肖申克救赎英文感想

考生校区： 浦口 考生班级： 考生学号： 考生姓名： 考试班级：外国语学院2011级英语2班、3班（商务英语方向）

2013-2014学年第一学期《高级视听说》试卷

Term Paper (1 x 100)

Directions: You are required to write a critical and analytical essay of around 1,500 words in English on one of the following movies that we have learned this semester, The Graduate , Kramer vs. Kramer , Dead Poets Society , Philadelphia , The Shawshank Redemption , American Beauty, Scent of a Woman. The essay should include three aspects: background, themes and conflicts.

Your essay should be written on the provided. The essay must have a ’s name, title of the book, title of the journal, title of the article, date of publication, and page of quotation,) when quotations from others are used. In your writing, when you read or refer to any materials either in print or from websites, these materials should be listed in the after the essay. The deadline for submitting your essay is January 6, 2014. All the essays in print must be submitted to my office (Room 403, Wenxin Building) on Pukou Campus before must be emailed to the following address: . Everyone should fill in all the required information on the provided.

Most important of all, the essay should and must be a written product of your own profound reflection of the movie being discussed.

文献引用要求: 参考文献所列顺序以作者姓氏字母顺序排列，中国作者在前，外国作者在后。 如：

1. 胡文仲. 高等学校毕业设计（论文）指导手册 外语卷 [M]. 北京：高等教育出版

社，2007.

2. 穆诗雄. 英语专业毕业生论文写作 [M]. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2006.

3. Baker, Mona. Routledge Encyuclopaedia of Translation Studies, London: Routledge,

1998.

4. Who ’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966),

文档格式要求:

1. 页边距：上2.54cm ，下2.54 cm，左3.17 cm，右2.50 cm

2. 字号：标题：三号加粗；正文：小四；脚注/尾注、参考文献：五号

3. 字体：英文：Times New Roman；中文：宋体

4. 行距：1.5倍行距

5. 页码：下部居中

考生校区： 浦口 考生班级： 考生学号： 考生姓名： 考试班级：2011级英语2班、3班（商务英语方向）

ANSWER SHEET

Humanity, Freedom and Hope

The Shawshank Redemption is a vivid, striking and emotionally engaging film which is adapted from the novel. Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle gives a comment on the film: “……you get that inspirational jump -start frame after frame.” 1The movie transcends being just another prison film with a depth in thematic imagery and symbolism. It provides vital inspiration for the heart and nourishment for the soul, letting us know that even amid the most trying of circumstances, hope should never be extinguished.

The main character is called Andy Dufresne, a successful banker who is found guilty of the murder of his wife and her lover. He has to spend the remainder of his days in the Shawshank State Prison. Trapped in the purgatory, Andy Dufresne does not lose hope and saves himself eventually. The conflicts in the movie are humanity versus autocratic rules, freedom versus institutionalization and hope versus despair.2

Humanity versus Autocratic Rules

A high angle not only gives us a bird’s-eye view over the Shawshank State Prison，but also portraits the gloomy and frustrating vision. All words of scenes are words of sensations. 3The cloud, grey roofs and bumpy ground make up a scarred, bleak and hopeless landscape.

The warden Norton is extremely cruel, merciless and greedy. In order to make Andy help him evade taxes，He killed Tommy who is the only one can prove the innocence of Andy. He even poses a threat to Andy that he would transfer Andy from 1-bunk Hilton to sodomites if Andy refuses to help him again. His follower, the captain of guards (Mr. 1成应翠，杨金鑫. 当幸福来敲门 [J]. 哈尔滨：哈尔冰工业大学出版社，2010，p182

2 《肖申克的救赎》中的哥特式冲突。http://wenku.baidu.com/link?url=W0SXFZcZOWvQPxwGByKdruDo4B9Nj0IFRqj9NqedjEyImoqZ--JsmOFWnLfIhOYIjQU9xm3NzaT6eFI2K-r1MBhPb5NmqE55qtHHjpPTFOm

3马明. 影视评论初探 [J]. 上海：上海世界图书出版公司，2013，p73

Hadley) tortures and kills prisoners. The exploitation of prisoners’ labor is common. It seems that prisoners have no rights and position, let alone justice or dignity. The prisoners live in hot water not only physically but also psychologically. Therefore, the Shawshank State Prison is a dark purgatory without humanity.

Prisoners are used to being deprived of rights so that many tragedies happening are common. For example, the captain of guards bu sts the fat man’s head up, but nobody knows the victim’s name. Furthermore, Tommy dies from gun shot, but the warden just made an excuse to Andy. No one is brave to object to them unless he wants to die.

Freedom versus Institutionalization

One difference between that movie and the novel is that the movie adds a plot of Andy’s playing music, which is the originality of the director. The vision for freedom is integrated into the charm of music. On the one hand, the plot reflects heavy shackle of institutionalization on prisoners. On the other, it helps viewers perceive Andy’s inner world 4

A low angle makes the music holy and respectable. 5Gazing at speakers, all the prisoners listen with mouth open wide. Close-up emphasizes facial expression and gesture. 6In spite of the fact that the song is sung by two Italian women, there is no national boundaries in music. Freedom is conveyed through the song, which is like a candle that passes on from one to another. Lost in the beauty of music, everyone in the prison feels free. Andy stretches himself in a relaxed way with legs crossing each other. Disaster is on its way. The warden poses a threat to Andy, serious and cruel. On the contrary, Andy does not close the music but turn the volume up with determination. He gains power and eagerness from the music to struggle for freedom.

A saying goes that without music, life is a mistake. Andy is in firm belief that music makes senses even in the prison. Music is like fresh spring that purifies their soul and calms their heart. It has a soothing effect on people who are in difficulties. Although a week in the hole is like a year, Andy is not afraid of harsh facts any more with the 4 《肖申克救赎》安迪分析。（2013），http://www.docin.com/p-407587378.html

5姚军. 影视艺术欣赏 [J]. 北京：北京理工大学出版社，2006，p22.

6 Bordwell, David& Thompson, Kristin. Film Art: An Introduction, eighth edition, Asia:

McGraw-Hill Education and Beijing World Publishing Company, 2012, p191.

company of music.

The opposite of freedom is institutionalization, the cruel killer by which you will be deprived of courage and aim. The Shawshank librarian Brooks is the typical one who suffers a great deal from institutionalization. His death is a tear-jerking tragedy. He has been in Shawshank State Prison for 50 years. Although his parole’s come through, he is not in high spirits as we expect. Before he leaves, he sets free the bird called Jake. The startled squawk combined with the background music seems to create a somber atmosphere that makes the viewers feel suffocating. He tears himself away from Jake and the prison. Eventually, he commits suicide.

Why Brooks would rather choose death than enjoy freedom outside? Red attributes it to institutionalization. Psychologist Fromm writes a book called” Escape from freedom”. If you want to maintain independent and pursue freedom, you are bound to be trapped in solitary situation. More people tend to escape from freedom to gain dependence. 7 Therefore, people need principles and order to get the sense of safety. The most impressive scene is when Brooks sits in the bus. Holding on railing tightly, he acts like a caged animal. The medium close-up singles out a portion of the eyes that are full of uneasiness and emptiness. In his eyes, the world outside witnesses great changes and goes in a big hurry. He cannot adapt to the new environment, let alone gaining safety. He even thinks the prison is his home while the external world is the cell. With holes in his heart, he decides to commit himself.

Hope versus Despair

What does hope mean in the film? Andy Dufresne sets the example and gives us the answer. The initials of hardship, optimism, persistence and eagerness make up hope. Hope means in times of hardship, the person should maintain optimistic, persistent and eager.

The first night in the prison is the toughest time for the new prisoners. Red bets firmly that Andy is so fragile that he cannot bear it. However, confronted with hardship，Andy behaves calmly and quietly. In the daytime, he strolls like a man without no care or a worry in the world. Even later, closed in the hole for two weeks, he just says 7 心理学人物分析。 http://www.docin.com/p-686757739.html&s=F53CFF17A7BDC1D9BCD6DE71088216B0

optimistically: “easiest time I ever did.” In fact, a week here is like a year.

To expand the library, Andy writes a letter a week to the state senate to request funds from them. He has kept doing these for 6 years until a reply from the state senate. However, the funds are much less than he has expected. He persists in writing 2 letters a week. A saying goes that where there is a will, there is a way. He waves to the light of hope and success because of persistence.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: Faith is taking the first step, even when you do not see the whole staircase. Andy’s successful escaping from the prison is the climax of the movie. It would be easy to tell this story in a linear mode. Much to our surprise, the director creates an atmosphere of mystique and discloses the truth later. First of all, Andy looks quite strange that day. He not only mentions the death of his wife and attributes it to himself but also tells Red about his dream place —Zihuatanejo, a warm place with no memory. Afterwards, he asks Heywood for a length of rope. Secondly, the psychological movement of Red gives the viewers the hint. It is hard for him to make sure whether Andy will hang himself like Brooks. It is the longest and darkest moment for Red, so is for viewers. The last is the background music. It is said that drawing is the solid music while the music is the flowing drawing.⑧ The prelude is full of horror and uneasiness so that the frightening scene emerges naturally in viewers’ minds. All of those lay foundations for the climax. The next morning, Andy was found missing. The process of his escaping takes place somewhat late in the story, but the viewers do not learn this until the result shows up. Just pulling a scene out of order creates a surprise. ⑨ Flashback, the narrative technique, makes such a moment arouse interest and evoke shock. The turning point of the movie is when Andy jumps into the river and shouts in the rain. It has an impact not only on sensuality but also on heart. At that moment, bursting in tears, viewers heave a relief of sigh. Needless to say, when people keep hope alive, hope keeps people alive.

On the contrary, Red always reminds Andy not to daydream or mention hope. He says that hope is a dangerous thing and it can drive a man insane. In the prison, there is no ⑧江铁成. 影视赏析 [J]. 合肥：合肥工业大学出版社，2012，p63.

⑨ Bordwell, David& Thompson, Kristin. Film Art: An Introduction, eighth edition, Asia:

McGraw-Hill Education and Beijing World Publishing Company, 2012, p81.

point to maintain hopeful. After he is set free, he experiences the same dilemma as Brooks. He is in great despair so that he wants to suicide himself. Luckily, Red keeps his promise and finds the box that Andy leaves for him. In the letter, Andy tells Red to remember that hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies!

At the end of the movie, the tempo is accompanied by epic music, suggesting that Red takes on the journey to look for Andy with hope and excitement. A long shot shows that they hug each other on the beach where the sky is as clean as the sea. The novel just describes the scene that Red is on his way to look for Andy with enthusiasm. For the movie, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of hope by showing directly. Viewers look forward to the place that hope leads characters to. From the esthetic standpoint, if the majority of the movie creates dark and gloomy atmosphere, the only warm scene will leave a great impression on viewers. After all, it is a movie about hope and freedom.

The movie was released in 1994, but it tells the story of the1940s. Michel Foucault, French theorist, holds the view that the time of telling the myth is more important than that of the myth happens. ⑩ In the 1990s, terrible social security, unsteady political situations and social conflicts left American under great pressure and worry, which had a bad effect on people’s work and life. How can people build up confidence and get rid of anxiety? The movie inspires people not to wait for death but to move forward.

In all, hope can start a chain reaction that lights up lives like an endless string of Christmas bulbs. Red is gradually affected by Andy so that he does not give in to harsh facts. Goethe once said “A soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.” Several roads diverge in a wood, and Andy with hope takes the one less traveled by—hope, and that has made all the difference. It is of great importance to greet the present and embrace the future with hope.⑩戴锦华. 电影批评 [J]. 北京：北京大学出版社，2004，p193.

References :

1. 成应翠，杨金鑫. 当幸福来敲门 [J]. 哈尔滨：哈尔冰工业大学出版社，2010，p182.

2. 戴锦华. 电影批评 [J]. 北京：北京大学出版社，2004，p193.

3. 江铁成. 影视赏析 [J]. 合肥：合肥工业大学出版社，2012，p63.

4. 马明. 影视评论初探 [J]. 上海：上海世界图书出版公司，2013, p73.

5. 姚军. 影视艺术欣赏 [J]. 北京：北京理工大学出版社，2006，p22.

6. Bordwell, David& Thompson, Kristin. Film Art: An Introduction, eighth edition, Asia: McGraw-Hill Education and Beijing World Publishing Company, 2012, p81, p191.

7. 《肖申克的救赎》中的哥特式冲突。 http://wenku.baidu.com/link?url=W0SXFZcZOWvQPxwGByKdruDo4B9Nj0IFRqj9NqedjEyImoqZ--JsmOFWnLfIhOYIjQU9xm3NzaT6eFI2K-r1MBhPb5NmqE55qtHHjpPTFOm

8. 心理学人物分析。 http://www.docin.com/p-686757739.html&s=F53CFF17A7BDC1D9BCD6DE71088216B0

9. 《肖申克救赎》安迪分析。（2013），http://www.docin.com/p-407587378.html