A redemption theme is a fiction story paradigm that revolves around the main character’s fundamental moral arc from bad to good. The character will be less than whole and deeply flawed at the start of the story, which will reverberate throughout the character’s choices and actions. By the end of the story, the character will have gone through a “trial fire,” culminating in a Phoenix-like experience of rising from the ashes as a completely new, more powerful, and whole person.
Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, based on Thomas Keneally’s book Schindler’s Ark, is one of the best examples of a redemption theme. Oskar Schindler, a Nazi businessman who used Jewish slave labor to make products for the German military during WWII, is the subject of the 1993 biographical film. Schindler begins as an opportunistic man who is unconcerned about the genocide taking place around him, but the violence he witnesses eventually transforms him. Schindler uses his factories to save the lives of over 1000 Polish Jews, later lamenting that he didn’t save enough people and could have done more as the war comes to an end.
A redemption theme is frequently featured in romantic comedies, though it is rarely depicted in a dramatic manner. In a romantic story, love is the redeemer who improves the lives of the characters.
Julia Roberts plays Vivian Ward, a street prostitute, opposite Richard Gere as Edward Lewis, a wealthy corporate raider, in the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman. Richard pulls over in his Lotus for directions, which Vivian misinterprets as a job offer. She jumps in the car to show him the way after being paid for her trouble. Vivian gets a taste of the good life when Richard decides to use her as an escort to some business meetings, and she learns a lot about manners and social graces along the way. Richard realizes that his ruthless business style is not how he wants to live his life after falling in love with Vivian. Vivian becomes a respectable member of society as a result of their relationship, and Richard becomes a fulfilled and kinder businessman.
The 3:10 To Yuma, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, was released in 2007. Crowe portrays Ben Wade, the ruthless leader of a gang of murderous thieves, while Bale portrays Dan Evans, a crippled family man whose farm is about to be lost. Evans accepts the task of getting Wade on a train so that he can be tried for his crimes and save his farm. Evans redeems himself in the process, both in his own eyes and in the eyes of his young son. Wade’s character develops as we witness his envy for Evans’ simple family life and his desire for Evans to succeed. Between Wade, Evans, and Evans’ son, whose character also arcs in relation to his father, the redemption theme is explored on several levels.
When used in drama, the redemption theme can be a very effective tool for moving an audience. The theme of romantic comedies leads us to believe that love can overcome any obstacle. It’s human nature to believe that we can all be saved, so it’s no surprise that so many successful films have been based on this deeply moving concept.