Character Introductions

By page four, we have been introduced to Katherine Goble as an 8-year-old, a math genius, but we have yet to meet her adult self, as well as the other major characters.

Katherine Goble

Since the previous pages were all about Katherine, we already have an idea of who she is, so less weight is given to her introduction. However, even the little that is offered is enough to provide a telling description. 

With a few words, the writers paint the image of a pensive character in her own world, which is soon confirmed down a few lines when she is too lost in her thoughts to hear Dorothy calling out to her.

Dorothy Vaughan

Having a woman in 1961 “slide out from under [a] car” on the side of a road is quite a powerful image to introduce a character. 

Although the writers mention that she is “mechanically gifted”, her diagnosis of what’s wrong with the car does all the talking… 

… And  when she fixes it, no help is needed!

Mary Jackson

From these three characters, Mary Jackson is the most clearly defined in this scene.

Those personality traits are evident in her manner of speaking.

And as a police car approaches, the most likely to get them in trouble is Mary.

It seems the warning from Dorothy fell on deaf ears.

Establishing the Story World

As brilliant as this scene is in introducing the main characters, it also serves the purpose of  defining the story world. There are multiple elements used to expose this world, some more subtle than others.

The Titles

From this simple piece of information, we can deduce all the implications and realities specific to this location and time period.

The Racism

Multiple pieces of dialogue uncover the intricacies of the story world the characters evolve in, the blatant racism of the time being one of them. 

When the police show up, the situation becomes instantly tense. 

He asks for identification albeit there being no justifiable reason for the request.

The Place of Women

When the cop shows surprise at the idea of them working for NASA and Dorothy responds that “there are quite a few women working in the Space Program”, even though they all knew that is not what he was referring to, it nonetheless expresses the place women held in society at the time. 

The Political Climate

The tense relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union, as well as the race for space superiority, which are major realities of the time, are also explored here.

With barely a few pieces of dialogue we draw an accurate portrait of the time period. 

Lessons Learned

Choose the strongest image to introduce a character

These women are strong, capable, and ambitious, going against the grain at a time when all odds were against them. Such characters can’t be introduced mildly. When we see Dorothy under the car fixing it, it may not be earth shattering in today’s world, but that’s one strong image for 1961. Choosing the strongest way to introduce a character definitely pays off!

Back up character descriptions with corresponding action and dialogue

One thing is to describe a character, another is to describe a character and then proceed to prove it with corresponding action and dialogue. Dorothy may be defined as “mechanically gifted”, but her actions indicate that it is actually true. Mary may be characterized as “free-tongued”, but her pieces of dialogue show that it is indeed a personality trait.

Use the most significant aspects of a time period and/or location to build the story world

The writers make it look easy. They effortlessly sprinkle dialogue befitting the time period, providing an accurate portrait of what the characters’ world must have been like. As we have seen, they achieve that by selecting the most noteworthy elements of the time and building the scene around it.

Conclusion

I believe this scene is one to keep readily available as a reference. In a few pages, the reader/viewer is introduced to the main characters and the story world. Brilliantly effective!

***

The Scene

At this point in the story, Warden Norton needs a few men to resurface the roof of the license-place factory and thanks to Red, his friends are picked for the job. 

I will not add the entire scene here as we are mostly interested in the second part, when Andy Dufresne interrupts Byron Hadley’s tirade on the injustices bestowed upon him after inheriting thirty five thousand dollars, such as the taxes he will have to pay to the government. 

EXT — LICENSE PLATE FACTORY — DAY (1949)

[…]

Red glances over — and is shocked to see Andy standing up, listening to the guards talk.

RED (CONT’D)

Hey, you nuts? Keep your eyes on your pail!

Andy tosses his Padd in the bucket and strolls toward Hadley.

RED (CONT’D)

Andy! Come back! Shit!

SNOOZE

What’s he doing?

FLOYD

Gettin’ himself killed.

RED

God damn it…

HEYWOOD

Just keep spreadin’ tar…

The guards stiffen at Andy’s approach. Youngblood’s hand goes to his holster. The tower guards CLICK-CLACK their rifle bolts. Hadley turns, stupefied to find Andy there.

ANDY

Mr. Hadley. Do you trust your wife?

HADLEY

That’s funny. You’re gonna look funnier suckin’ my dick with no fuckin’ teeth.

ANDY

What I mean is, do you think she’d go behind your back? Try to hamstring you?

HADLEY

That’s it! Step aside, Mert. This fucker’s havin’ hisself an accident.

Hadley grabs Andy’s collar and propels him violently toward the edge of the roof. The cons furiously keep spreading tar.

HEYWOOD

Oh God, he’s gonna do it, he’s gonna throw him off the roof…

SNOOZE

Oh shit, oh fuck, oh Jesus…

ANDY

Because if you do trust her, there’s no reason in the world you can’t keep every cent of that money.

Hadley abruptly jerks Andy to a stop right at the edge. In fact, Andy’s past the edge, beyond his balance, shoetips scraping the roof. The only thing between him and an ugly drop to the concrete is Hadley’s grip on the front of his shirt.

HADLEY

You better start making sense.

ANDY

If you want to keep that money, all of it, just give it to your wife. See, the IRS allows you a one-time-only gift to your spouse. It’s good up to sixty thousand dollars.

HADLEY

Naw, that ain’t right! Tax free?

ANDY

Tax free. IRS can’t touch one cent.

The cons are pausing work, stunned by this business discussion.

HADLEY

You’re the smart banker what shot his wife. Why should I believe a smart banker like you? So’s I can wind up in here with you?

ANDY

It’s perfectly legal. Go ask the IRS, they’ll say the same thing. Actually, I feel silly telling you all this. I’m sure you would have investigated the matter yourself.

HADLEY

Fuckin’-A. I don’t need no smart wife-killin’ banker to show me where the bear shit in the buckwheat.

ANDY

Of course not. But you will need somebody to set up the tax-free gift, and that’ll cost you. A lawyer, for example…

HADLEY

Ambulance-chaaing, highway-robbing cocksuckers!

ANDY

…or come to think of it, I suppose I could set it up for you. That would save you some money. I’ll write down the forms you need, you can pick them up, and I’ll prepare them for your signature… nearly free of charge.

(off Hadley’s look)

I’d only ask three beers apiece for my co-workers, if that seems fair.

TROUT

(guffawing)

Co-workers! Get him! That’s rich, ain’t it? Co-workers…

Hadley freezes him with a look. Andy presses on:

ANDY

I think a [m]an working outdoors feels more like a man if he can have a bottle of suds. That’s only my opinion.

The convicts stand gaping, all pretense of work gone. They look like they’ve been pole-axed. Hadley shoots them a look.

HADLEY

What are you jimmies starin’ at? Back to work, goddamn it!

The Deconstruction

In this first section, Red’s shock at Andy staring at Hadley tells us that he is not a guard you want to mess with. With this clear warning from Red, the tension has skyrocketed and the sense of danger has definitely been set. 

Red glances over — and is shocked to see Andy standing up, listening to the guards talk.

RED (CONT’D)

Hey, you nuts? Keep your eyes on your pail!

Andy not only decides to ignore Red’s advice, he marches toward Hadley who is already infuriated by his inheritance. This is dangerous territory and his friends’ reaction to his bold move confirms it. 

Andy tosses his Padd in the bucket and strolls toward Hadley.

RED (CONT’D)

Andy! Come back! Shit!

SNOOZE

What’s he doing?

FLOYD

Gettin’ himself killed.

RED

God damn it…

HEYWOOD

Just keep spreadin’ tar…

The guards’ reaction escalates the danger. They are ready to shoot if need be. They are not playing around. 

The guards stiffen at Andy’s approach. Youngblood’s hand goes to his holster. The tower guards CLICK-CLACK their rifle bolts. Hadley turns, stupefied to find Andy there.

As if the situation wasn’t tense already, Andy blurts out the worst question he could have asked and follows up with an even worse one. He could have gone straight to the point and mentioned that he could keep every cent of that inheritance, but that’s not how you build danger, is it?

ANDY

Mr. Hadley. Do you trust your wife?

HADLEY

That’s funny. You’re gonna look funnier suckin’ my dick with no fuckin’ teeth.

ANDY

What I mean is, do you think she’d go behind your back? Try to hamstring you?

Without waiting for Andy to clarify, it quickly escalates and the man is about to lose his life. At this point in the scene, the danger is at its peak. 

HADLEY

That’s it! Step aside, Mert. This fucker’s havin’ hisself an accident.

Hadley grabs Andy’s collar and propels him violently toward the edge of the roof. The cons furiously keep spreading tar.

HEYWOOD

Oh God, he’s gonna do it, he’s gonna throw him off the roof…

SNOOZE

Oh shit, oh fuck, oh Jesus…

Then there is a little release to all the build-up, but the danger is still present as Andy’s life is in Hadley’s hands. 

ANDY

Because if you do trust her, there’s no reason in the world you can’t keep every cent of that money.

Hadley abruptly jerks Andy to a stop right at the edge. In fact, Andy’s past the edge, beyond his balance, shoetips scraping the roof. The only thing between him and an ugly drop to the concrete is Hadley’s grip on the front of his shirt.

HADLEY

You better start making sense.

Still in a dire position, the negotiation takes place. Andy is gaining ground. 

ANDY

If you want to keep that money, all of it, just give it to your wife. See, the IRS allows you a one-time-only gift to your spouse. It’s good up to sixty thousand dollars.

HADLEY

Naw, that ain’t right! Tax free?

ANDY

Tax free. IRS can’t touch one cent.

The cons are pausing work, stunned by this business discussion.

HADLEY

You’re the smart banker what shot his wife. Why should I believe a smart banker like you? So’s I can wind up in here with you?

ANDY

It’s perfectly legal. Go ask the IRS, they’ll say the same thing. Actually, I feel silly telling you all this. I’m sure you would have investigated the matter yourself.

HADLEY

Fuckin’-A. I don’t need no smart wife-killin’ banker to show me where the bear shit in the buckwheat.

ANDY

Of course not. But you will need somebody to set up the tax-free gift, and that’ll cost you. A lawyer, for example…

HADLEY

Ambulance-chaaing, highway-robbing cocksuckers!

ANDY

…or come to think of it, I suppose I could set it up for you. That would save you some money. I’ll write down the forms you need, you can pick them up, and I’ll prepare them for your signature… nearly free of charge.

(off Hadley’s look)

I’d only ask three beers apiece for my co-workers, if that seems fair.

TROUT

(guffawing)

Co-workers! Get him! That’s rich, ain’t it? Co-workers…

Hadley freezes him with a look. Andy presses on:

ANDY

I think a [m]an working outdoors feels more like a man if he can have a bottle of suds. That’s only my opinion.

The convicts stand gaping, all pretense of work gone. They look like they’ve been pole-axed. Hadley shoots them a look.

And then we reach the resolution. Andy was convincing. The danger dissipates. 

HADLEY

What are you jimmies starin’ at? Back to work, goddamn it!

The Steps to Building Danger 

If we take the above deconstruction, we can clearly identify a few steps the writer used to build danger and tension in the scene. 

The Setup

The scene starts with the setup. All the right elements are in place to establish a precarious situation. In this case, Byron Hadley is in a state of anger. Not the best time for what is to come. 

The Bold Move

The character is either oblivious to the danger ahead, reckless, or simply cocky. Either way, the character is not thinking straight. Andy openly defies Hadley, first by eavesdropping the conversation and staring at the guards, and then by marching toward the man. 

The Reactions

The character’s actions kindle reactions for the other characters in the scene. Those reactions help us identify the level of danger lying ahead. In this scene, we have the fearful warnings from Red and fellow prisoners to stay put, as well as the guards preparing to shoot. The stakes have heightened, Andy could lose his life. 

The Wrong Thing to Say at the Wrong Time

To escalate the situation even further, the main character says the wrong thing. Here Frank Darabont could have gone directly to: 

ANDY

Because if you do trust her, there’s no reason in the world you can’t keep every cent of that money.

Instead, he masterfully builds up the tension by having Andy ask what can only infuriate Hadley: 

ANDY

Mr. Hadley. Do you trust your wife?

HADLEY

That’s funny. You’re gonna look funnier suckin’ my dick with no fuckin’ teeth.

ANDY

What I mean is, do you think she’d go behind your back? Try to hamstring you?

The Final Escalation

This is where everything goes wrong and we arrive at the peak of danger for our character. Hadley has no patience with Andy’s bold move and takes him to the edge of the roof. The character’s life is hanging by a thread. 

The Control Shift

The character reclaims control of the situation and there is suddenly a possibility that he will escape this alive. Although Andy is still balancing on the edge of the roof, he has Hadley’s attention. 

The Negotiation

The character not only needs to avoid death, but he also wants something. Now that Andy has Hadley’s undivided attention, he can put his negotiation skills to good use. 

The Resolution

This is the final release, the resolution. Our character is out of danger and has won the negotiation. His bold move has paid off. 

Conclusion

In this scene, everything has been masterfully crafted to build the tension, establish danger, and sustain it long enough to keep the viewer on the edge of its seat.