Stereotypes In Richard Adams Watership Down

“My Chief Rabbit has told me to defend this run and until he says otherwise I shall stay here,” is what Bigwig answers as death was likely staring at him face to face (Adams 457). Even though Bigwig knows that Woundwort, the intimidating rabbit and antagonist he was facing, could no doubt kill him, he decides to stand his ground and do what was best for the good of his fellow friends. Richard Adams’ novel Watership Down expresses how a strong sense of community can accomplish near impossible tasks when there’s synergy between every member of the group. Watership Down displays the rabbits’ determination to do what’s best for the warren through their sly solutions to counter difficult situations, their ability to mature, and their impeccable

These stories primarily display cunning qualities and shortly after they’re told the rabbits take lessons from El-ahrairah. The slyness these rabbits display allow the rabbits to protect themselves as they aren’t good at fighting Elil (the rabbits’ enemies) with brute force. Consequently, the rabbits use strange methods such as rescuing a wild bird to help them scout, infiltrate Efrafa, use a boat to escape hostile patrols, and taking every chance that the rabbits see potential benefit in to get an upperhand no matter how unorthodox it may be. Early on, the rabbit Dandelion shares the story of how rabbits were blessed with long legs and cleverness to keep their distance from Elil, and without either the species would perish. The ability to outsmart their enemies is a necessary quality in the warren. Without saving the bird Keharr, the rabbits wouldn’t have been able to gain does for their warren which would have lead to the rabbits dying out with the entirely male population, and without Fiver’s insights of their original warren being bulldozed then the novel would have ended within a few chapters. Cleverness is a quality that is as necessary for these rabbits to have as their speed because without it, there would be no chance of them surviving throughout the dangerous tale. Adams even goes so far as to teach the rabbits how to be sly through the

In a final siege with an intimidating antagonist, Hazel hatches a master plan that not only requires teamwork from each rabbit, but an incredible amount of trust as well. Hazel chews through the farmer’s dog’s leash, Dandelion and Blackberry lead the dog to Watership Down, and Bigwig stands his ground against Woundwort despite the likely odds that he would be brutally killed in the fight. Trust is detrimental to having a community as well as pulling through with teamwork, and in the climax of the novel Hazel trusts that his rabbits will push themselves to the absolute limit in order to overcome unfavorable odds. This is clearly shown when he believes Dandelion and Blackberry can lead the dog back to Watership, but as they do they find that they had to do their very best in order to succeed without being eaten. Additionally, it is important to note the loyalty that each rabbit displays to Hazel. When Hazel left for Efrafa after commander Holly returned with no does and horror stories of Woundwort, every rabbit that originally left the warren with Hazel follows him for the dangerous trek. However pressing the situation the rabbits find themselves in, they forge on the best they can. One of the best examples of the characters taking a terrible situation and making the best of it is when Bigwig is caught in a snare and instead