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He concludes by assessing the strengths of Stephen King's work: "Many of King's stories can indeed leave us sad and scared. Maybe that's why he works the divine into so many of his tales—like Shawshank—which are filled with hope in the face of horror. King shows a sense that evil is real and must be resisted—and that it is mostly overcome not through magic or violence, but in the heart. The real battle against evil and despair is fought in the hard everyday decisions of ordinary, faithful people who choose not to give in—much like the men in Shawshank."

A ready-to-download Movie Discussion Guide related to this movie is available at ChristianityTodayMoviesStore.com. Use this guide after the movie to help you and your small group better connect your faith to pop culture.

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