Published in 1944, Robert Lawson’s Rabbit Hill appeared during the American home-front experience of World War II. While the war is never mentioned, the narrative’s focus on food scarcity and the desire for abundance can be read alongside wartime conditions of rationing and resource conservation. In the early 1940s, the US government instituted rationing for staples like sugar, meat, and canned goods to support the war effort, as the country was mobilizing for WWII on an unprecedented scale. Millions of American men were drafted into military service following the introduction of conscription in 1940, and by the mid-war years, the US was responsible for not only feeding its own troops stationed across Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific but also supporting Allied forces. Supplying this vast fighting force required enormous quantities of food, much of which had to be preserved, transported overseas, and prioritized for military use. Rationing therefore aimed to limit civilian consumption so that essential goods could be redirected to soldiers, while also managing shortages caused by disrupted production and transportation systems.

To supplement these limited supplies and boost morale, the Department of Agriculture promoted the Victory Gardens movement. This national campaign encouraged citizens to plant vegetables in backyards, parks, and any available patch of land. According to the National WWII Museum, Americans tended more than 20 million Victory Gardens throughout the war, and in 1943, these gardens produced approximately 42% of the nation’s produce (“Victory Gardens: Food for the Fight.” The National WWII Museum, 26 Nov. 2024). While often associated with self-sufficiency, the movement also relied on collective participation, with individuals contributing to a broader system of shared support during a time of constraint. This emphasis on shared responsibility offers a useful context for Rabbit Hill, where the animals depend on the care and practices of the “Folks” who manage the land. Their concern centers on whether those responsible for cultivation will act attentively and sustain the environment on which they rely. The arrival of “planting Folks” signals the restoration of stability, as access to food becomes closely tied to consistent and thoughtful stewardship.