Watership Down: Difference between revisions

** Although if it is a fable or an allegorical tale, it is not at all [[Anvilicious]]. It stands on its own as adventure [[Xenofiction]].

* [[Because Destiny Says So]]

* [[Big Brother Instinct]]: Bigwig may start out the story on the verge of Jerkassity, but he's very protective of Pipkin right from the beginning, seemingly for no other reason than because Pipkin is the smallest of the group.

* [[Big Brother Mentor]]: Hazel to Fiver, usually when he's picked on by the likes of Bigwig. Also a literal big brother, in this case.

* [[Good Scars, Evil Scars]]: By the end, pretty much everyone has scars.

* [[The Grim Reaper]]: The [[Moon Rabbit|Black Rabbit of Inlé]]. A [[Don't Fear the Reaper|frightening but dutiful]] Grim Reaper, not a murderous one.

* [[Hair-Raising Hare]]: General Woundwort. Also the Black Rabbit.

* [[Head-in-The-Sand Management]]: The old Chief Rabbit, played straight. He insists on ignoring Fiver's warnings that the warren is in danger. (Folks who suggest it's an allegory see him as an actual [[Expy]].)

* [[Elephant in the Living Room]]: Everyone in Cowslip's warren knows about {{spoiler|the snares}}, but they pretend they don't.

* [[Epigraph|Epigraphs]]: Quotes from other epic novels, plays, and poems at the start of every chapter. The first one, naturally:

'''[[The Cassandra|Cassandra]]:''' The house reeks of [[Foreshadowing|death and dripping blood]]. }}

* [[Evil Counterpart]]: Silverweed is the prophet and poet of Cowslip's warren.

** [[Everybody Hates Hades]]: Though how worthy [[Dark Is Not Evil|or not]] of the hatred (mostly thanks to him being the representation of death) depends on the context (he ain't evil in the movie, for instance).

*** Even in the book, it's made clear in the story that he's necessary, and bears no particular malice towards rabbits.

* [[Guile Hero]]: El-ahrairah, and every other rabbit in his footsteps.

* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: How El-ahrairah tried to save his people in The Black Rabbit of Inlé. {{spoiler|Failed, however. He ends up getting what he wants from the Black Rabbit simply for his persistence in remaining alive and thus disturbing the place of the dead beyond bearing}}.