Matrix Activities  

 
 
Research the context of your novel. What were the major world 
events going on during this time? How were these events explored 
in the novel? 
 
The Red Ribbon ​is written by Lucy Adlington which has been set in the time of World 
War II. A major event in this novel would be World War II. The setting of this book 
would be in the perspective of the concentration camps in Birchwood. The plot within 
this book is all about how life was like in the concentration camps and basically what 
had happened as well as the discrimination towards the people inside the 
concentration camps. It is already common knowledge that the Nazi’s had held a great 
dislike towards the Jewish, the main protagonist within this text is Ella. Ella is a Jewish 
girl who has been transferred to the Birchwood concentration camp, she finds a job of 
creating dresses for nobles and she continues to use her passion and talent to survive. 
The book also mentions the corrupt system that Ella had lived in. On page 50, Ella 
describes what her life was like in her old home. She mentions a roll call that had 
discriminated against people who were different. Ella mentions being kicked out of her 
school for being different. Many people were transferred into concentration camps 
because they had been different or had released information about the truth of the 
Nazis. An example of this would be another protagonist, Rose. Rose’s mother was an 
author who had told the truth about the Nazis and because of this Rose had been 
punished as well as the rest of her family.  
 
Another major event within this novel would be the concentration camps. The 
concentration camps consisted of people who were different being placed in camps 
that would have benefited the nobles. These concentration camps were built by the 
Nazis to persecute and isolate these people from the public because they were 
different. The Nazis had tortured and used these people as slaves. This is evident 
within the novel where Ella and the other people in the concentration camps are 
forced to sew dresses for them. They were greatly discriminated against and the 
nobles had used this as an opportunity to use them. Ella was then stripped and had to 
shave her head. She was then given rags and dirty shoes to wear which would have 
been a piece of their own humiliation and their suffering. “They didn’t like the people of 
my religion either. Worshipping the wrong God meant that you got a star. Most 
Stripeys had the star. Starred prisoners were treated the worst of all.” which is seen on 
page 48.  
 
3. In the role of a character from the novel, compose a monologue explaining how they 
feel. Select a significant time/ event to place this moment within. 
 
In the role of a character from the novel, compose a monologue 
explaining how they feel. Select a significant time/ event to place 
this moment within. 
 
Marta: When she died 
 
I could almost taste it, Ella and I were leaving this wretched place. I’d finally be free, I’ve 
come so far and I can finally leave. The feeling of not being confined in one space, I 
could finally breathe freely. I would be able to learn how to live life freely. Forget 
sucking up to those snobby nobles, I finally have the freedom that I deserve. The 
freedom that has been waiting for me all this time… So why am I on the floor bleeding? I 
couldn’t move anymore, nothing seemed to matter and time has never been slower. 
The agony of a bullet piercing through my skin and impaling me. Red, the snow had 
been painted into a beautiful red. The colour that looked the best on the nobles 
seemed to mock me, it should compliment my skin as it does to ​them. ​I’m just like 
them-- I’m nothing like them. ​“Go”​ If I was like them why did I let Ella leave without me. 
Maybe I’m being selfish again, I’ll finally rest. Even in this cold snow as my blood had 
spilled onto the ice, warmth had engulfed my figure. I could see Ella running away 
glimpse by glimpse. My breath hitched and everything went dark.  
 
4. If you were the director turning this novel into a film, who 
would you cast in the roles of the characters? Construct a 
PowerPoint Presentation with images and your justification of 
your selections.​ ← This is my Third best