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Control In The Shawshank Redemption

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‘Funny how the people who desperately want to change you are the least likely to change anything about themselves’. That is one of my favourite quotes that demonstrates the harsh and unfortunate realities of societal control. Whether it be with leaders in society, media or ordinary everyday people, stereotypical and authoritative restraints are placed on everyone. My report demonstrates how and why control is used to oppress others. The texts I have chosen as examples are ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Whiplash’. I feel that each of my selected texts display ideas of control resulting in somewhat perceived superior people thriving and perceived inferior people being oppressed. In ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, characters are primarily used …show more content…

This is because the criminal got away with a sentence barely equating to what he did in the first place, which I find disgustingly unjust and unacceptable. Although the prospect of people getting abused and mistreated seems wrong and unfair, the crimes they committed justify their treatment. If you break the rules, you must suffer the consequences. However, there is a fine line between giving them what they deserve and treating them so badly they are dehumanised and I believe guards in Shawshank took it too far. An example of this is when young prisoner Tommy is shot dead as a precaution. The Warden was scared he would let Andy know the truth that he was wrongly convicted and he is innocent after all. Those in roles of high power commonly use their title or authority to everyone else’s disadvantage. By destroying Andy’s property (the only things he owned and had control over) the staff were easily allowed to demonstrate their power and flaunt their supremacy. I believe Darabont included scenes like this to emphasize the idea that people in powerful roles in society often dictate and domineer others until they are downtrodden. A lesson which

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