Watership Down

As I read the introduction to Watership Down, a novel by Richard Adams, I was somewhat disappointed to discover that the story wasn't written as an allegory. It's a disappointment because this story makes an excellent allegory, and I find it quite poignant. This is not a new read for me, and I must admit that the second time around, the novel's purpose of entertainment was much more apparent.

The on-going debate of author intention vs. reader interpretation is an issue each time a book is read. (The same debate exists for all forms of art, I would argue.) I do think, however, that regardless of author intention, this story can produce multiple levels of interpretation:

Themes of interest:

• Explorations of lifestyles and societies: urban, militant, utopian, confined, and natural
• Man's position in relation to nature
• Consequences of being kind and neighborly
• Purpose of legends