Shawshank Redemption Hero's Journey

Shawshank Redemption is an extremely unique hero story. Andy Dufresne is questioned in response to his wives and lover’s murder. After questioning they decide he is guilty of this crime. Andy has to overcome multiple challenges while being in prison for 19 years. One day a young man by the name of Tommy was put in the same prison and they became close friends. Tommy talked to Red about his past experiences when he revived interesting facts about his recent cellmate. Tommy has all of the answers at hand of Andy Dufresne’s case that pled him as innocent. The guards are not pleased as to Andy wanting to receive justice, so the guards do the unspeakable killing Tommy. What Andy Dufresne does surprises us all; Andy escaped.

Andy goes through three steps all heroes experience the departure, initiation, and the return. The first step that will be discusses is departure. Andy experiences the call to adventure first which occurs when a person first notices that everything is going to change. This step happens when Andy first enters into the prison system. Refusal of the call is when a call is given but the hero refuses to need it.

Within the initiation is the road of trials. The road of trials is when the hero must experience a series of tests, tasks, or ordeals to begin a transformation. Andy goes through the stage when he gets to know everyone in the prison from the guards to the inmates. Andy uses his knowledge to help the guards with taxes and becomes friends with all the inmates. The next stage is apotheosis, this occurs when Andy escapes and is shown running through the water with joy. The apotheosis is when an individual is at a period of rest, peace, and fulfillment before the hero begins the return. The ultimate boon is an achievement of the goal of the quest. Andy achieves this when he is digging a hole in the wall and set up the perfect night to go through with his escape