Watership Down

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Hazel succeeds as a leader by recognizing and utilizing the unique strengths of each member of his group. When have you witnessed, experienced, or practiced this kind of leadership in your own life?

2. Have you ever had to make a difficult decision based on intuition rather than evidence, similar to how the rabbits trust Fiver’s unexplainable predictions?

3. Which character in the novel do you identify with most strongly, and what qualities or experiences do you share with them?

4. The contrast between Cowslip’s warren (comfortable but dangerous) and Watership Down (challenging but free) presents different value systems. When have you faced similar choices between comfort and freedom? How did you resolve it?

5. The rabbits tell stories of El-ahrairah to inspire courage and cleverness. What stories or cultural tales served a similar purpose in your upbringing?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. When Watership Down was published in 1972, its themes of freedom, authority, and ecological awareness carried particular weight. How might these themes resonate differently for readers today?

2. Adams portrays warrens with distinct and differing political structures. What parallels can you draw between these rabbit societies and human forms of governance? 

3. Some critics have pointed out that the gender dynamics in Watership Down are problematic, noting the predominantly male adventure and the secondary role of female rabbits. How might a contemporary retelling address gender representation?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. What is the role of the El-ahrairah stories within the larger narrative? By including them, what might Adams be suggesting about the role of mythology in society?

2. Why does the partnership between Fiver and Hazel prove so effective? What might this suggest about complementary approaches to problem solving?

3. The structure of the journey in Watership Down echoes classical epics like Homer’s Odyssey. Which elements borrowed from traditional epics stand out?  How does Adams adapt them for his modern fable?

4. What purpose does the invented Lapine language serve beyond simple world-building?

5. What role do Adams’s rich descriptions of the English countryside play in developing both the story’s atmosphere and its themes?