Redwall

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

ACTIVITY 1: “Design a Tapestry for Redwall”

In this activity, students will construct a tapestry for Redwall to commemorate the woodlanders’ victory over Cluny and his army based on text details.

Tapestries can serve as important symbols and storytelling devices. The tapestry of Martin the Warrior is an important symbol of heroism and victory over evil. Create a digital media tapestry for the residents of Redwall to commemorate their victory over Cluny’s army. Once your tapestry is complete, compose a paragraph that summarizes and explains the events depicted. Consider these points as you develop symbolic representations from the novel:   

• Which characters should be represented in the Redwall tapestry?
• What important symbols from the novel may serve as reminders of victory over evil?
• What specific scenes or incidents may be important to replicate in the tapestry?
• How can you create scenes in your tapestry so that it relays a story?

Share your tapestry with peers, highlighting important symbols and scenes from the novel.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may find it beneficial to analyze the history of tapestries and symbolism in tapestries to generate ideas about symbols and storytelling in their own creations. Select, appropriate “scenes” from the Bayeux Tapestry or this mid-12th-century tapestry might inspire ideas and artistic styles. Students could work briefly in pairs or small groups to brainstorm important topics from the novel that may be recreated within the tapestries. Students who prefer to work with a variety of tactile materials might consider creating their tapestry using parchment, fabric, fabric markers or paints, and woven ribbon or cord for borders.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with visual disabilities may not be able to complete the activity as suggested. A reasonable accommodation might include having these students write a creative narrative or a chapter of an epic poem that summarizes the victory over Cluny’s army.

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. When King Bull Sparra dies, Warbeak replaces him as the ruler of the sparrows.

• Is King Bull Sparra or Warbeak the better leader? Provide your rationale. (topic sentence)
• Describe the differences between King Bull Sparra’s character and Warbeak’s character. Then explain how character attributes contribute to one’s superior leadership. Use examples from the text in support of your topic sentence.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, evaluate whether the good leadership attributes of Warbeak or King Bull Sparra diminish their fierceness in the novel; include a brief explanation.

2. In a short time, Cluny is able to gather individuals from the nearby villages to join him in his attack on Redwall.  

• What is Cluny’s most effective method for motivating others to join his army? (topic sentence)
• Briefly describe the methods Cluny uses to recruit, motivate, and inspire those in his military. Analyze and discuss the effectiveness of these methods; refer to 3 specific examples in support of your topic sentence.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, judge whether you believe Cluny’s methods make him an effective leader; offer brief rationale for your evaluation.

3. Matthias is forced to go on a journey to recover the stolen items that belonged to Martin.

• How does Matthias’s journey help him to acquire valuable skills? (topic sentence)
• Describe the skills Matthias acquires on his journey to recover Martin’s stolen items. Explain the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of these skills.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, speculate as to how Martin’s newly acquired skills may help him in the future as he continues to defend Redwall.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Consider the changes that Matthias experiences throughout the novel. In an essay of 3 main points, explain the ways in which Matthias’s character has remained constant and the ways in which it has changed. How do the changes in Matthias’s character support the novel’s theme The Nature of Heroism? Cite examples from the text to support your response.

2. Consider Abbot Mortimer’s character in comparison to the other characters within the abbey. Incorporate multiple details into a brief paragraph to describe the positive attitudes and actions of Abbot Mortimer that set him apart from the other characters in the abbey. Why is he important? Include in your discussion several ways in which Abbot Mortimer is naive in comparison to some of the others in the abbey. Support your response using quotes from the text.

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following statements best compares Matthias’s leadership style with Cluny’s?

A. Matthias utilizes encouragement and compassion while Cluny is authoritative and ruthless.

B. Matthias uses coercion to control the fear of the woodlanders while Cluny uses intimidation.

C. Matthias is often collaborative in his leadership approach while Cluny only collaborates occasionally.

D. Matthias quickly acts when faced with difficult problems while Cluny hesitates to make decisions.

2. What does the tapestry of Martin the Warrior symbolize to the creatures of Redwall Abbey?

A. Fear

B. Opposition

C. Pride

D. Heroism

3. Which of the following is the best example of an animal drawing from its natural talents to be helpful to its army?

A. Rats are brave warriors.

B. Owls are combative.

C. Moles are excellent diggers.

D. Snakes are noble.

4. How is morale used as a military tactic by Cluny?

A. He boosts the morale of his troops with encouraging words.

B. He uses death as a motivation to increase morale within his camp.

C. He weakens the morale of the Redwall residents by berating their abbot.

D. He attempts to weaken the morale of Redwall Abbey by stealing a tapestry.

5. Which literary device is best exemplified when Cluny dreams of his eventual death at the hands of Martin the Warrior?

A. Flashbacks

B. Alliteration

C. Foreshadowing

D. Irony

6. Though Abbot Mortimer is a kind mouse who cares for those in the abbey, what might be described as his greatest fault?

A. He does not see Cluny as a threat to the Woodlanders.

B. He fails to recognize the need for warriors in his abbey.

C. He is too passive to become an effective leader.

D. He wastes valuable time by healing those who have been injured.

7. Which of the following best describes the novel’s exploration of competition?

A. The shrews agree to help Matthias because they dislike Cluny.

B. Cluny’s warriors are quick to take the place of fallen comrades.

C. Warbeak is reluctant to leave Matthias when he frees her.

D. Methuselah describes the reality of Cluny’s existence.

8. What character attribute sets Warbeak’s leadership apart from King Bull Sparra’s leadership?

A. Warbeak is friendlier and not as combative as King Bull Sparra.

B. King Bull Sparra and Warbeak have few differences in character attributes.

C. King Bull Sparra is interested in warfare while Warbeak is peaceful.

D. Warbeak, unlike Bull Sparra, is interested in the well-being of her people.

9. What is the clearest purpose served by Martin’s sword in the novel?

A. It enables Matthias to create powerful allies as he attempts to identify the location of the sword.

B. It is the catalyst for Matthias’s character growth as he embarks on a hero’s journey to find it.

C. It becomes the reason for Cluny’s defeat because he has long been afraid of Martin’s sword.

D. It is a powerful sword because it imbues its bearer with specialized abilities.

10. What is Methuselah’s greatest contribution to the abbey community?

A. Wisdom

B. Laughter

C. Leadership

D. Strength

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. What factors create unity within the ranks of Redwall and with the woodlanders? Cite specific examples to support your response.

2. Compare the abbey residents’ thoughts on the symbolic meaning of the Martin the Warrior tapestry with Cluny’s ideas about its symbolism.