The novella asks readers to consider how the experience of time changes in the absence of hope. For Red, the future generally ceases to exist. He does not allow his thoughts to wander beyond the present. This is a defense tactic that enables him to survive on a daily basis.

The experience of time dampens hope for inmates, especially for those in solitary. As Red says: “You had three ways to spend your time: sitting, shitting, or sleeping. Big choice. Twenty days could get to seem like a year. Thirty days could seem like two, and forty days like ten” (65). This is the same even outside solitary: The prisoners generally try to while away the time, as this is their only option.

However, this is not what Andy does. Instead, Andy makes use of his time in his cell to tunnel out of it. Andy’s escape from Shawshank shows how a stretch of time can be valuable rather than oppressive. For years, he literally chisels away at the wall that separates him from freedom.