October Stephen King Tribute Day 16: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is a novella included in the collection Different Seasons, originally published in 1982.

Warning, this review does contain spoilers.

Andy Dufresne is sent to Shawshank Prison after having been convicted of killing his wife and her lover. At Shawshank, most everyone claims they are innocent, only in Andy's case, he actually is. The story if narrated by Red, the prison's contraband expert.

One of Andy's hobby's was rock collecting and polishing. Red sets him up with the tools he needs and they become friends. Andy also has a head for business and numbers. He earns a reputation by assisting the guards and the warden with their business dealings. In return, Andy is given easy jobs and is protected from the homosexual gang in the prison.

The prison library is upgraded thanks to Andy and many of the prisoners earn their diplomas. Andy hears of an inmate having some information about his trial, but the warden makes sure that inmate is transferred far away from Andy. Andy tells Red about some money and other identity that he has on the outside. He tells Red that one day he will own a resort in Mexico.

After being in prison for almost twenty seven years, the guards find that Andy has simply disappeared from his cell. After searching his cell, they find a small hole that Andy had chiseled and kept covered with a poster, the last one being Linda Ronstadt. Red is released on parole and the story ends with him violating his parole to join Andy in Mexico.

This is another great piece of short fiction from Stephen King. Once again he is able to create such depth with his back stories on each character. It is really hard not to get caught up in the violent prison social scene.

The movie version of Shawshank Redemption is one of the best adaptations of King's works. It stars Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. There are a few changes with the movie version, but overall it is pretty spot on to the book. I am not usually a fan of Tim Robbins, but he did a great job in this movie.