Journal 2

Reading Journal 2

-After finishing both the book and the movie-

                       

When I watched the movie right after finishing the book, I could notice some scenes that were different from the book. In many ways, these differences served to give a stronger emphasis on the theme of “hope.”

As showed in the above picture, the poster used for “The shawshank redemption” states

Fear can hold you prisoner

Hope can set you free

The movie’s stark contrast between Andy’s hope and the surrounding environment makes this message stronger.  First, the wardens are much crueler in the movie than in the book. While Tommy is sent to a better penitentiary (to prevent him from giving help to Andy) in the book, he is ruthlessly shot and killed by Norton in the film. Further, the film provides much more detailed and realistic scene of the inhumane environment of the shawshank – with emphasis on inhumanness of the wardens and the ‘sisters.’

However, while the’ dark’ is portrayed much darker in the film, the ‘bright’ is filled with more hope. A scene in which Andy turns on a classical music and let everyone in the prison listen to it was certainly a part that could not be found in the book. Along with some other behaviors of Andy, such act clearly underscores the hope that Andy had in his mind and his willingness to share it with his friends. To sum up, although Andy was placed in even worse condition in the movie, his determination was stronger, and his hope was brighter.

Such difference between the book and the film is also shown in the ending. Whereas the book ends as Red finds Andy’s message and decides to look for him, the movie finishes as Red actually finds Andy and reunite in pleasure, getting rid of the uncertainty that remained in the book and reemphasizing the ‘hope.’ Although the book was also clear in the message it intended to deliver, the movie made a stronger one, making the  story once more touching and intimate.

 

Journal 1

Reading Journal 1

-Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption -

The first thing that I noticed while reading this novel was that it was written in a first-person point of view. The entire story is written via Red’s voice. However, as I read along, another question arose. Is this really a story of Red? Most of the stories seemed to be focusing on Andy’s story rather than Red’s own; it felt as if the author –Stephen King- was simply borrowing the Red’s voice to recount a story of Andy. Most of the contents of the book talked about how Andy came to the prison, how he lived and dealt with problems inside Shawshank, and how he managed to escape from the place. Nonetheless, I ultimately concluded that this story is more of first-person narrative than a first-person observant. Superficially, this may seem like a life story of Andy, but deep inside, it reflects a part of Red that was discovered by Andy. In other words, Red also owned an aspect that differentiated Andy from all other prisoners who have been deeply institutionalized. Most importantly, Red himself confesses in the book:

“Andy was the part of me they could never lock up, the part of me that will rejoice when the gates finally open for me and I walk out in my cheap suit with my twenty dollars of mad-money in my pocket. It’s all about me.”

It was HOPE that kept Andy different from all other men in prison.  Andy’s circumstances were obviously not so bright; he was convicted for two murders that he himself never committed and was bullied by “the sisters” after entering Shawshank. He was clearly in one of the worst circumstances, yet he never lost hope. Whether it was his confidence in innocence, or simply his own nature that kept him sturdy, I do not know, but he never lost hope and constantly strived for the better. This “hope” gave him calmness, which eventually enabled him to escape from the prison. As Red mentioned in the novel, not many would be able to stay sane after thinking about all the possible outcomes that may happen while digging up the secret route in the wall. In addition to Andy, Red also has this “hope” somewhere in himself, though he may not recognize. This is why the shawshank redemption is Red’s story rather than Andy’s, because Red is revealing his own hope and possibility as he talks about Andy. Perhaps, Red was projecting himself to Andy while writing this story.

Aside from the characters, this book (and the movie) gave me some topics to ponder about. First, do wardens really have rights to treat the prisoners as they do in the book? Yes, these people are criminals who committed murders, but before that, they are human beings. And torturing human beings, or even killing them - as in the case of a chubby man in the beginning of the movie - , isn't that also a "murder"? The conditions described (especially in the movie) were so grotesque that it was hard to believe such thing really happened not long ago.

Hero's Journey

Group: Group Four (Wonji, Seewan, Heegu, Min)

Our Film: The Incredibles

Why we chose it: Almost everybody our age watched it.

ACT I

1. Ordinary World:
The ordinary world for Mr. Incredible was the world where his family lived, a world in which a lot of superheroes exist and occasionally save the world from burglars. His son Dash and his daughter Violet, who are also superheroes, go to school. His wife is an ordinary housewife. He is an ordinary salary man.

2. Call to Adventure:
Mirage sends Mr. Incredible an electronic device containing a summons to an island to fight a runaway robot.

3. Refusal of the Call:
He worries about his family and is reluctant of going back to his superhero days and putting his family at risk.

4. Meeting the Mentor:
He meets Mirage, who informs him about the robot and its abilities.

5. Crossing the Threshold:
He rides a very modern jet and goes to the island to find the robot.

ACT II

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies:
His first test comes when he first fights the robot, which can learn while battling. He almost gets drowned and melted in lava but finally finds a way to kill it. His one ally is Edna Mode, the woman who designs superhero clothes. She provides him and his family members each a suit that suits individual abilities. His family members, Elastigirl, Dash, and Violet are also allies. His real enemy is the rich weapons producer Syndrome, who used to be a fan of Mr. Incredible in his youth.

Another test comes when he encounters a new, upgraded robot powered by Syndrome. He is powerless in front of Syndrome.

7. Approach to the Innermost Cave:
He uses a statue and breaks through a fake lava-clad door to approach the central system. He looks up heroes’ and heroines’ names to see if they had been killed or not. He finds out that Syndrome is trying to conquer the world by launching a rocket. He gets caught.

8. Ordeal:
His family (his wife, son, and daughter) come to rescue him and are eventually caught.

9. Reward:
Violet uses her ability of shielding to escape from the electric bounds, and goes to save the world. Mirage tells them the password, and they fly to the city to fight the robot.

ACT III

10. The Road Back:
They fly back to the city.

11. Resurrection:
While the Incredibles are going home after destroying the robot, they find out that Syndrome has got Jackjack, the little baby. The other four are caught by Syndrome and then the baby is taken away by him. But surprisingly the baby had a great ability, and Syndrome is killed. Basically the baby resurrects the family.

12. Return With the Elixir:
Violet becomes more competent with boys, and Dash enjoys the races. The family becomes happier and more intimate.

Points of contention (ifs/ands/buts):

Perhaps Mirage is not a perfect mentor, because she worked for Syndrome and then changed into a good woman.