Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
The film “The Shawshank Redemption” tells the story of such a hope turning adversity into triumph. The main character, Andy, is wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and imprisoned in Shawshank Prison. In the prison, Andy is oppressed by violence and corruption, but with his intelligence and persistence, he improves the prison library, helps prisoners get access to education, and ultimately escapes the prison and exposes its corruption.
What is redemption? Redemption can only be achieved by reviving hope. Although he is often told that hope is useless, even his friend Red says, “Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.” But he never gave up and was set free by his quest for hope.
Hope is such a common word. Andy tells Red, however, that hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. What is more precious than life may be love; what is more precious than love may be freedom; but what is more precious than freedom can only be hope. As the film tries to tell the audience, no matter how unbearable life is, it is not a reason to despair.
The film has been described as the most powerful illustration of hope.
Andy spent six years in prison to apply for a library fund from the government before he finally succeeded, and 20 years to dig out a hidden tunnel to be free. This is all because he has never given up his inner hope and has the courage to pursue it. However, if you are Andy, you have persistently appealed, but all of them have been rejected. Just as you persistently pursue your own ambitions, but keep encountering obstacles, will you still insist on believing in the existence of hope?
Hope exists all the time, but the process of sticking to it may be painful.
If you want to have enough motivation to get out of a difficult situation, you must first have a strong internal mind. When you encounter such a situation as Shawshank, which generally imprisons the freedom of the mind, are you a helpless old Brooke, a discouraged Reed, or a wise Andy? If you are willing to believe that you are the bright bird, then you cannot be trapped in a prison, because it was Andy himself who opened the prison.
Let us all use our wisdom, trust in hope, and be brave enough to face our fears and defeat them.
And the truth is that, many times, we are not alone in our difficulties. Friends, lovers, families, and even strangers will all be willing to lend a helping hand to you in your difficulties.
Someone will always be with you.
As life is not always easy, the company of friends may help you regain hope and face life with a different attitude.
If life’s difficulties make you want to run away, but a true lover will always be there beside you to help you overcome everything.
Family is a strong backup for people, and their support is priceless when facing difficulties.
Many times, when you think you are isolated, the whole community will actually be a powerful helper to get you out of your difficult situation.