Response Discussion Questions for Watership Down
Students answer one of six Response questions in panel in front of the class. Five or six students
will be selected randomly each time. Students express thoughts and opinions about characters and events
in the book. They will need at least two examples. They will be graded on the following:
1.Comment: If students make a comment, they get one point for just speaking. (5 points)
2. Introduction/Claim: Students need to make their main point or conclusion that they have
drawn from the text. (10 Points)
3. Examples from the book: Students need to tell about two examples from the reading
assignment that supports their claim. (20 Points—10 points for each example.)
4. Expound/Warrants: Students need to explain the significance of each quotation and why it
supports
their claim. (10 Points)
5. Interaction: Students interact and respond with other students in their panel.
Total: 50 Points
Following are six response topics.
Response # 1 Chapters 4-12
Who emerges as the leader of the vagabonds? How does he do it? Name at least three attributes
that allows him to lead.
Response #2 Chapters 13-17
How do the rabbits at Cowslip’s warren lose their freedom? What traps the rabbits? Is there any
connection to what’s happening in our world? What situations might “trap” people in our world?
Response #3 Chapters 18-23
What are some of the innovative ideas that the rabbits implement as they start their new warren?
Response #4 Chapters 24-26
Examine the changes Bigwig and Hazel go through in their relation to Fiver. What is Hazel’s
tragic flaw?
Response # 4 Chapters 27-33
Bigwig requests Dandelion to tell the story of “Ellahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inle.”
Examine the story and its theme or lesson. Why would Bigwig request this story? What might it
say about his feelings about their mission?
Response # 5 Chapters 34-38
*Compare and contrast General Woundwort and Bigwig. List at three attributes for each of these
characters.
* Also, discuss the effect of dramatic irony on this part of the story.
*Choose a character who you believe would define heroism.
Response # 6 Chapters 39-Epilogue
*Compare and contrast Woundwort and Hazel? What are their similarities? What their
differences?
* Examine the different warrens in this book. What keeps rabbits from freedom? Relate it to our
world. What keeps humans from freedom?
Characters/Sandleford Rabbits
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Hazel, the leader. Brings out the best in his subordinates. Unlike other leaders, Hazel is not large
or strong but wins the other rabbits' devotion by making quick, intelligent decisions.
Bigwig (known in Lapine as Thlayli, meaning "Fur-head"), the best fighter and the strongest
rabbit of the group. A member of the Owsla (elite soldiers) of Sandleford warren.
Fiver (Hrairoo, "Little Thousand"; hrair is any uncountable large number, and since rabbits can
only count to four, the fifth kitten in a litter is the thousandth), Hazel's little brother. Small and
weak but also the seer of the group. He has prophetic dreams and can sense all sorts of danger.
Dandelion, the storyteller (an extremely important job in Lapine society) and fastest runner of the
group.
Blackberry, the thinker and problem-solver. Blackberry is able to understand complicated
concepts, such as boats, that the other rabbits cannot even conceive.
Silver, with silver fur. The main fighter besides Bigwig, and also a member of the Sandleford
Owsla. He is also the nephew of the Sandleford Chief Rabbit.
Buckthorn, also a fighter, and known for being stolid and dependable.
Pipkin (Hlao, "Depression in grass" affectionately Hlao-roo), small and weak but also very loyal
to Hazel.
Speedwell, Acorn, Hawkbit, who are rather unremarkable, soldiers rather than officers.
They are later joined by:
 Strawberry, from Cowslip's warren.
 Holly, former Captain of the Sandleford Owsla and a master fighter and tracker. Like Bigwig,a
born second-in-command.
 Bluebell, the jokester, a rabbit of the Sandleford warren who ends up following after and
protecting Holly on his journey to Watership Down.
 Three hutch rabbits: one buck, Boxwood, and two does, Haystack and Clover. (Another buck,
Laurel, is left behind).
Non-rabbit allies
 Kehaar, the gull - a migratory black-headed gull whose injured wing forces him to take refuge on
Watership Down. He later befriends the rabbits and helps in many unexpected circumstances.
 The unnamed mouse whom Hazel saves from a kestrel. He returns the favor by warning the
warren of the Efrafans coming to attack them.
Enemies
 General Woundwort, a Tyranical Chief Rabbit and founder of Efrafa.
 Vervain, Woundwort's lieutenant and commander of his Owslafa.
 Campion, a Captain of Owsla; a superb tracker and leader of Woundwort's wide patrols.
 Various elil (predators) who are the enemies of all rabbits.
Characters in rabbit lore
 El-ahrairah (literally Elil-hrair-rah, the "prince with a thousand enemies") is the folk hero at the
center of most of the rabbits' stories. As time passes the adventures of real living rabbits are
transformed into fantastical tales of El-ahrairah.
 Rabscuttle, El-ahrairah's best friend and companion in adventure.
 The Black Rabbit of Inlé, the rabbit grim reaper. A servant of Frith who ensures that all rabbits
die at their appointed time, and those that harm rabbits unnecessarily are punished. Inle is the
moon.
 Frith, literally "the sun", is a god-figure who created the world and promised that rabbits would
always be allowed to thrive.
 Prince Rainbow, a demigod-figure who communicates between El-ahrairah and Frith. He is
always trying to beat El-ahrairah at his own devious games.