Violence and evil flow undercurrents in the peaceful and boring countryside. The prestige of the family patriarchy, the restraint of devout religion, and the authority of the nobility in the tradition have all gradually declined or even disintegrated due to the lack of rationality and indifference of the teenagers. The white ribbon, which symbolizes purity, holiness, and restraint, can no longer evoke the goodness in the hearts of teenagers. There was never a smile on their faces, it was just stiff and cold and lies. They despise the filth in the adult world and try to punish those who commit crimes in their own way, but the suffocating education and growth environment of the entire society and family can only allow them to punish evil with a distorted psychology, that is, Strike "sinners" physically and mentally with relentless violence, causing them to fear, panic, and even flee. Teenagers get satisfaction and pleasure from this, but not in the face. The brutality of their covert violence has escalated time after time. When the pastor's father could not face the teacher's questioning of the teenagers (including the pastor's children) and the spiritual world almost collapsed, it also indicated that the traditional values that supported the normal operation of the entire social order were about to collapse. It can be seen in the film that the younger children are pure and innocent, and their older brothers and sisters may have been as innocent and beautiful as them, but in the same environment, they may also become brothers and sisters in the future. Just as ruthless.
The background of the story in the film is placed before the outbreak of the First World War. Although the outbreak of the First World War had its grand and profound political and economic historical reasons, this remote village at the end of its social tentacles still felt the changes in the big society outside. At the same time, by releasing their seemingly insignificant energy, it would also Gradually increase their destructive power and influence the course of society from the bottom up. When these teenagers grew up and became young people and truly entered the outside world, they were also involved in the historical torrent of Nazi Germany. The white ribbon that he was required to tie around his arm when he was taught by his father as a child will also become a bloody Nazi red armband.
In the whole film, only when the teacher and Eva are together, the picture is cheerful and bright, revealing the normal life of young people at that time. Although they are not rich and live a well-behaved life, they still look forward to a better life in the future, which is precious in the tense and dark atmosphere of the film.
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