Analysis of Red Riding

The Red Riding trilogy is set in West Yorkshire between 1974 and 1980. This is during the time of Yorkshire being split into North, East and West 'Riding's' (riding being a corruption of the viking word Thirding (Meaning to be split equally into three parts)) which happened in 1974, and also in time with the Yorkshire Ripper Murders (The serial killer Peter Sutcliffe) and, although there are references to the murders, Sutcliffe is not the name used in the films.

The scene starting when the journalist drives through the suburban rural area reflects the economic state of the country at the time as being in a depression. The kids casually hitting a burnt out car reflects the attitude not only of the children but of anybody struggling to find a job and the boredom that comes with being in such an bad economical state.