"Some birds aren't meant to be caged..."
During the scene in which Brooks releases Jake free, Red quotes “some birds just aren’t meant to be caged”, implying that Jake is a bird that should not be caged, but, metaphorically, Brooks is.
In a symbolic sense, Jake represents Andy, and Brooks represents Red.
Andy was never meant to be ‘caged’, just as Jake wasn’t, due to the fact they are innocent and do not deserve to be ‘trapped’ in the prison walls.
Whereas for Red and Brooks, they are the caged birds of the story, as they are ‘institutionalised’, and have no means to be soaring in a world in which they do not understand.
In a symbolic sense, Jake represents Andy, and Brooks represents Red.
Andy was never meant to be ‘caged’, just as Jake wasn’t, due to the fact they are innocent and do not deserve to be ‘trapped’ in the prison walls.
Whereas for Red and Brooks, they are the caged birds of the story, as they are ‘institutionalised’, and have no means to be soaring in a world in which they do not understand.