Andy Dufresne is the main character from the 1994 movie, “The Shawshank Redemption.” The movie, which was based on a Stephen King novella titled “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,” became an instant classic and earned several Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. It didn’t have a huge initial success or win many of its nominations, “The Shawshank Redemption” became an integral part of American culture with unforgettable characters like Red and Andy Dufresne.
“The Shawshank Redemption” is about Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, who is wrongfully convicted of killing his wife and the man she was with. He was sent to Shawshank State Penitentiary, a fictional prison in Maine. He then spends several years at Shawshank, initially getting assaulted but gaining several close friends and even helping and befriending prison guards. After several failed attempts to clear his name, Andy escapes from prison and waits for his friend Red (Morgan Freeman) to join him in Mexico.
Andy Dufresne was put in a difficult situation, having been cheated on and then sent to prison for murder, but he dealt with it admirably. While he was in prison, he helped a young dropout learn how to read and earn his G.E.D., he befriended guards and did their taxes, and he improved the prisons library and promoted education and culture among the inmates. Making the best of his situation wasn’t enough for Andy. He made his situation better, and then removed himself from the situation to live free (though still an outlaw).
Andy Dufresne Quotes
- “That’s the beauty of music. They can’t get that from you… Haven’t you ever felt that way about music?”
- “Since I am innocent of this crime, sir, I find it decidedly inconvenient that the gun was never found.”
- “How can you be so obtuse?”
- “You know what the Mexicans say about the Pacific? They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory.”
- “It’s my life. Don’t you understand? IT’S MY LIFE!”
Featured image via entertainment.time.com