Common Theme
November 15, 2004

J. Kevin Tumlinson

Redemption is a pretty common theme in most stories. Movies, for example, use redemption more than just about any other theme. Think about any movie you’ve seen in the past five years (heck, make it the past 20!), and chances are “redemption” was the motivating force for the story.

In the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy we see redemption in every corner. Frodo’s quest to destroy the ring will redeem man, who had failed to do the same. But there are smaller battles for redemption in that film as well. Boromir, for example, redeems himself for trying to steal the ring from Frodo by sacrificing his life to save Merry and Pippin. And of course Golem… well, Golem is sort of a living monument to redemption – or possibly the consequences of a lack thereof.

“Spider-man” has redemption as its central theme as well. After his Uncle Ben dies at the hands of the robber that Peter allowed to go free, Peter decides to use his new powers to fight crime. Everything that happens to him from that point forward is an extension of his quest for redemption. He is trying to set right what was wrong, not in a literal sense but through a more universal approach. In that way, Spider-man becomes like the mythic heroes of the Iliad and Greek mythology. Hercules, too, was a character seeking redemption – in his case in the form of trying to prove his worth to his father, Zeus.

You would think this one would be obvious, but think about “The Shawshank Redemption.” Other than the title, where exactly did the redemption theme come into play? Actually, you might be surprised. Though ultimately Andy Dufresne was redeemed when he escaped Shawshank prison after being held there for decades for a crime he didn’t commit, in truth, the greatest example of redemption in the film comes from Red. Ellis Redding is the self proclaimed “only guilty man in Shawshank.” He owns up to his crime. He did it, and there’s no sense denying it. And while he served out his sentence in full, he allowed himself to change and grow as a result of Andy’s influence. By the end of the film, Red is no longer plagued by the crime he committed. He is free of it, both literally and emotionally. The story could actually be thought of as being about Red himself, and the redemption he received as a result of his friendship with Andy.

So why is this such a prevalent theme in fiction? Why do so many stories hinge on redemption? Possibly because we ourselves seem to be constantly seeking it in our own lives. Most of human history is a story of redemption, after all. When the framers of the Constitution put pen to paper, they were trying to redeem themselves, to make a better life for themselves, free from the tyranny of England.

Biblically, the story of Moses was one of the redemption of an entire people from slavery. The story of Samson was one of redemption after he had allowed himself to be weakened, bound and blinded. And Christ… well, that’s sort of THE story of redemption for Christians, isn’t it?

Think about all the stories that have moved you over the years and chances are they share this theme. So what does that say about our civilization? Is this a sign of what we’re seeking? And if so, redemption from what? Is the search for redemption just another way of saying that we collectively feel guilty for something?

Heady stuff, but it bears looking into. Maybe all of our fiction is a way for the collective unconscious of humanity to seek out some sort of balance. Maybe we tell these stories so we can all feel better about whatever it was that we did. They say we’re born to sin (we Christians say that, just bear with me if you’re not one of us), maybe our fiction is a way to help smooth our conscience a little. Maybe we’re asking for forgiveness.

It’s just a thought.