Different Seasons

In “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption,” the black rock by the stone wall is a symbol of justice and hope. Knowing that there was a chance of being wrongly convicted, he set up an escape route to thwart that injustice. The fact that Andy rolls away a rock when starting his new life is another allusion to his Christlike characterization.

For Red, when he is struggling to find his way in the outside world, the rock by the wall tells Red that Andy is waiting for him. Andy leaves a message for Red, a guidepost, showing him the road and giving him a set of clear steps to follow.

Zihuatanejo in “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” is the symbol of redemption. It is a resort city on the Pacific coast of Mexico known for its beaches. Andy describes it in glowing terms as a paradise, suggesting that it is an allusion to heaven which Andy reaches after passing through a symbolic death and resurrection from the sewer pipe. The sense of redemption is emphasized by the fact that Andy believes the lore that the Pacific has “no memory” of past sins.