Shawshank State Prison Explained

Shawshank State Prison
Source:Stephen King
First:Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (1982)
Creator:Stephen King
Genre:Crime fiction
Type:Prison

Shawshank State Prison is a fictional New England state prison in the state of Maine. It serves as the primary location in the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, as well as its subsequent film adaptation. The prison has also been mentioned in several other works by King.

Overview

Shawshank State Prison first appeared in Stephen King's novella entitled Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The story was originally published in the 1982 short story collection Different Seasons alongside three other novellas, two of which also referenced the prison.

The Shawshank Redemption, a motion picture based on the novella, was released in 1994. The actual building used for filming was the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio.[1]

Shawshank State Prison also appears in several episodes of the Hulu original series Castle Rock. For the series, the showrunners used the West Virginia Penitentiary as the prison. “Part of the reason we chose the prison that we chose to shoot at was we loved the idea that there are houses literally in the shadow of the prison," said showrunner Sam Shaw. "It’s pretty different from the amazing prison in Ohio that they shot for the movie, which stands alone."[2]

Works that reference Shawshank State Prison

Publication yearTitleNotes
1982Apt PupilThe novella was originally published in the collection Different Seasons. The story appears alongside Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
The BodyThe novella was originally published in the collection Different Seasons. The story appears alongside Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
1985NonaPublished in Skeleton Crew.
The TrapNovel published by Tabitha King, Stephen King's wife.
1986ItOne of the missing children's stepfathers is mentioned as having been incarcerated in Shawshank, a teenaged perpetrator of a hate crime is sentenced to serve a term in Shawshank, and another character is threatened with working in "the lime pit" at Shawshank.
1990The Sun DogNovella published in Four Past Midnight.
1991Needful Things
1992Dolores Claiborne
1993"The Fifth Quarter"Originally published in the April 1972 issue of Cavalier, "The Fifth Quarter" was later revised and published in the 1993 short story collection Nightmares & Dreamscapes. It's in this latter publication in which the main character mentions that he served time at Shawshank.[3]
1998Bag of Bones
2007Blaze
2009Under the Dome
2010A Good MarriageNovella published in Full Dark, No Stars.
201111/22/63
2020Mr. Harrigan's PhoneNovella published in If It Bleeds.
2021Later

In other media

Apart from appearing in the Castle Rock TV series, Shawshank State Prison is also mentioned in two episodes of Haven, and an episode of Murder, She Wrote (“Race to Death,” season 12, episode 21). References to the prison can also be found in works of King's son Joe Hill, including the novel NOS4A2 and the 2019 comic Basket Full of Heads.[4] [5]

The name "Shawshank" is often used in popular culture as a noun to reference a successful prison break. An example of this can be found in the twelfth episode of The Flashs first season.[6] The series features cast members from The Shawshank Redemption, including Clancy Brown and William Sadler.[7] [8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Heidenry . Margaret . The Little-Known Story of How The Shawshank Redemption Became One of the Most Beloved Films of All Time . . . June 28, 2020 . September 22, 2014.
  2. Web site: Grebey . James . 'Castle Rock' Showrunners Reveal the Grim Significance of Shawshank Prison . . Bustle Digital Group . June 28, 2020 . July 24, 2018.
  3. Book: Wiater . Stanley . Golden . Christopher . Wagner . Hank . The Complete Stephen King Universe: A Guide to the Worlds of Stephen King . May 30, 2006 . . . 0312324901 . 464–465 . Revised.
  4. Web site: Melrose . Kevin . Wait, Is AMC's NOS4A2 Set in the Stephen King Universe? . . Valnet Inc. . June 28, 2020 . June 2, 2019.
  5. Web site: Paul . Andrew . Hill House: DC's Basketful of Heads Set in the Stephen King Universe . . Valnet Inc. . June 28, 2020 . November 5, 2019.
  6. "Crazy for You" . . . February 3, 2015 . 1 . 12 . "Word around here is, Parker pulled a Shawshank?" . https://transcripts.foreverdreaming.org/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=16386 . en.
  7. Web site: Stanhope . Kate . 'Chicago P.D.' Nabs 'The Flash' Vet for Recurring Role (Exclusive) . . Valence Media . June 28, 2020 . August 4, 2015.
  8. Web site: Burlingame . Russ . The Flash Recruits William Sadler to Play Simon Stagg; Metamorpho On the Way? . Comicbook.com . June 28, 2020 . July 12, 2014.