. Sentenced to two life terms at Shawshank State Penitentiary, Andy eventually befriends Ellis "Red" Redding, an inmate known for his ability to smuggle contraband into the prison. The Storyline Incarceration and Adaptation
Are you living in Shawshank, or are you just passing through?
The index argues that younger viewers (under 25) feel pity for Brooks. Older viewers (over 35) feel visceral terror . They recognize the bars of their own routines—the morning commute, the mortgage, the corporate email chain. To score high on the Shawshank Index, you must acknowledge that you, too, are an inmate of something. The only difference is the uniform.