Andy’s Acceptance

In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne is technically an innocent man. He did not kill his wife nor her lover who she was cheating with. But as he learns, being technically innocent does not protect you from the indignities, monsters and dumb luck of life - particularly in prison. 

When Andy first met Red, he told him he was innocent. Red laughed and said he’d fit right in. Everyone in Shawshank is innocent. Later, after they’ve built a friendship, Red actually admits his own guilt to Andy, saying he’s the “only guilty man in Shawshank”. It’s a key moment that plants a seed for Andy. For everything Andy does well and all that he gains, for himself and others, if he truly wants freedom, he’s going to have to find out what he’s actually guilty of. This is one of the things that elevates this film above other prison films and perhaps speaks to why it has been the number one film on IMDB’s list since August of 2008. Andy’s escape is not merely a matter of cunning, risk and bravado. What actually sets Andy free occurs in a scene with Red where they sit in the prison yard with their backs against the seemingly impenetrable walls. Andy has just completed two months in solitary confinement for accusing the Warden of being obtuse. Andy tells Red what he’s guilty of:

ANDY: My wife used to say I'm a hard man to know. Like a closed book. Complained about it all the time. She was beautiful. I loved her. But I guess I couldn't show it enough. I killed her, Red. I didn't pull the trigger. But I drove her away. That's why she died. Because of me, the way I am.

RED: Feel bad about it if you want. But you didn't pull the trigger. 

ANDY: No. I didn't. Someone else did, and I wound up here. Bad luck, I guess. 

RED: Yeah.

ANDY: It floats around. Has to land on somebody. I was in the path of the tornado. I didn’t expect the storm would last as long as it has.

This acceptance of his character flaw and the fact that life is bigger than him - all of us - and sometimes dumb luck just rolls over us opens him up. He can see what’s his to deal with and what isn’t his. He sees the role his actions and inactions played in his wife’s death. With that, Andy finally has the confidence to say what he really wants: Zihuatanejo. It’s more than a place. It’s an idea. It’s freedom. It’s something he rightfully believes he deserves. He’s served his time. 

Red, of course, can’t see that. Because Red, at that moment, lacks what Andy has: hope. Red admits to being institutionalized. And that internal prison almost takes him out, the same way it did Brooks. The only thing that saves Red is a promise to Andy - a slight glimmer of hope. Red accepts that he made a promise and by honoring it, finds a pathway to Zihuatanejo.

Acceptance is a difficult concept. Author Arlin Cuncic, MA, writes that, “Some people have a hard time accepting situations because they feel as though acceptance is the same thing as being in agreement with what happened or saying that it is OK. In other cases, people don’t want to acknowledge the pain that would come with acceptance.”

Acceptance is acknowledgment, not necessarily agreement. Acknowledging pain is the path to freedom from it. Stuff hurts. Sometimes it is just bad luck. Like Parkinson’s disease. But no matter what the sentence, illness or situation is, we always have a choice. Hope is always possible. 

If this movie resonates with you, I hope you’ll join us for the next round of the Shawshank Hero’s Journey. It’s a unique group writing class where we will reflect on the movie, our own lives and write our way to our own Zihuatanejo. It starts on Monday, Sept. 2 and is open to everyone. For more information, please visit our site.