Authority-the Shawshank Redemption

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Shawshank redemption Essay Authority is the power to give orders and make others obey or take specific action. The text the Shawshank redemption explores this concept of authority. The movie directed by Frank Darabont is set in the 1960’s, where a man convicted of a double murder is set to Shawshank prison. During his time in prison he experiences abuse at the hands of the authority. The guards and the warden use fear to force the prisoner’s compliance. The main character realises that no matter how strong the authority there is always an escape. In the beginning of the text the chief guard beats a man to death because he was crying in his cell. The director uses a close-up camera angle of this unknown man’s face to create the effect of making the audience feel sympathy towards this inmate being abused and to abhore the chief guard and his treatment towards those of which he has complete control over. In my visual representation the images of Hitler and other dictators, groups such as the Klu kluck Klan, and Religious cults from history were used to portray this idea. A young man by the name of Tommy, is accused of murder, convicted and sent to Shawshank prison. When it comes to the Warden’s attention that Tommy is innocent and that he knows who the guilty person might be, he has him executed, in fear that it would paint the authority that sent an innocent man to prison, in a bad light. Also if this was brought to a judge’s attention someone would come to Shawshank prison to investigate Tommy’s claims and would see the abuse of authority that was going on. The Warden has Tommy escorted to an isolated court-yard in the middle of the night where he signals for the chief-guard to gun down an unsuspecting Tommy. The Director highlights the injustice of this by presenting a birds-eye view of Tommy’s corpse. In my visual representation I represented this scene

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