Watership Down

:For the hill named Watership Down, see Watership Down, Hampshire.

Interpretation and influence

Watership Down is notable as an ensemble story, with multiple protagonists who each serve a useful function under quietly competent leadership. Although Adams has always stated that the book was intended to be a children's story, many fans see the book as a political allegory attacking fascism and appeasement as Animal Farm attacked Stalinism. This opinion is supported by a plot involving visits to two other warrens whose political philosophies are depicted as antagonistic and repugnant. One of these is Efrafa, ruled with a merciless iron fist by the powerful and insane General Woundwort who becomes the story's principal antagonist. Adams has gone far enough to state that the personalities of the two principal hero rabbits, Hazel and Bigwig, are based on fellow officers he knew while a paratrooper during World War II.

Related Topics:
Ensemble story - Fascism - Appeasement - Animal Farm - Stalinism - General Woundwort - Paratrooper - World War II

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Adams' father makes a cameo appearance (as "Doctor Adams") near the end of the book, in a chapter entitled "Dea Ex Machina" after the literary technique.

Related Topics:
Cameo - Literary technique

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Watership Down has become a modern classic and won the Carnegie Medal in 1972. In 1978 the book was adapted as an acclaimed animated film, directed by Martin Rosen. In 1999, an animated television series, Watership Down, was also coproduced by Martin Rosen.

Related Topics:
Modern - Classic - Carnegie Medal - 1978 - An acclaimed animated film - Martin Rosen - 1999 - Animated television series - Watership Down

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• Watership Down is Penguin Books' best selling book of all time.
• In 1996, Adams wrote a sequel of sorts, a collection of linked short stories titled Tales from Watership Down. This book provided much of the basis for the 1999 TV series.
• In 2003, Watership Down came 42nd in a public vote for the 100 greatest books of all time taken by the BBC.