Things In The Shawshank Redemption You Only Notice After Watching It More Than Once

"The Shawshank Redemption" is full of small references and clues that hardly anyone would notice on first viewing, but on subsequent rewatches, you'll be wondering how they passed you by. One of these is a very early hint about exactly how Andy would escape the prison. At one point, the contents of Andy's cell are being tossed around by Captain Hadley (Clancy Brown) and Warden Norton (Bob Gunton) as they check for contraband.

The room is completely trashed, with Andy's belongings on the floor, the bed flipped over, and the pair coming close to discovering the secret tunnel he has been digging in the wall. When the warden finds Andy's Bible, the two discuss their faith and then talk about their favorite verses from the good book. After this brief interaction, the warden hands the Bible back to Andy and tells him that "salvation lies within."

This is a clear clue that Andy has in fact hidden his rock hammer inside the Bible — something that the warden inadvertently references when he gives it back to Andy. As well as the words being found in the Bible, Andy's salvation — that is the tool he will use to escape — also lies hidden within the pages.