"There is not going to be a holocaust or any mass murder of Jews in America or England."
Point taken, but there is an anti-Jewish riot being planned for this Sunday morning right down the street from where my parents live in Queens. (Seriously, you can look it up: This is the same thing as happened in LA recently.) That tends to concentrate the mind.
By the way, I was always told that the rabbits in the Haggadah is because of a play on words on "Yaknehaz." But recently I read another explanation, that rabbit hunting was just a symbol of spring in that time and place. Is either true? Is it your reason? Is it something else?
My favorite is the manuscript of the Mishna Torah from the 1400's (I think) which illustrates Ahava with a picture of jousting knights, because "Ahava" is literally "romance" and medieval romances involved jousting knights.
Ma'akhaklot Asurot is illustrated with tiny pictures of non-kosher animals.
It was never written as a children's book. When it came out in the early '70s, it was on the NYT best seller list as a book for adults.
I was in 8th grade at the time and decided to get a copy after reading a review in the NYT review of books. It was one of the first adult-type books I actually read, and I was very proud of myself.
For me, the part of the story that impressed me most was that rabbits eat their own droppings.
In the US, yes. But over here in the UK, it was very much received as a children's book. It won the Carnegie Medal, which is for the best children's book published in a particular year, and also the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize.
They have to; their digestive system doesn't do a complete job the first time around. This is why the Torah describes them as "chewing the cud," except it's not quite the same as it is for ruminants. (R' Slifkin wrote a whole book on this.)
Eh, seems like classic confirmation bias / pattern matching, reading too much into it.
I asked chatgpt "interpret watership down as an allegory for palestinians. give concrete parallels, especially in names".
Response:
"""
"Watership Down," Richard Adams' classic novel, can be interpreted as an allegory for various oppressed groups, including Palestinians. This interpretation draws parallels between the rabbits' struggle for survival and the Palestinian experience. Here are some concrete parallels, especially focusing on names and characters:
1. **The Warren of Sandleford (the Palestinians under British Mandate/early Israel):**
- **Hazel**: A natural leader who guides his people to safety. Hazel can be seen as a representation of Palestinian leaders striving for a homeland.
- **Fiver**: A visionary who foresees danger. His role can be paralleled with those Palestinians who foresaw the consequences of foreign intervention and the establishment of Israel.
2. **Cowslip's Warren (the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza under initial Israeli control):**
- The rabbits here live in apparent peace but are under constant threat, similar to Palestinians who have faced occupation and control, with the illusion of autonomy but underlying danger.
3. **Efrafa (an allegory for Palestinians in refugee camps or under authoritarian control):**
- **General Woundwort**: Represents oppressive regimes or factions within Palestinian society that control with an iron fist. Woundwort’s methods can parallel the harsh conditions in some refugee camps or under certain militant factions.
- **Bigwig**: Initially part of Woundwort’s warren, he becomes a key figure in the resistance, similar to those who resist oppressive regimes from within.
4. **Watership Down (the Palestinian dream of a peaceful homeland):**
- The journey to Watership Down symbolizes the Palestinian aspiration for a safe and sovereign state where they can live freely and with dignity.
5. **El-Ahrairah (the Palestinian historical and cultural heritage):**
- A legendary figure among the rabbits, symbolizing the rich cultural and historical background of the Palestinians, and their continuous struggle and resilience.
6. **Names and Locations:**
- **Watership Down**: Represents the ideal Palestinian homeland, a place of safety and peace.
- **Efrafa**: Could be seen as a parallel to heavily controlled Palestinian territories, where freedom is limited, and survival is a daily struggle.
- **Sandleford**: The original warren, representing the Palestinian territories before the major conflicts and displacement.
By examining these parallels, "Watership Down" can be seen as an allegory for the Palestinian struggle for survival, autonomy, and peace. The characters' journeys, challenges, and aspirations reflect the real-life experiences and hopes of the Palestinian people.
Turns out some people see it as an allegory for struggles against the Cold War, fascism, extremism. Or a protest against materialism, against the corporate state. “Watership Down” can be Ireland after the famine, Rwanda after the massacres. A quick online search for “Watership Down, allegory” definitively proves that the book is actually an adaptation of Homer and Virgil, or of the life of Jesus, or of Native American religion.
Hey, I wasn't claiming that Watership Down was ACTUALLY supposed to be a metaphor, it just lends itself well. Meanwhile, the AI interpretation falls down on closer inspection. The Palestinian drive has not been for a homeland; it's been for the replacement of Israel. They don't value freedom. And I'd love ChatGPT to elaborate on "the rich cultural and historical background of the Palestinians."
The Palestinian people have a rich cultural and historical background that stretches back thousands of years, intertwined with the history of the broader Levant region.
Ancient History
Canaanite Period (Bronze Age): The earliest known inhabitants of the region were the Canaanites, who lived in city-states and engaged in agriculture and trade. The Canaanites are mentioned in ancient Egyptian texts and the Bible.
Philistine Period (Iron Age): The Philistines, who are believed to have been of Aegean origin, settled in the coastal areas of what is now Gaza around the 12th century BCE. They established five main cities: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath. Their name is the root of the modern term "Palestine."
Biblical Era: The region saw the rise of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah, which played a significant role in the religious and cultural history of the area. This period is crucial for the development of the Abrahamic religions.
Classical Antiquity
Persian and Hellenistic Periods: Following the conquest by the Neo-Babylonians and the subsequent Persian Empire, the region became part of the larger Achaemenid Empire. After Alexander the Great's conquest, it came under Hellenistic rule, significantly influencing local culture.
Roman Period: In 63 BCE, the region was conquered by the Romans and became part of the Roman province of Judea. Later, after the Jewish revolts, it was renamed Palaestina by Emperor Hadrian in an attempt to diminish Jewish ties to the land.
Islamic and Ottoman Periods
Early Islamic Period: After the Muslim conquests in the 7th century, the region became part of the Rashidun, Umayyad, and later Abbasid Caliphates. This period saw the flourishing of Islamic culture, architecture, and scholarship.
Crusader Period: The region was contested during the Crusades, leading to the establishment of the Crusader states, followed by the Ayyubid and Mamluk reconquests.
Ottoman Period: From the early 16th century until World War I, Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire. This long period of relative stability allowed for the development of distinct Palestinian cultural and social institutions.
Modern History
British Mandate: After World War I and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate over Palestine. This period saw significant political and social changes, including increased Jewish immigration and rising Arab nationalism.
1948 War and Nakba: The creation of the State of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent Arab-Israeli war led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, an event known as the Nakba (catastrophe). This had a profound impact on Palestinian identity and diaspora.
Ongoing Conflict: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has continued to shape Palestinian society. Despite the challenges, Palestinians have maintained a strong sense of national identity, with vibrant cultural expressions in literature, music, art, and cuisine.
Culture
Literature and Poetry: Palestinian literature is renowned for its rich tradition, with poets like Mahmoud Darwish and writers like Ghassan Kanafani playing pivotal roles in expressing the Palestinian experience.
Music and Dance: Traditional Palestinian music and dance, such as the dabke, are integral parts of cultural celebrations and national identity.
Cuisine: Palestinian cuisine reflects the region's agricultural heritage and includes dishes like musakhan, maqluba, and various mezze.
Art: Palestinian artists often explore themes of identity, resistance, and heritage. The visual arts, including painting and sculpture, are vibrant aspects of contemporary Palestinian culture.
Oral Traditions: Storytelling, proverbs, and folklore remain important in preserving Palestinian cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations.
It's a meta story. It it can be applied to anything. If only the Palestinians saw themselves with self-agency and self-determinants we would have Paradise by now, instead of seeking martyrdom like the Japanese in the Philippine Islands.
This all seems kind of weak. You *asked* the computer to find parallels and worked to do so. I suppose it did the best it could, but none of it is based on reality.
My point is that one can pattern match Watership Down to the history of persecuted Palestinians just as well as one can for the history of persecuted (Ashkenazi) Jews.
It's like people who interpret Nostradamus as applying to contemporary events
Technically the chances of a violent death are much higher in the US than in Israel, because of the much higher rates of road and gun deaths. But admittedly those are not, well, "terrorizing" in the way that terror attacks are.
And most homicide victims in the US are killed by people they know. Although gang drive-bys are an increasing problem, targeted at rivals they know but of course victimizing others.
Israel's actual violent crime rate (apart from terror) is very low. The vast majority is Arab-on-Arab, mostly clan/mafia disputes. Most of the Jewish-on-Jewish murders are also mafia. There are few to no Arab-on-Jew or Jew-on-Arab murders, again of course outside of "nationalistic" ones, and even those are rare (especially the latter). Not that it matters to the victims, of course.
I love Watership Down, but I never thought of the story from this perspective. I've long thought that another book by Adams, Shardik, can be viewed as his thoughts on a messianic dream that against all odds comes true. Spoiler - it's not pretty.
Though I’ve never actually read/seen it, I’m familiar with Watership Down, and have been struck by its similarity in themes and content the American childrens book “Mrs. Frisby and Rats of NIMH”, which was published just 1 year before WD.
In that book, too, a colony of intelligent rodents (yes, yes, I know rabbits aren’t classified taxonomically as rodents…) struggles with the decision to relocate their home as they contend with the farmer on whose land they live and other humans who want to gas them.
It was also made into an excellent (and similarly terrifying-for-children) anti-Disney animated movie in the early ‘80s.
It is very much worth reading. His best is Shardik which deals with questions of faith, holiness, human expectations and the dreadful process of encountering the Divine. And nobody would mistake it for a children's book. My wife says it "is the book that puts 'awe' back in 'awful' "
I really enjoyed your analysis. This was required reading in my private, secular high school when I was in 10th grade back in 1972 I remember loving the book, although of course allegorical references to the Jewish people were not presented.
I watched the animated series produced in 2018 — it's available on Netflix in the US — and thought it was well done. I'll have to rewatch with your analysis in mind.
"There is not going to be a holocaust or any mass murder of Jews in America or England."
Point taken, but there is an anti-Jewish riot being planned for this Sunday morning right down the street from where my parents live in Queens. (Seriously, you can look it up: This is the same thing as happened in LA recently.) That tends to concentrate the mind.
By the way, I was always told that the rabbits in the Haggadah is because of a play on words on "Yaknehaz." But recently I read another explanation, that rabbit hunting was just a symbol of spring in that time and place. Is either true? Is it your reason? Is it something else?
It's both.
I bow to your superior knowledge.
My favorite is the manuscript of the Mishna Torah from the 1400's (I think) which illustrates Ahava with a picture of jousting knights, because "Ahava" is literally "romance" and medieval romances involved jousting knights.
Ma'akhaklot Asurot is illustrated with tiny pictures of non-kosher animals.
It was never written as a children's book. When it came out in the early '70s, it was on the NYT best seller list as a book for adults.
I was in 8th grade at the time and decided to get a copy after reading a review in the NYT review of books. It was one of the first adult-type books I actually read, and I was very proud of myself.
For me, the part of the story that impressed me most was that rabbits eat their own droppings.
It was read by adults, but the author intended it as a children's book.
It was reviewed as an adult book, not for the juvenile section.
Who gets to decide whether is a children’s book or not, the author or the NYT? 🤔
I'm just saying, children's books were not, as a rule, listed on the main list for bestselling fiction in the 1970s.
In the US, yes. But over here in the UK, it was very much received as a children's book. It won the Carnegie Medal, which is for the best children's book published in a particular year, and also the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize.
They have to; their digestive system doesn't do a complete job the first time around. This is why the Torah describes them as "chewing the cud," except it's not quite the same as it is for ruminants. (R' Slifkin wrote a whole book on this.)
As Tom Lehrer says, "Sharks gotta swim and bats gotta fly".
I think it's "fish gotta swim and birds gotta fly".
Tom Lehrer's songs are all humorous. The quote is accurate
You are both right. The lines are from different songs. The first is from She's My Girl, and the second is from Pollution.
(Also, all of his work is currently available free on his website: https://tomlehrersongs.com/)
https://youtu.be/lZE518O2QRo?si=clH6M6OQ2Op7woTZ
Eh, seems like classic confirmation bias / pattern matching, reading too much into it.
I asked chatgpt "interpret watership down as an allegory for palestinians. give concrete parallels, especially in names".
Response:
"""
"Watership Down," Richard Adams' classic novel, can be interpreted as an allegory for various oppressed groups, including Palestinians. This interpretation draws parallels between the rabbits' struggle for survival and the Palestinian experience. Here are some concrete parallels, especially focusing on names and characters:
1. **The Warren of Sandleford (the Palestinians under British Mandate/early Israel):**
- **Hazel**: A natural leader who guides his people to safety. Hazel can be seen as a representation of Palestinian leaders striving for a homeland.
- **Fiver**: A visionary who foresees danger. His role can be paralleled with those Palestinians who foresaw the consequences of foreign intervention and the establishment of Israel.
2. **Cowslip's Warren (the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza under initial Israeli control):**
- The rabbits here live in apparent peace but are under constant threat, similar to Palestinians who have faced occupation and control, with the illusion of autonomy but underlying danger.
3. **Efrafa (an allegory for Palestinians in refugee camps or under authoritarian control):**
- **General Woundwort**: Represents oppressive regimes or factions within Palestinian society that control with an iron fist. Woundwort’s methods can parallel the harsh conditions in some refugee camps or under certain militant factions.
- **Bigwig**: Initially part of Woundwort’s warren, he becomes a key figure in the resistance, similar to those who resist oppressive regimes from within.
4. **Watership Down (the Palestinian dream of a peaceful homeland):**
- The journey to Watership Down symbolizes the Palestinian aspiration for a safe and sovereign state where they can live freely and with dignity.
5. **El-Ahrairah (the Palestinian historical and cultural heritage):**
- A legendary figure among the rabbits, symbolizing the rich cultural and historical background of the Palestinians, and their continuous struggle and resilience.
6. **Names and Locations:**
- **Watership Down**: Represents the ideal Palestinian homeland, a place of safety and peace.
- **Efrafa**: Could be seen as a parallel to heavily controlled Palestinian territories, where freedom is limited, and survival is a daily struggle.
- **Sandleford**: The original warren, representing the Palestinian territories before the major conflicts and displacement.
By examining these parallels, "Watership Down" can be seen as an allegory for the Palestinian struggle for survival, autonomy, and peace. The characters' journeys, challenges, and aspirations reflect the real-life experiences and hopes of the Palestinian people.
"""
See also the quote here:
https://forward.com/culture/358479/richard-adams-wrote-against-intolerance-for-jews-and-everyone-else/
""
Turns out some people see it as an allegory for struggles against the Cold War, fascism, extremism. Or a protest against materialism, against the corporate state. “Watership Down” can be Ireland after the famine, Rwanda after the massacres. A quick online search for “Watership Down, allegory” definitively proves that the book is actually an adaptation of Homer and Virgil, or of the life of Jesus, or of Native American religion.
""
Hey, I wasn't claiming that Watership Down was ACTUALLY supposed to be a metaphor, it just lends itself well. Meanwhile, the AI interpretation falls down on closer inspection. The Palestinian drive has not been for a homeland; it's been for the replacement of Israel. They don't value freedom. And I'd love ChatGPT to elaborate on "the rich cultural and historical background of the Palestinians."
Fair points, mostly agree. Mostly playing devil's advocate...
Your wish is my command
The Palestinian people have a rich cultural and historical background that stretches back thousands of years, intertwined with the history of the broader Levant region.
Ancient History
Canaanite Period (Bronze Age): The earliest known inhabitants of the region were the Canaanites, who lived in city-states and engaged in agriculture and trade. The Canaanites are mentioned in ancient Egyptian texts and the Bible.
Philistine Period (Iron Age): The Philistines, who are believed to have been of Aegean origin, settled in the coastal areas of what is now Gaza around the 12th century BCE. They established five main cities: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath. Their name is the root of the modern term "Palestine."
Biblical Era: The region saw the rise of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah, which played a significant role in the religious and cultural history of the area. This period is crucial for the development of the Abrahamic religions.
Classical Antiquity
Persian and Hellenistic Periods: Following the conquest by the Neo-Babylonians and the subsequent Persian Empire, the region became part of the larger Achaemenid Empire. After Alexander the Great's conquest, it came under Hellenistic rule, significantly influencing local culture.
Roman Period: In 63 BCE, the region was conquered by the Romans and became part of the Roman province of Judea. Later, after the Jewish revolts, it was renamed Palaestina by Emperor Hadrian in an attempt to diminish Jewish ties to the land.
Islamic and Ottoman Periods
Early Islamic Period: After the Muslim conquests in the 7th century, the region became part of the Rashidun, Umayyad, and later Abbasid Caliphates. This period saw the flourishing of Islamic culture, architecture, and scholarship.
Crusader Period: The region was contested during the Crusades, leading to the establishment of the Crusader states, followed by the Ayyubid and Mamluk reconquests.
Ottoman Period: From the early 16th century until World War I, Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire. This long period of relative stability allowed for the development of distinct Palestinian cultural and social institutions.
Modern History
British Mandate: After World War I and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate over Palestine. This period saw significant political and social changes, including increased Jewish immigration and rising Arab nationalism.
1948 War and Nakba: The creation of the State of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent Arab-Israeli war led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, an event known as the Nakba (catastrophe). This had a profound impact on Palestinian identity and diaspora.
Ongoing Conflict: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has continued to shape Palestinian society. Despite the challenges, Palestinians have maintained a strong sense of national identity, with vibrant cultural expressions in literature, music, art, and cuisine.
Culture
Literature and Poetry: Palestinian literature is renowned for its rich tradition, with poets like Mahmoud Darwish and writers like Ghassan Kanafani playing pivotal roles in expressing the Palestinian experience.
Music and Dance: Traditional Palestinian music and dance, such as the dabke, are integral parts of cultural celebrations and national identity.
Cuisine: Palestinian cuisine reflects the region's agricultural heritage and includes dishes like musakhan, maqluba, and various mezze.
Art: Palestinian artists often explore themes of identity, resistance, and heritage. The visual arts, including painting and sculpture, are vibrant aspects of contemporary Palestinian culture.
Oral Traditions: Storytelling, proverbs, and folklore remain important in preserving Palestinian cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations.
Good literature has universal themes.
It's a meta story. It it can be applied to anything. If only the Palestinians saw themselves with self-agency and self-determinants we would have Paradise by now, instead of seeking martyrdom like the Japanese in the Philippine Islands.
Agreed with the latter point (literally suicidal tactics)
This all seems kind of weak. You *asked* the computer to find parallels and worked to do so. I suppose it did the best it could, but none of it is based on reality.
My point is that one can pattern match Watership Down to the history of persecuted Palestinians just as well as one can for the history of persecuted (Ashkenazi) Jews.
It's like people who interpret Nostradamus as applying to contemporary events
Yes. Precisely his point.
Technically the chances of a violent death are much higher in the US than in Israel, because of the much higher rates of road and gun deaths. But admittedly those are not, well, "terrorizing" in the way that terror attacks are.
And most homicide victims in the US are killed by people they know. Although gang drive-bys are an increasing problem, targeted at rivals they know but of course victimizing others.
Israel's actual violent crime rate (apart from terror) is very low. The vast majority is Arab-on-Arab, mostly clan/mafia disputes. Most of the Jewish-on-Jewish murders are also mafia. There are few to no Arab-on-Jew or Jew-on-Arab murders, again of course outside of "nationalistic" ones, and even those are rare (especially the latter). Not that it matters to the victims, of course.
I love Watership Down, but I never thought of the story from this perspective. I've long thought that another book by Adams, Shardik, can be viewed as his thoughts on a messianic dream that against all odds comes true. Spoiler - it's not pretty.
Shardik was a flipping MASTERPIECE. Various mystics have a saying "Lord, please make me strong enough to survive Your Love." All of that and more.
Though I’ve never actually read/seen it, I’m familiar with Watership Down, and have been struck by its similarity in themes and content the American childrens book “Mrs. Frisby and Rats of NIMH”, which was published just 1 year before WD.
In that book, too, a colony of intelligent rodents (yes, yes, I know rabbits aren’t classified taxonomically as rodents…) struggles with the decision to relocate their home as they contend with the farmer on whose land they live and other humans who want to gas them.
It was also made into an excellent (and similarly terrifying-for-children) anti-Disney animated movie in the early ‘80s.
It is very much worth reading. His best is Shardik which deals with questions of faith, holiness, human expectations and the dreadful process of encountering the Divine. And nobody would mistake it for a children's book. My wife says it "is the book that puts 'awe' back in 'awful' "
Lovely interpretation. Thank you for that.
There was a good discussion of Watership Down on a recent episode of The Great Books podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-327-watership-down-by-richard-adams/id1281089527?i=1000657785644
yes, let's have a showing of the film with discussion. I will be there. Laurin
I really enjoyed your analysis. This was required reading in my private, secular high school when I was in 10th grade back in 1972 I remember loving the book, although of course allegorical references to the Jewish people were not presented.
Seems like Nathan Abrams explored this idea in 2018!
https://forward.com/culture/film-tv/402920/the-secret-jewish-history-of-watership-down/#:~:text=But%20they%20arrive%20at%20their,in%20a%20few%20Jewish%20twists.
This is a brilliant essay. So now the Jews not only control the media, but also the warren!
I watched the animated series produced in 2018 — it's available on Netflix in the US — and thought it was well done. I'll have to rewatch with your analysis in mind.
Jagen hazel - hunting a little hare (not rabbit)
I LOVED that book. And now I love it more. Thank you.
Hi, Rav Natan.
Beautiful article. It is interestin that Bright Eyes, a chart topper around the world, did not even make the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.!