Contrast was used by Frank Darabont in "The Shawshank Redemption" to convey the main ideas of hope and freedom. He contrasts the cruel environment of the prison to the prison library, the rooftop scene and the symbol of birds to communicate and emphasise the importance of this idea.
The introduction of Shawshank prison shows the harsh mental and physical treatment of the prisoners. When Andy Dufrane first enters the prison, the character known only as 'Fat Ass' weeps uncontrollably, before Captain Hadley bashes him to death during a cruel act showing no compassion. The camera in this shot which shot? Yu have mentioned several minutes of the film here so you need to be more precise. is angled so as to look up at the guards as they stand over the prisoner's limp body. This technique emphasises the power and control the guards have over the prisoners. How does it do this? We learn that degrading and physically abusing the prisoners is an attempt by the guards to mentally strip each inmate of any confidence and hope they have left from their life on the outside. Darabont effectively contrasts this with the library as it symbolizes hope, education and self esteem. We learn that the library is a place where the prisoners are able to gain knowledge or obtain their high school diplomas. But ultimately, the library is a place where they can obtain the freedom and hope which has been stripped away from them inside the prison walls. The way the prisoners are shown in the library with their faces illuminated by lighting and the bright sun shining through the windows effectively conveys the idea that here they have hope and freedom. .
The rooftop scene is one of the most important scenes in "The Shawshank Redemption", as it is the first time in the film that Andy is given favour over the other prisoners. Visual production techniques are used during this scene to demonstrate the power the guards possess over the prisoners.
