Within this context, the presence of the ocean can be likened to the River Styx in Greek mythology, which washes away memories of the life once lived in preparation for the afterlife. It is also important to note that the possibility of escaping to Zihuatanejo is only mentioned after Red admits that he can possibly never atone for his sins, which is in keeping with the religious notion that acceptance of guilt precedes forgiveness or absolution. This imagery is directly analogous to that of heaven or paradise, tying in with the theme of death, or rather, life after death, at least in the case of Red. Andy describes Zihuatanejo as “ a place with no memory”, offering absolution to those who need it the most. Zihuatanejo has been aesthetically presented as a sort of safe haven, removed from the toils of the world-at-large, replete with the peaceful and cathartic lull of the Pacific Ocean, that seems to wash away a sense of the past. Enough time passes, so you depend on them.” While the sheer strength of hope and human will can allow one to triumph their greatest fears, Red reuniting with Andy at Zihuatanejo by breaking parole appears too good to be true, as this action is bound to trigger consequences. First, you hate them, then you get used to them. At one point in the film, Red aptly remarks the following about the confines of the prison: “ These walls are funny. While this incident does not directly point to the fact that the ending was a lie, it does serve to highlight Red’s excruciating pain of adjusting to a world outside of Shawshank State Prison, and how it comes to haunt those like him, who are imprisoned by feelings of guilt.

Moreover, one of the film’s deleted scenes chronicles Red’s struggles with intense anxiety and paranoia after being paroled, in which he experiences a panic attack at a grocery store, calming down only when inside a bathroom cubicle, as it was a reminder of the confines of his prison cell.

Shawshank redemption novel