Two different colors about Shawshank family: Movie vs. Novella

           There are several ways to describe an event: objectively or subjectively. These two ways of description affect the writing piece differently. Objective view helps people to be independent in having their opinions, while subjective view helps people to sympathize with particular incident. Though the movie and the novella of Shawshank Redemption are very similar in the message or the characters, two are quite different in their styles. The movie tried to emphasize the message, more dramatically than the novella.

           First, the movie changed the characters to make story more dramatically. In the movie, Red was set as a Black, old man instead of the red-haired, relatively young man. By making Red older and wiser, the movie tried to form Red as a friend who gives an advice which is opposing to the Andy’s view about hope. Brooks who was just a minor character (just a librarian before Andy) in the book became more important in the movie, showing people the tragic result of institutionalized prisoner. In order to enhance the tragedy happened to Brooks, his characteristics in the prison were added up; he was colored as a librarian who was the messenger of the goods and who had a crow named Jake. Not only that, other characters’ personalities were polarized. The good side, Andy, Tommy, and Red’s friends became kinder and more good-natured. The bad side, Hadley and Norton became more evil, rotten minded. By depicting two sides more evident, the movie tried to make the audience sympathize with the characters, more touched by the ending.

           Second, the movie changed the events occurred in the book, in order to make the movie more touching. The events occurred to Tommy can be an example. Originally, in the book, Norton was not that cruel; he just compromised with Tommy about revealing the truth, and Tommy accepted that proposal. However, on the movie, Norton coerced Tommy to hide the truth, Tommy insisted to reveal the truth as a witness, and after all, Tommy was killed. It was very cruel. Also, there are several minor things included. The scene which Andy turned on the opera ‘the marriage of Figaro’ was included, showing the resistance of Andy. In the end, Andy revealed the corruption of the Shawshank prison in the newspaper, took all the money Norton gained from the money laundry, and also put the bible which had a groove for rock hammer in exodus section. In the movie, there was also the picture of Einstein lolling out his tongue in front of Norton who failed to catch Andy. Those little, but bit witty elements included in the movie give the audience pleasure.

           To sum up, the movie recreated the book more vivid, more touching. Like an artist carving the original stone into a beautiful sculpture, the movie was very successful at carving up the original novella. Both the movie and the novella were joyful, having similarities and also expressing distinct colors. I should definitely have an attention to the Steven King’s novel.

Meta-fiction: Being an idol member

Dear Diary.....

Weather: Sunny

Date: October 30th, Sat

Title: Two roads

           There are four types of people: people whose interest and talent match, those who aren't good at their interest, those who don't have any interest, and lastly, those who have neither interest and talent. Third and fourth type of people are rare. Rather, most people are second type of people, which is very tragic. They have a passion, but still, they are not good at it. They put a lot of efforts on that, but it is such a pain. At that moment, people should choose the road they'd take in the future: the road according to their talent or to their interest?

           In my case, I chose to walk along the road of my interest: an entertainer.

           Yes, an entertainer is what people call 'showbiz'. People would imagine a bunch of girls in a mini skirt, dancing, singing just one or two verses for each. A lot of people think those 'dolls' are just for catching people's attention, and after all, money.

           I cannot deny that idol groups are pristine from money or dirty gossips. However, still, idol members can freely dance and sing. That is fascinating enough for me.
          So I am the idol trainee in SHS Entertainment. I have been trained for more than 3 years. Although my nickname in the company is 'Beta', for being second-best in everything, I’m working hard for the dream that is vague and beautiful as a mist: standing on the stage as a 'Alpha'. 

           Yesterday, on the dance-practicing room, I found a diary which is old and rusty. Seemed like the diary was abandoned for more than 3-4 years. It didn't have any name.

           For some moment, I felt guilty about looking at the diary. But my curiosity pressed that hesitation, pushing me to open it up.

           Being a member of the idol is such a hard task. Some might argue that idol members only have to dance, sing, and practice a big smile to the crowds. Well? That’s true. I practice wave dancing, natural vibrations and high notes while singing, all that kind of stuff. And I definitely prefer doing that, rather than just dozing off in history class.

           But imagine standing on the stage where numerous eyes coldly evaluate EVERYTHING. They are not only interested in my dance, my song, and my big smile. Rather, they are interested in finding out what I did wrong in the past. One day, my boss grabbed my wrist so hardly and brought me into his room. He suddenly yelled at me and asked what I did in the first year in high school. I couldn’t answer. He abruptly threw the newspaper of that day. On the gossip section, there was an enormous picture of a young girl with a thick makeup taking a motorcycle with several boys. The girl with the cigarette fixed in the mouth had a name tag, ‘Soho’.

           Oh my god….Busted. What should I do?

           I was dumbfounded. Yes, it is true that my high school years weren’t something that anyone would call smooth and clean. I lived my high school life as a ‘free soul’, to define it. But why should anyone care?

           My boss thought differently of this issue. He told me to stop keeping contact with my high school friends and tell them to not to tell anyone they were ever friends with me. How could he demand such a thing! I said I couldn’t do that but he yelled at me “If you don’t do as I say, don’t even dream of going on stage.” It was my only dream and the words that came out of his mouth rang in my ears for a long time. Friends or dream?

           For that moment, I decided dream and in front of my boss I called my best friend. Her name is EunJi Lee who has a long, red, curly hair and who was the boss of motorcycle gang.

           “What’s up? Aren’t you busy dancing?”

           Her voice stopped me from saying anything else. My boss was frustrated and he grabbed the phone and replied to EunJi.

           “Hey, if I’m right, are you the ‘obstacle’ to the success of Soho?”

           “Huh..excuse me?”

           “Probably you have to study English to understand what ‘obstacle’ means”

          The conversation became very acrimonious. Full of bitter words and sentences, it seemed to last forever. After all, my boss asked me to join other members practicing dance routine.

           After an hour, my boss came to me, saying “The fuss with that lousy girl finally ended!” I don’t know exactly what happened, but I could guess from the nuance of the word ‘lousy’ or ‘fuss’.

           After that disturbance, all I did was the preparation for our come-back. Just reviewing the dance routine, singing, and preparing for the participation in entertainment show. That was all. The dispute, fuss in the expression of my boss no longer exists in my mind. After 3 weeks, our girl group successfully came-back to the stage and to the fans.

           This is a story that I can only write in here, my diary. I never told this story to my parents or my close friends. I couldn’t be honest while hiding this story in my mind, but after all, now I became trouble-freed. Thanks, my diary, for listening my shameful story.

           After I read the diary, I couldn't sleep well. When trying to sleep, the word 'dream' and 'friend' constantly popped into my mind. My friends are quite similar(well, not that troubled...but)..

           What will I choose in a future? Friend? Or my dream?
            Well... I think I'm going to far. I shouldn't think about it for now. Practicing the dance routine is more important than worrying about the vague dilemma.
            Okay, have a good sleep, my diary!

Imagine...

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
-John Lennon 'Imagine'
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I hope...