This experience changed Red's perspective on "rehabilitation." Rather than just superficially claiming "I won't do bad things anymore," he developed a genuine self-reflection—acknowledging his past mistakes and finding the resolve to live with the regret of having done something that cannot be undone.

Red is the True Protagonist

At first glance, Andy might seem like the protagonist of this movie. But I think Red is actually the true protagonist. Andy is a symbol of freedom and hope, a "hero-like" figure who influences those around him. But Red is the narrator throughout the film, and his spiritual growth is the central theme. The story of an elderly person in a rigid, hopeless environment being influenced by a heroic figure and growing as a result—I think that's what this movie wanted to convey. Everyone is looking for someone like "Andy" in their lives. Someone who continues to hold onto hope and acts to make it real. And this movie teaches us that by meeting such a person, we ourselves can change too.