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The Causes And Effects Of Institutionalization In The Shawshank Redemption

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The Causes and Effects of Institutionalization in “The Shawshank Redemption” “Everybody in here’s innocent.”. This humorous albeit extremely dark phrase is one the audience will get well acquainted with in The Shawshank Redemption. Based off a Stephen King novel, this movie is filled with dark humor, wit, and, most importantly, introspective looks into the way people adapt, think, and act in a harsh, shackled environment. Combining both realism and imagination, Stephen King managed to fashion a story that, through the skilled machinations of the movie’s director and screenwriter, will survive though the ages and continue to resonate with the public. Director Frank Darabont’s debut movie managed to win numerous awards, captivate the hearts and minds of the public, and has remained as one of the most touching and contemplative pieces of film work in modern times. As a critic once said, “The Shawshank Redemption is one of those films that is a true work of both art and magic.” (James Brundage). In this movie, we discover that an individual eventually finds that the very institution he or she spurned may be the only thing keeping him or her grounded. This phenomenon is one known as institutionalization and it is showcased as one of the main themes in The Shawshank Redemption. More than a mere prison drama, The Shawshank Redemption portrays the birth of an institutionalized society and its causes and effects on the individual. One of the causes of institutionalization in The
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