Watership Down a Rare Treasure

by Alicia Pollard, staff reporter

Watership Down is one of those rare treasures that hide behind a humble appearance seemingly dull premise: a book about rabbits sounds dry at best, but is a poor description of Richard Adams’ incredible story. Watership Down is a window into a captivating world where men are one of a thousand enemies, survival is paramount but precarious, and the veil between natural and supernatural unravels. The language, characters and storyline are so vivid as to make them as real as the reader’s armchair: the tension of escaping an unknown doom, one rabbit’s tenuous, frightened possession of the second sight, and the peril of escaping an evil, prison-like warren. Adams masterfully blends the portrayal of a rabbit’s life with the humor, courage and friendship of humans.

            Adams’ rich language is vibrant in its description yet clear in its expression. Without dragging down the story with boring digressions, he lets portraits of wildlife’s beauty steal into the action so that both the peace of quiet moments and the tension of dangerous ones come alive. Though avoiding elaborate, clumsy wording, phrases such as “sunset…red in clouds” (12) and “far land of wild mountains”(356) catch the reader’s imagination yet disappear into the intertwinement of setting and atmosphere.  He describes but the characters’ feelings with a gentle, meditative tone and descriptions such as “delightful sense of security” (89) that keeps the omniscience of a narrator and the temperament of the character.

            The characters in Watership Down are charming and realistic, with the instincts and aims of rabbits but the flaws and strengths of humans. Hazel’s wise yet humble leadership, Bigwig’s proud but frank toughness, and Blackberry’s quiet ingenuity are endearing and entertaining. Adams has also made his villains as real as his heroes: heartless and ignorant as Cowslip and Strawberry, or cruel and calculating as General Woundwort and his Council – all as terrifying as complex, realistic villains should be. The characters are engaging from the first page and continue to captivate the reader as they grow and develop.

            One of the most fascinating elements of Watership Down is how Adams has woven culture into the rabbit’s lives. From explanations about the world’s beginning to why some litters miscarriage, the rabbit folktales sprinkled throughout the story are entertaining and enhance the main plot. The glimpses into the mystery of the folktale’s truthfulness also bind them to the central storyline: Fiver’s truthful prophecies, the storm which helped Bigwig and his fugitives escape from General Woundwort, and Vilthuril’s retelling of one of Hazel’s adventures as a folktale all speak of a society shaped by love of trickery and desire to survive. This colorful description of an animal culture so akin to human culture enriches each character.

            Watership Down is simple enough for young and older readers to enjoy, yet rich with imagery, language and characters that become three-dimensional from the first page. Adam’s work lets readers experience the thrill of an adventure and the deeper meaning of a quest.