Running head: Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
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Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
Scott S. Critzer
Dr. Gerry R. Sokol and Dr. Nancy Powers
EDLP 705—Frameworks for Decision-making: Ethical Perspectives
Virginia Commonwealth University
February 11, 2012
Author Note
Correspondence regarding this paper should be addressed to Scott S. Critzer, Assistant Principal,
Randolph-Henry High School, 755 David Bruce Avenue, Charlotte Court House, Virginia
23923. E-mail: critzerss@vcu.edu
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Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
It has been suggested that a person can learn a great deal about a society; its customs,
values, ethical beliefs, etc…, through its cultural works (art, film, literature, etc…). In the case
of the 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption, a story of one man’s wrongful imprisonment and
subsequent freedom, the viewer can gain a great insight into two ethical principles that help to
govern society. The Shawshank Redemption provides the viewer with a backdrop against which
to consider the ethical principles of justice and power and the implications that the way in which
those principles are dealt with in the film can have for society.
Ethical Principles
Ethics can be defined as, “a social, religious, or civil code of behavior considered correct,
especially that of a particular group, profession, or individual” (Ethics). While the individual
principles that make-up such “correct behavior” can be debated from group to group and society
to society, there are certain ones that seem to transcend culture and societal boundaries. One of
these is “justice.” Justice can be defined as “the quality of being fair and reasonable/conformity
to moral rightness and attitude” (Justice). It is a sense that a person is being treated in a manner
that is in accordance with a reasonable and fair application of both written and unwritten “laws”
that are considered to be righteous and is an almost universal ethical principle.
One can see the ethical principle of justice in The Shawshank Redemption from the very
beginning of the film. The foundation of the movie is the unjust imprisonment of the main
character, Andy Dufresne, and the subsequent injustices that are done to him while there. These
injustices take the form of sexual assault by other prisoners, a refusal on the part of the warden to
acknowledge evidence of his innocence, and a resulting two-month assignment to solitary
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Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
confinement when he tries to argue the point. The other characters are not free from the effects of
injustice either. From the new prisoner who is beaten to death for crying to Red, who his
continually rejected for parole despite obviously being “rehabilitated,” the characters continually
face situations in which they are treated in a manner that both they and the audience would view
as unjust.
The second main ethical principle in the film is that of power. Power exists any time one
person exerts some advantage over another. It can take the form of intellect, money, strength,
etc… and with it comes an inevitable ethical dilemma of how to use the power. As was discussed
with justice, there appears to be a universal belief that power should be used in a judicious
manner, but that does not always happen. Johnson (2012) suggests that, “…we recognize that
power has a corrosive effect on those who possess it,” (p. 9) and that kind of behavior is evident
in the film. Warden Samuel Norton abuses his legitimate power, or power of his position, along
with both reward (delivering something of value) and coercive (penalties or punishments) power
to use and abuse prisoners for his own personal gain, even going so far as to have one shot in
order to protect his financial and personal interest (Johnson, 2012, pp. 7-8). Head guard Byron
Hadley abuses his power through coercive measures, beating and killing prisoners and running
the prison through fear and intimidation. Even the other guards, though they do not abuse the
prisoners physically, take advantage of their position to get free financial work from Dufresn.
The use and abuse of power extends to the prisoners, as well. Red uses his influence with
the guards to get all of his friends on the same work detail. At the same time, Boggs and The
Sisters use their physical power to force Andy into unwanted sexual acts. Even Andy uses his
power, exercising the expert power of his financial abilities in illegal ways and, in doing so,
gaining privileges for both the other prisoners and himself (Johnson, 2012, p. 8). While the
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Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
audience may ultimately view these actions more favorably in light of the injustices faced by the
prisoners, they nonetheless represent actions that, in and of themselves, would be examples of
abuse of power.
Character Reactions
The ethical principles of justice and power play-out in the film through the reactions of
the different characters to the environment of injustice and abused power that is present in the
prison. It is the prison establishment, represented by the Warden, Hadley and the other guards,
that provides the catalyst that drives the character interplay. The Warden and Hadley are the
main abusers, but even the other guards, who show fairness and justice to the prisoners when left
on their own, fall victim to the pressures of the Warden and Hadley’s evil “shadow” (Johnson,
2012) and join-in to some degree. It is this situation that causes the prisoners to have to choose
how they will react.
In the face of the unfair treatment and abuse of power, the prisoners choose to react in
different ways. Boggs and /The Sisters become part of the abuse through the use of physical
strength, beating and sexually assaulting Dufresn and others at will. Red and the rest of
Dufresn’s group are able to maintain a semblance of ethical normalcy but become numb to the
things going on around them and begin to take them as a matter of course. It is Dufresn who
refuses to give-in to the injustice and abuse. He fights the Sisters, even though he does not
always win, plots behind the scenes to escape, makes use of his position as “financial advisor” to
help the other prisoners and, through it all, he maintains his inner strength, hope, and ethical
outlook. This interplay between the prison establishment and the prisoner, as well as the differing
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Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
ways that the prisoners choose to react to the situation helps to bring to light some ethical
implications suggested by the film.
Ethical Implications
While there are several suppositions and implications that can be made from the movie
about society and its beliefs, two seem to stand-out. The first ethical implication of the movie is
the idea that society takes a utilitarian view of ethics. Under a utilitarian approach, decisions are
based on their consequences (Johnson, 2012, p. 154) and the “ends justify the means.” There is a
sense that while certain actions, in and of themselves, can be considered unethical, society is
willing to view them more favorably within a certain context. For example, there seems to be an
inate need for people to feel that justice has been done, and certain unethical behaviors may be
acceptable in achieving that end. This can be seen throughout the movie. Boggs, the leader of the
Sisters, is beaten until he is paralyzed for hurting Dufresn. Dufresn escapes from prison and
takes $370,000 of ill-gotten, laundered money in the process. Either of these might be considered
unethical in and of themselves, but the audience is willing to applaud both in the interest of
justice being served.
We see this same utilitarian view in the use of power in the movie. The Warden and the
guards abuse their power to differing degrees and the audience is meant to frown and look
askance. However, when Dufresn exploits his financial capabilities in an illegal activity and
escape or Red engages in smuggling items into the prison, the audience applauds. In a vacuum,
all of the acts are unethical. However, the actions of Dufresn and Red seem to serve, in the eyes
if the audience, to balance-out some of the abuses of power and advance the cause of justice. As
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Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
a result, they are looked at as being ethical in as much as they helped meet the ethical principle
of justice despite being unethical themselves.
The second implication is the power of ethical leadership. This can be seen in the reaction
of the two main groups, the governing power of the Warden and the guards and Dufresn’s group,
to their respective leaders. In the case of the guards, we see the influence that the leadership of
the Warden and Hadley has over them. As was mentioned earlier, the guards are motivated to act
in harsh ways towards the prisoners when around the Warden and Hadley, but we see more
ethical and humane interactions when the guards are alone with the prisoners. Even Hadley
changes once the “spell” of the Warden’s leadership is broken, crying like a baby when he is
arrested. Thus, one sees the length and power of the shadow that the Warden casts.
In contrast to the guards, one sees the positive influence that Dufresn has on Red and the
other prisoners in their group. When he arrives, they are practical and pragmatic, resigned to the
way things are. However, Dufresn shows them that ethical behavior and rightness can still exist.
This begins with their first meeting, when he asks for the name of a prisoner who was beaten to
death. This seems inconsequential to the others but serves as a symbol of Dufresn bringing the
ethics of the outside world with him into the prison. Despite all that occurs during his stay, he
never loses those ethics. He never loses hope. And, in the process, he raises the ethical level and
level of hope for all members of the group.
Both men lead their respective groups through their actions and decision-making. One’s
actions lead in an unethical manner and the other in a more ethical one. Through this, it is
evident just how influential the ethical decisions of a leader and the “shadow or light” they cast
can be (Johnson, 2012).
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Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
Thus, against the backdrop of the microcosmic subculture of Shawshank Prison, one sees
the importance of justice and fair use of power to American society. The adage that, “Power
corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” (Johnson, 2012, p. 11) becomes a reality
within the prison walls and the characters are left to make sense of it. Ultimately and ironically,
it is the seemingly unethical deeds of Dufresn and Red (who breaks his parole to go to Mexico)
that restore the balance of justice and power that the audience is seeking and, in doing so, reveal
the important role that these ethical principles play in society.
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Ethical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
References
Ethics. In The Free Dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ethics
Glotzer, L., Lester, D.. & Marvin, N. (Producers) and Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). The Shawshank
Redemption [Motion Picture]. United States: Castle Rock Entertainment.
Johnson, C.E. (2012). Meeting the Ethical Challenges of Leadership: Casting Light or Shadow, fourth
edition. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications Ltd.
Justice. In The Free Dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ethics