MovieChat Forums > The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Discussion > Is Andy the “magical Caucasian”

Is Andy the “magical Caucasian”


People often list this movie as an example of the magical negro cliche.

I think they have it wrong. Red is the main character of a more pedestrian realm, while andy distributes the wisdom to a man in need.

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I agree with you about people getting it wrong.

Andy is the magical white guy who changes Red's life for the better.

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lol,
Hollywood made the character black to begin with.
He wasn't a black character for all of you weirdos who have to boil everything in life to what color a person is.
Red is a white character in the book/novella.

Now we have everyone analyzing things based on everyone's color.

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Isn't that a joke in the movie when Morgan Freeman says "probably because I'm Irish", like he's referencing him being white in the book?

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Yeah. Kind of the movie's way of explaining why "red" (It has been a while since I've read it but I think he may have had red hair) is a black guy.
That was a good line.

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