Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption proves why King is a master storyteller. This novella is a masterclass in storytelling technique, demonstrating flawless pacing, excellent use of dialogue, and natural character development. While King can be overly descriptive in his other works, he shows remarkable restraint here, stripping everything from the writing but the bare essentials. There is nothing to be edited out and nothing to be added to improve the novel. His dialogue conveys what great dialogue should: it paints a vivid picture of the speaker’s personality, inner life, and background while pushing the plot forward, all without ever feeling forced, unnatural, or contrived.
What most impressed me, however, was the delicate way King handles prison life. There are two protagonists in the story: the narrator, Red, and the subject of the narrator, Andy Dufresne. These characters feel as real as anyone you might meet on the street. It would have been easy for King to have taken the easy road, to settle for the age-old misunderstood/antihero/sad childhood trope. Instead, he gives us unapologetically flawed human beings—hardened prisoners guilty of the most horrific crimes. Yet the author still manages to make us care about Andy and Red by leading us through the minutiae of their lives. This is the mark of a master storyteller, and why I have long argued that story matters, perhaps more today than ever before, because if it’s one thing our country needs right now, it’s a lesson in humility, compassion, and how to understand the plight of the “other.” King’s portrayal is even more daring than the film adaptation, great as that movie was. The film finds Morgan Freeman’s character guilty of murder, but it isn’t his wife he kills (in cold blood, no less). Instead, Andy’s best friend and confidante is portrayed as just “a dumb kid” who made a mistake, a young boy (at the time) involved in gang violence — arguably a more forgivable and palatable crime.
I read King for his writing talent, never the subject of his works, and this book is an excellent example of that. I have no particular interest in prison stories. But the man knows how to tell a story better than anyone alive today. If you’re looking to learn to become a great writer, you can’t go wrong with Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
The Art of Storytelling 
Leave a comment