sorry lemming and this movie be not about hope . liberal lemming like to rant and what hope . and what freedom . what the movie really impress me be certainly not about hope but the sufferance and and accept fate . when people face such cruel reality . more hope mean more despair . everyone have hope and there be nothing special to have hope and nothing to be proud of . what people really need be to understand the reality and have the courage to face the reality . only someone so disillusion can be so clinical like mccqueen character and henri charriere i remember steve mccqueen mumble many time i do not know i do not care . such word show how cool and prepared he be . he be ready for any injustice . the true reality be not one person be lucky . and escape and get free and the reality be so many people couldn not be lucky and able to do the same . to be broad and so many people be kill everyday in the world . people can not hold their fate and whatever how much they try . if people could really handle their fate and nobody would be kill or treat badly . if a gang can kill a person and the society can play the role too . the society be unfair and it have be and always will be . just the nature of the society . talk about hope . shawshank be a movie about hope . very idealistic about that one can easily escape the prison and easily deal with social machine . life be always wonderful as long a you have hope . and do what andy do . typical brainwashing .