7. Text-to-Text Connections

I immediately noticed a text-to-text connection that was from 12 Angry Men. The similarity in the character of the male witness in both stories was striking.

In Shawshank, Andy mused about the witness, whose testimony was one of the symbolic nails in his coffin in terms of his conviction:

I think it's at least possible that he convinced himself. It was the limelight. Reporters asking him questions, his picture in the papers...all topped, of course by his star turn in court. I'm not saying that he deliberately falsified his story, or perjured himself. I think it's possible that he could have passed a lie detector test with flying colors , or sworn on his mother's sacred name that I bought those dishtowels. But still...memory is such a goddam subjective thing." (King 10)

In 12 Angry Men, (Rose and Sergel) the jurors see through the witness's need for attention and acquit the accused, but the language used is similar:

JUROR #9: This is a quiet, frightened, insignificant old man who… who has been nothing all his life-who has never had recognition-his name in the newspapers. Nobody knows him after 75 years...This is a very sad thing. A man like this needs to be recognized-to be questions and listened to, and quoted just once... He made himself believe he told the truth. (Rose 34)

This implies that the witness may have made things up, albeit unintentionally. Both texts give the benefit of the doubt to the witness's motivations, indicating that they don't think that the men would have intentionally lied.

I can't really finish this section without discussing the 1994 Frank Darabont film Shawshank Redemption. The film was based on the novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption published in 1982 in the book Different Seasons, by Stephen King.

There are obvious text-to-text connections since the film was based on the book but more notable are some of the differences:

Red

Book, Red is described as a white, red haired Irishman.

Film: Red is played by Morgan Freeman, a black man who jokes about his Irish heritage. For the record, Morgan Freeman was PERFECT in this role!

Andy Dufresne

Book: Described as a "short, neat little man with sandy hair and small clever hands. He wore gold rimmed spectacles..." (King 4)

Film: Tim Robbins is not short. His height is 1.96 m, which I don't think in any way can be called short. He was also, PERFECT for this role.

Brooks Hatlen

Book: Dies in a home for the indigent after leaving the prison. (King 42)

Film: Hangs himself in the room which Red eventually inhabits once he is paroled.

Guards

Book: Since the book takes place over a long period of time, there is an ongoing parade of guards and wardens.

Film: Guards and the warden were consistent throughout the book.

Warden Norton

Book: Resigns his post three months after Andy escapes. (King 92)

Film: Commits suicide

Tommy Williams

Book: Transferred to Cashman prison (King 67)

Film: Killed by Warden Norton

Picture (Greig)

Andrea Levy Dec. 7/21