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Hello Dr. Hobbs! I just wanted to let you know that I was an SA today. Thanks and have a great weekend!

-Erin K.
ENGL 121.003 MWF

Dr. Lee Hobbs
Hawkbit
I am doing my close reading on the character Hawkbit from the novel Watership Down written by Richard Adams. Hawkbit was brought into the story by Dandelion, whom is another warren rabbit. Hawkbit does not appear to be that important in the novel, although he does appear a few times throughout the story, but he is indeed not one of the main characters. Hawkbit is what authors and editors would call a flat, static character. A flat character is not multifaceted at all, they are rather very straightforward and to the point characters, these types of characters normally only have one responsibility or job in the entire novel (Roberts). A static character typically ends approximately where they began from the start (Roberts). I suppose that even if Hawkbit would have been omitted from the story altogether it really would not have made a different. If Hawkbit was not part of the story the others still would have been able to continue on their way and proceed to do the same things they did with or without Hawkbit.
Hawkbit first met the other warren rabbits last year during the snow season when they all ended up in the same burrow, after that they went separate ways and didn’t see each other for a while (Adams pg 17). Then once Hazel and Fiver decided to leave the warren and find a new one Hawkbit showed up and was persuaded to join them by dandelion. Hazel goes on to describe Hawkbit as a sort of slow, stupid rabbit (Adams pg 17). Towards the beginning of the narrative Hawkbit questions Hazel’s authority; however, shortly after he listens to the rabbits and follows their specific instructions, and eventually helps out the other rabbits on their expedition to leave their current warren, to seek a new one.
To me Hawkbit’s function in the novel is kind of like a tag-a-long, some who just wanted to leave the old warren and go to an entire new warren. Throughout the story Hawkbit does not have a specific job or role that he part takes in. He was essentially just a rabbit whom was asked to come along by dandelion. Even though Hawkbit did not have a big role in the book he did indeed speak up for the other rabbits and himself from time to time. In chapter 10, the road and the common, he went to Hazel and explained to him how the other rabbits as well as, he did not think it was a good idea to continue on, because the further and further they get away from their old warren the worse it gets (Adams pg 50-52). In the story the other characters do not react to Hawkbit, in any type of manner at all. They all seem to get along with him, except Hazel describing him to be a sort of stupid, slow rabbit. Hawkbit just goes with the flow of things and seems to only speak his mind, and do things when he feels that it is right.
I could relate Hawkbit to someone I know right now, he relates to my friend Faith. Hawkbit and she are alike because she does the same things that he did in the story. She just goes with the flow of things, whatever we want to do, she does unless she can sense that something is going to wrong, or that we should not do. For example when Hawkbit said that he thinks they should not continue on in chapter 10, by friend Faith did that same thing to us. We were going to the mall that was hour and a half away and the further we got the worse the weather became and she kept insisting that we turn around and go back home. Hawkbit and she resemble each other in more than just a few ways. On the other hand I can not relate Hawkbit to any other movie or book I have read off hand. As a result Hawkbit tried to help the group out as best he could, and I believe that he succeeded in his function that he played in the novel.
Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down.1972.New York; Scribner, 2005.
Roberts V. Edgar. Writing about Literature Brief 11th edition. 2006. Saddle River, New Jersey.

Until our next class
B. Decker

Bettina Herold
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature
18 February 2007
Leading the Pack
In Richard Adams’ novel, Watership Down, the prevailing idea of leadership is exposed throughout many characters and situations. Such use of the “leadership” theme gets readers to thinking about what gives a leader successful qualities and what characteristics are found in each of the leaders that eventually have an impact on the others. Captain Holly is a character found variously throughout the rabbits’ journey. He appears briefly in the beginning as Hazel and Fiver approach him for guidance, and then reappears later in the novel, changed in his mindset, once the rabbits have reached Watership Down. Holly was the “Chief Rabbit” at the old warren which was ran almost like a dictatorship that included the use of commands and enforcement by Owsla rabbits. Later, Holly makes a dramatic change in his attitude, which reveals his great realization that leadership includes more than just giving out orders to be followed. Holly is an important character to the novel in that he shows how a leader’s downfalls can have a negative outcome for its followers, as well as how the willingness to accept and make changes to one’s role can benefit an entire community in the end.
In Chapter 2, “The Chief Rabbit” Holly is first shown when he barely gives Hazel and Fiver the time of day to explain Fiver’s premonitions. His ignorance and unconcern for rabbits of non-Owsla rank is clearly seen as he rushes Hazel out the door with no show of emotion for Fiver who is clearly distraught. He calls Hazel, “Walnut,” and does not even bother to try to guess at Fiver’s name (12). This paints a picture of a leader in charge who does not listen to others and views members of lower classes to be of no importance and a waste of time. Also, Holly’s leadership styles reappear in Chapter 4 “The Departure” when he confronts the departing rabbits and claims to be there to arrest them for their plans. Holly’s cockiness and unwillingness to listen is illustrated as he remarks, “I am Captain of the Owsla. You know that, don’t you?” (21). It is at this point in the novel, that the Oswla have a supreme position in their society that they expect others to respect and heed to what they believe is the law. As seen through many societies in history, a dictatorship, with strict laws and no room for negation or participation by citizens, is often not the most efficient or comfortably lived in as those that utilize the idea of everyone such as in a democracy. Holly is seen to be unfair by the other rabbits who cannot understand why he would not listen to their words of advice.
Holly makes a dramatic change in the story as he reappears to the runaway rabbits in Chapter 19, “Fear in the Dark,” torn up in exhaustion and desperate for forgiveness. In dismay, Holly informs the rabbits of the news of how their old warren was destroyed by men. He is in deep regret that he could not do anything to save his suffering community as they panicked and fought amongst themselves to their death. At this point, readers can see that Holly has undergone a humbling experience. He realizes the impact of his decision to take the easy way out and ignore Fiver’s warnings of future danger. A comment that marks this transformation shows up at the end of Chapter 21, “For El-ahrairah to Cry,” as he says, “You can imagine what it means to Bluebell and me to find ourselves underground, among friends. It wasn’t I who tried to arrest you Bigwig-that was another rabbit, long, long ago” (160). Holly has made a change from a close-minded and uncompromising leader, to a sorrowful rabbit who realizes the value of his fellow rabbits’ companionship and an appreciation of their wellbeing. Such a change is important to the novel since it shows the idea of adaptation that many of the rabbits had to do as they made their journey to the downs. Holly was able to realize his past mistake and had a newfound respect for Hazel in this new community at Watership down as he acknowledges the fact that Hazel is their “Chief Rabbit.” In Holly’s old community, this cooperation would never have been seen. But after the hardships and struggles to find his fellows rabbits, Holly can now see that there is more to life than ordering others around. As the story progresses and finishes, Holly is very helpful with his knowledge of traveling and is able to help the rabbits in various situations. He is never seen to have a negative or conceited attitude again and proves he has officially changed for the benefit of the new warren.
Holly is just one of the many characters who illustrate the use of leadership in the novel. His old and new ways show a promising idea that characters can change and personalities do not always have to remain negative throughout a lifetime. Each of the rabbits in the novel has their own strength and styles of leadership. Some may be more subtle than others, but each rabbit has an impact on the outcome of the journey. Just as Holly is able to change his ways, each of the rabbits finds it within themselves to express their knowledge and influence the others as they make their way to their goal.

Work Cited: Adam, Richards. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner 2005.

Stephanie Vrabel
Professor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature
13 February 2007

Professor Hobbs,
The Animal Airforce
He was just a little bit larger than Bigwig, just about a foot long. It was hard to tell what the creature was as he was hiding in the hollowed out ground. He had a white, curved back with deep brown feathers on top of his head and outlining his wings and tail. His stood on two high Venetian red legs that ended each in three strong claws connected by webbing. As Bigwig and Silver approached the bird, a foreign, breathy warning was expelled from an intimidating beak that pointed sharply toward the ground. It was not until the approach that the rabbits, Bigwig and Silver, had realized this was a nonnative bird that appeared to be injured. As they ran for cover they bumped into the chief rabbit, Hazel, who decided it might benefit the warren to help this bird recover.
The novel, Watership Down, by Richard Adams, is the tale of a group of rabbits who begin a journey to find a new home in order to avoid the danger their previous warren would soon face. In Chapter 23 the rabbits come a across an exotic bird, a natural predator of our furry friends, who ends up being a very important Allie to their warren. Hazel realizes that they may need a larger bird that is able to survey the surrounding scenes.
After a while Hazel also noticed that the bird was hurt and starving.. “‘I believe it’s starving,’ said Hazel. ‘We’d better feed it. Bigwig, go and get some worms or something.’ ‘Me, dig for worms?’ replied Bigwig.” (Adams, 181). Hazel is initiating his plan to help save the bird, though Bigwig and Silver are not too sure of this idea at first. Hazel realizes this when Bigwig questions his authority and refuses to search for worms. Eventually the rabbits agree to help Kehaar return to good health by finding it food and providing him his very own burrow for protection, but purely because they trust Hazel’s judgment.
In the beginning, the rabbits never thought that they would benefit greatly from the help of a bird. Kehaar turns out to be a very vital character in the survival of the newly formed warren, the Honeycomb. After the rabbits settle in the Honeycomb, they realize that, with no does, their warren will not last very long. This is where Kehaar begins to contribute back to the warren.
Once the exotic bird returns to appropriate health, he flies around in approximately a three to four mile radius from the Honeycomb in search for another warren where they may be able to find some does. Upon his return, he informs Hazel of two places where they could find mothers for their warren. One of the areas where female rabbits were located was at a warren called Efrafa. Kehaar helps to illustrate Hazel’s role as a leader and how he is able to use and expand his resources for the good of the warren.
During their plan to capture some of the does from Efrafa, Kehaar also came in handy to inform the rabbits when they were being followed by the officers of the other warren. This gave the Honeycomb rabbits time to hide from their enemies. Not only did Kehaar help the rabbits in their deviousness, he also came to aid in their protection. Kehaar is kind of like the father figure to these rabbits. Not only does he look out for them and inform them when they are running into danger, but he will do his best to protect them as well.
As Bigwig was fighting the vicious General Woundwort of Efrafa, Kehaar finally comes to the rescue to help save Bigwig, the bird’s biggest admirer, and the rest of the Honeycomb warren rabbits and their newly found does. “Then Bigwig realized that Woundwort was no longer looking at him, but staring over his head at something beyond, something he himself could not see. Suddenly, Woundwort leaped backward and in the same moment…there sounded a raucous clamor. “Yark! Yark! Yark!” Some big white thing was striking at Woundwort, who was cowering and guarding his head as best he could.” (Adams, 360).
It is very hard for someone to fight a battle alone. In this previously quoted scene, the rabbits would have never have been able to escape from their enemies without the help of Kehaar. This seems to reflect many battles that the human population seems to struggle with. Whether it be a battle to overcome a disorder like bulimia or even a battle between several countries like World War II, it is very hard to win your battle without the help of others. A person with bulimia will go to a psychologist for help and a country like Britain or France may need the help of the Soviet Union and United States to defeat Germany and Japan. Kehaar is very similar to the army’s air force. He has the ability to fly overtop of his enemies and “drop the bomb” to protect his side.
This foreign bird not only protects the rabbits from the Honeycomb, he also shows that forming friendships with the least likely of animals may be beneficial. Kehaars character was, in the end, very important for the continuation of the Honeycomb warren. Battles are not fought or won alone; they are fought and won with the help of others.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner, 2005.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Vrabel

April A. Hunsberger
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121 Humanities Literature
16 February 2007
Dandelion

From reading Watership Down, by Richard Adams, I have learned a lot about Dandelion’s character. Dandelion plays a major role as a flat character in the book with the characteristics he pursues. Throughout the story, Dandelion’s main function is preaching stories about El-ahrairah, the master of all tricks. All the stories that are told by Dandelion relate to trickery, which is a form of survival to the rabbits. However, each of the four stories spoken by Dandelion has a special meaning during their journey for a new warren. Without Dandelion in the story, the audience would have no background knowledge about the rabbits, nor would they understand the importance of trickery. During the rabbit’s adventure Dandelion’s personality, knowledge of classic rabbit tale stories, and speed as a rabbit has added to the uniqueness of his character. Altogether, Dandelion made the rabbits journey more entertaining with the stories he told. In addition, he used his talent for speed to help relocate their new warren, known as the Honeycomb.

From all the information I have gathered about Dandelion and other knowledge on other literary characters, I feel that Dandelion could be compared to Master Splinter from The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Master Splinter has been a father figure to the four turtles that he took in and raised. He taught them valuable information and trained them in defeating their enemy. In relation to Master Splinter, Dandelion resembles his personality. Dandelion informs the other rabbits and preaches classic stories that are valuable to their survival. Through his stories he can communicate morals and lessons from the stories about El-ahrairah. Without these stories the rabbits would have a hard time escaping humans and other animals that may be harmful to them. Furthermore, these two characters have similar roles. They are both responsible for teaching their followers different strategies for defeating their enemies. For example, trickery is used by the rabbits to survive and Master Splinter trains his turtles in self defense. In general, Dandelion and Master Splinter are looked upon for words of wisdom, which then passes down from generation to generation.

Additionally, Dandelion can also be categorized as a stock character. He may not be the main character in the story, but his role as a story teller strikes him as a unique individual. The only time Dandelion is present in the story is when a story is told or when Hazel uses Dandelion for one of his schemes. For example in chapter 19, Dandelion runs ahead into an open pasture to check for anything suspicious that may endanger the others (123). However, his main purpose throughout the novel, is telling stories. Another similar situation can be compared to the disciples in the Bible, who also share stories that pass on God‘s word. It is apparent that the disciples, Master Splinter and Dandelion all pass on meaningful stories to their listeners.

All of Dandelion’s stories relate to a particular point in their journey. The characters turned to Dandelion when they were in danger, down on their luck, or in need for new ideas. Throughout the book Dandelion does not have a large dialogue role. However, when he is present he is of great importance. The other characters reacted to Dandelion in multiple ways. For instance, Hazel uses Dandelion because of his speed and quickness. In chapter 47, Hazel has a plan to use Dandelion as a distraction to the dog. Thus, Dandelion’s task was to get the dogs attention and persuade the dog to follow him into another direction (444-445). This proves that Hazel trusts and relies on Dandelion because he knows Dandelion will not get caught. In chapter 14, Hazel recommends Dandelion to tell a story and he whispers, “That can’t go wrong, anyway”(92). In this case Hazel puts his faith into Dandelion because he knows he is a great story teller. From these two examples it is apparent that Dandelion is looked upon and well liked.

Overall, I believe Dandelion’s role as a character brought out the entertaining side of the novel, because of his speed and story telling. He may not be like Hazel, the leader of the rabbits, or as strong as Bigwig, but his persona creates a very unique individual. Dandelion displays a great and flexible personality throughout the story, and he always cooperated on their journey. I believe if Dandelion was omitted from the story, my understanding of the novel would be dramatically changed. For me, Dandelion created a unique side of the story, which made my reading more enjoyable. Overall, Dandelion presented valuable information through his stories that he told in order to understand and analyze the rabbits behavior adequately.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down.1972. New York; Scribner, 2005.

Shayne Schmidt

Instructor: Lee Hobbs

ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature

19 February 2007

The Lonely One

In the novel Watership Down you meet a character named Blackavar and when introduced it is as if he is the odd one out. The author is Richard Adams who describes Blackavar as if he is a depressed, confused and a lonely rabbit. When you first meet Blackavar he answers to Bigwig in a sense of being a shamed or guilty of something he has done. His response was polite by saying sir and his reaction was also of no expression. At first it seems that Blackavar is really of no importance at all. Although later on you realize Blackavar is stronger than you think. Blackavar is an unusual one whose father was an Efrafa captain and his mother who was a prisoner of Woundwort’s attack on Nutley Copse. This conflict could play an important role as to why he behaves the way he does.
Blackavar is first introduced on page 316 in chapter 35 of the text where he is basically described as a deformed rabbit. This is probably the most continuous dialogue and description given of Blackavar. When Blackavar first replies to Bigwig he looks down and replies with out even looking up. By avoiding eye contact this could be a negative character trait that Blackavar may be guiltily or a shame of something. Then later on he then replies that he deserve the treachery that was place upon him. Also the author’s description of Blackavar shows how he really has no social status with the other rabbits. One thing is that when Blackavar first speaks he replies with a sir to Bigwig possibly revealing that he might be a polite rabbit that is just emotional about what he did. Also it seems as if Blackavar is a one dimensional character that means that he may only play in one or two roles of the story. One idea right away is that Blackavar is made to be an example to the rest of rabbits by the Council to show what not to do. Although later on page 318 it seems that Kehaar feels for Blackavar and really wants to help him. That could show that the other characters can reveal where Blackavar is coming from. Later on near the end of the chapter Bigwig reveals that he will go back for Blackavar. In the next couple chapters Blackavar is really only mention when Bigwig and the others are going to leave and take him with them. Finally in chapter 38 Bigwig jumps in and takes off with Blackavar. In chapter 38 on page 358 it seems Blackavar’s attitude is really appearing for the first time. Campion demands he returns but Bigwig and Blackavar think otherwise. Blackavar wants to fight him and later on thinks they can take a couple does. With Blackavar saying these things it shows that he is revealing that he may have a pretty big ego.
The traits and ideas revealed by the others and Blackavar himself show how he may be the perfect spy and a scout of the grounds. Blackavar’s personality of being shut out is probably what makes him a great observer of patrolling the land. The way he has been treated and the way he grew up makes him question what others are really up to. Blackavar’s traits defines what it means to be a great patroller. Compared to the rest of the rabbits it seems Blackavar is the perfect scout because of the way he was brought up in family. The conflict with Blackavar is a struggle between a mother who a prisoner and a father who was an Efrafa captain. The conflict could affect this lonely rabbit with having some sort of mixed emotions. In the rest of the story Blackavar really has no major dialogue but does interact by helping the others and patrolling the grounds for the others to remain safe and sound.
Since the first time Blackavar is introduced to us it seems as if he is the odd one out. The ways in which Richard Adams describes Blackavar to be that he is lonely, depressed and confused from many different things that happen in his life. With Blackavar basically being an outcast his whole life it is no wonder he is such a great patroller because of his ability of observing and listening to others talk about him. Blackavar is a character I think everyone wants to be in one way or another because of his toughness, strength and ability to watch others.

Joseph M. Tuorinsky
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121. Humanities Literture
12 February 2007
The Black Rabbit of Inlé: The Rabbit Angel of Death
The Black Rabbit of Inlé isn’t exactly a pertinent character in the main story of Watership Down, he is an important icon in rabbit folklore. The Black Rabbit of Inlé is seen almost as a deity in the stories of the rabbits. He is not a normal living rabbit, but rather an immortal being of great power, mystery, and wisdom.
In Watership Down by Richard Adams, The Black Rabbit of Inlé is only really found in chapter 31, “The Story of El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inlé.” Where Dandelion tells an epic story of El-ahrairah’s efforts to save the rabbits of his warren by visiting the mysterious Black Rabbit of Inlé (267). Any other time he is mentioned in the story it is nothing but that, a mention, and there is nothing more revealed about this character anywhere but here.
The first thing you might learn about the Black Rabbit is about his mysterious dwellings. He lives far up in an area where there is much mist, large rocks, and his burrow is carved into rock in the mountain side. El-ahrairah and his servant Rabscuttle were hard-pressed to journey from their warren to the lair of The Black Rabbit of Inlé. They traveled far distances in the dark through types of terrain they had never before seen. They endured a daring climb, only to come to the entrance of the Black Rabbit’s burrow. Their first meeting with the Black Rabbit, who had been standing there the whole time, was mistaken for a rock and described as “still as lichen and cold as the stone” (272).
Dandelion continues his story of the Black Rabbit as El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle enter the burrow delved into the mountainside. The two travelers quickly noticed their keen senses of sound and smell were hard pressed to detect anything in the hall of the Black Rabbit of Inlé. Not only is the location odd, but the burrow itself seemed to be not of their world (273).
From El-ahrairah’s first plea to The Black Rabbit, you can tell he is often troubled by those who wish to lay down their lives to save others. However you can never detect any hint of impatience or intolerance in The Black Rabbit of Inlé of his visitors. He shows no emotion at any time. However this does not stop the Black Rabbit from being a hospitable host. He offers El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle shelter, food and nourishment, and entertainment (274).
While in the warren of The Black Rabbit of Inlé, El-ahrairah makes two separate wagers with his host. First, in a game of bob-stones, where for the salvation of his people El-ahrairah wagers his tail and whiskers (274). And Second, in a story selling competition, where El-ahrairah loses his ears (276). It becomes evident that The Black Rabbit of Inlé is indeed not a mortal rabbit and he holds mystical powers which make it a complete impossibility for El-ahrairah to win the safety of his people on any kind of bet.
The mystery of the Black Rabbit is furthered upon the discovery of “the pit” (277). Different rabbit holes in “the pit” contain pestilence, plagues, and diseases of all kinds. El-ahrairah quickly comes up with a plan to use one of the sicknesses to defend his warren from the invading army. In the middle of his plan, he encounters The Black Rabbit of Inlé. The Black Rabbit tells him that he’s incapable of carrying the disease without his ears, and I believe it was the will of the Black Rabbit for such a thing to happen, because he was testing El-ahrairah the whole time. After this event, The Black Rabbit of Inlé says he has himself already saved his people, and then disappears.
The Black Rabbit has himself the ability to control how, when, and where a rabbit may die. However he is not easily persuaded by any who offer compromises to him. It seems that he and his Owsla, stand for and believe in one principle-“What is is what must be” (274, 278).

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. New York: Scribner, 2005. 267-282.

Professor Hobbs,

Buckthorn: A Pillar Beneath Watership Down

The characters of Richard Adams’ Watership Down seem to follow the “hero’s quest” archetype. Hazel: the cunning leader, Bigwig: the sturdy warrior, Fiver: the wise cleric, Blackberry: the intelligent wizard, and Dandelion: the eloquent bard, all have a distinct role to play while also showing some traits of the others. However, where do the “peripheral” characters, Hawkbit, Speedwell, Acorn, and particularly Buckthorn for example, fit in? Are they filler characters whose chief purpose is to have complementary interactions with the main characters or do they have a more significant role to play? How did they come join the main characters and what are their motivations for leaving? Could the other rabbits have made it to Watership Down without them? I seek to answer these questions in relation to the stalwart sergeant Buckthorn by using parts mythic, formalist, and a little of the reader-response method and also draw some connections between my subject and two other characters from popular culture.

Buckthorn first appears on page 18 in a description from Hazel as the rabbits are gathering to leave Sandleford Warren. “He was glad to see him, for he knew him for a tough, sturdy fellow who was considered certain to get into the Owsla as soon as he reached full weight.” (Adams 18) In this statement we see that Buckthorn has a promising future with the Sandleford Warren: “… considered certain to get into the Owsla…” (Adams 18) So why does he wish to leave? Like Silver, who was serving his first month in the Owsla but still wanted to leave, he could have been the target of veteran Owsla members’ harassment. Or he could have grown impatient waiting to get into the Owsla and wanted to start new where he would have more power. While these two are the more likely scenarios, throughout the novel Buckthorn is described as a “…straight forward…” and tough individual which makes it seem unlikely that he was running from a bullying Owsla or his own impatience. (Adams 18, 301, 427)

Another possibility, however, is that Buckthorn, like the others, was frightened by Fiver’s statements and also curious to see what was outside of Sandleford. On page 393 as the raiding party sent to Efrafra is returning, Buckthorn asks in quick succession: “… What happened? Where are the others? Did you get any does? Is everyone alright?” (Adams 393) This shows us that Buckthorn is inquisitive and able to put his thoughts to words. I do not have evidence to show that he in particular believed Fiver’s premonition, but as he arrived with Blackberry and Blackberry does an excellent job of persuading the rabbits in other parts of the novel (Adams 37, 301-302), and Buckthorn being as he is and not prone to much abstract thought, might have been easily persuaded by Blackberry.

A major aspect of Buckthorn’s character is his willingness to fight and his uncanny knack for getting injured in battle. As the rabbits are fleeing Silverweed’s Warren they are attacked by a group of rats while resting in an old barn. Bigwig, Silver, and Buckthorn cover their escape and Buckthorn is bitten on the leg. (Adams 122-123) Again he was wounded while on the first mission to Efrafa. (Adams 224-239) In other parts of the story he is either chosen or volunteers for the dangerous duty: guard duty while the others dig the Watership Warren (Adams 134), as a member of the envoy to Efrafa (Adams 195), and he alone guards Kehaar’s run, the only open entrance to Watership Warren, during the Efrafan attack. (Adams 427).

If I were to apply the same hierarchy as was found in Sandleford to the rabbits who left, it might look something like this: Hazel would be the Chief Rabbit, Bigwig the head of the Owsla, and Silver his second in command. The council would be made up of (in reality all of their opinions and thoughts were valued, however) Fiver, Blackberry, and Dandelion. As for Buckthorn, I would consider him an Owsla sergeant: a skilled fighter, a good tactician, but not as dynamic or diverse a character as Bigwig or Silver. Buckthorn most reminds me of Chewbacca from the Star Wars series and Gimli from the Lord of the Rings. While both of these characters had larger overall roles in their respective stories, they were above all solid and dependable warriors, not given to fleeing a fight. Chewbacca (sometimes) took orders from Han Solo and Gimli respected Gandalf and Aragorn just as Buckthorn respects and obeys orders from Hazel and Bigwig.

Buckthorn was not an innovative thinker or an eloquent speaker; however, he possessed many skills that any group of adventurers would be amiss without. When he was confronted by an enemy and later ordered to guard against further attacks by the Efrafan Wide patrol he held up well under the pressure(Adams 423 and 427); when presented with an opportunity to disrupt Captain Holly’s attack on Bigwig he wasted no time (Adams 20). While Bigwig is prone to starting fights and being brash, Buckthorn seems to be more sedate and balanced; more of a martial artist than a brawler. While his role was never as robust as that of Bigwig or Silver, I believe that the motley crew of Sandleford rabbits would have never made it to Watership Down, or beyond, and that the warren at Watership Down would be missing a significant supporting pillar in the Honeycomb without him.

Work Cited

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. Rex Collings, Ltd.;1972. First Scribner trade paperback edition, 2005. Simon & Shuster.

Best Regards,

Justin Bleggi

Professor Hobbs,
Walter 1
Tina Walter
Professor Hobbs
English 121.003
19 February 2007
A Lesson Learned
In Richard Adams’ novel, Watership Down, the reader is introduced to a character named Hawkbit. In chapter four, “The Departure”, he is described as a rather “slow, stupid rabbit who was distinctly tedious” (26). He learned from another rabbit, Dandelion, that Hazel, a rabbit he had met in a burrow last winter, was planning to leave the warren that night. He decided that he wanted to tag along.
Although a minor character in the story, in the end, Hawkbit plays an important role. He is the type of character who seems to be constantly searching for a specific, clear answer to every question. At the beginning of his journey with the rabbits, he questions many things. This characteristic resulted in a few repercussions. Obviously, he hadn’t yet learned when to open his mouth, and, more importantly, when to keep it closed. His first big mistake was asking Bigwig who the Chief Rabbit was. Bigwig wasn’t at all thrilled with the question and ended up attacking and biting Hawkbit. The other rabbits agreed that Bigwig had reacted badly. Was it really a bad question? Or did Bigwig over-react? His second mistake was not believing or understanding the reasons why Fiver and Hazel decided to take the journey. In his own stupid, stubborn way, he decided that he wanted to turn around in spite of the fact that he was the one who decided to come on the journey in the first place. Luckily he decided to stay.

Walter 2
It was obvious by the end of the rabbits’ journey that his views slowly changed as he continued to grow. He no longer questioned the reasons for having to do things. Instead, he found various ways to help the rabbits, not as a single member, but as part of the group. He contributed ideas when the rabbits were stuck in a rut. He became more outgoing, talking to other animals like the mice, for instance, in order to find new grass to feed on. He also went off on his own and proved that he could be a vital member of the “team” by taking the initiative to scope out old holes he found, in order for the others to sleep there that night. He is a character that has grown, in his own right, for the better.
There were a few questions that, I felt, were left unanswered by the end of the novel. In the beginning, having heard of Hawkbit wanting to join, Hazel stated that “this wasn’t a time to pick or choose” (26). Why then did Hazel decide to allow Hawkbit to come along if they didn’t see him as a valuable tool? It seems as though Hazel didn’t really see Hawkbit as a “stupid slow rabbit”(26). Rather, Hazel’s leadership qualities allowed him to see in Hawkbit what he thought would be vital for all of them to reach the safe warren in the end.
Through the novel, I would have preferred to see the author give a more detailed account of Hawkbit’s behavior and traits. He seemed to be a somewhat flat character in that not many details were given about his character. There were relatively few adjectives used to describe him. He also had some round character traits. By the end of the story Hawkbit had changed, becoming more knowledgeable and more mature in his actions. He had learned to follow and trust the leadership of others.

Walter 3
Hawkbit is a perfect example of learning to understand oneself and to become more comfortable in one’s own skin, or, in his case, fur. Not everyone may learn from his example. Change is sometimes good, sometimes bad, but, when it is good, it deserves to be noticed.
I think many people can relate to the character of Hawkbit. College is a great example. Students come from various parts of the state to meet people with diverse cultural backgrounds and social customs. Personally, I have changed considerably since I began attending college. I have learned that maybe the beliefs I had until then, the beliefs I had been taught, were not always necessarily the best for me if I was going to move forward in life. I am constantly learning to question those beliefs, to learn from mistakes I have made in the past in the hope that I will grow into yet a better person.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Macmillan, 1996.

Thank you,
Tina W

Lauren E. Wozniak
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121 Humanities and Literature
14 February 2007

Close Reading of Clover

In the novel Watership Down by Richard Adams, Clover is the first rabbit to produce a litter in the new warren. Clover is one of the lucky rabbits who Hazel decided to set free from the barn. Clover is one of the few rabbits who were able to adjust to her new environment very easily. Clover mates with Speedwell, who is a Sandleford rabbit who is unsure of the group and the new warren, but eventually gains faith as the story unfolds.
Clover is first introduced in Chapter 25, “The Raid” when she was rescued by Blackberry and Bigwig from the barn. Clover is one of the domestic white rabbits owned by the farmer. Rescuing these rabbits from the barn was very important to Bigwig and Blackberry, because now, the clan of rabbits were able to add more members to take with them to the new warren. From the beginning, Clover showed no fear to the other rabbits or to the environment around her. When another rabbit suggested an idea, Clover never hesitated and proceeded with full force. Clover was also very flexible and never questioned the “older rabbits.” For example, as Bigwig was leading the way into the yard, and saw the cat Boxwood, Clover knew something was up. Even though they just had met Bigwig, Boxwood and Clover trusted him enough to follow him and believed that Bigwig could get them out of the terrifying situation. This shows that this particular group of rabbits were not only friends, but instead family. They all look out for one another, and try their best to stick together.
Clover is again introduced in Chapter 42, “News at Sunset” where she gives birth to her litter of six kittens. This is exciting news, because Clover’s litter is the first of the new warren. She had six healthy kittens; three bucks and three does. Speedwell, the father of the litter spreads the word by “…going up in the beech tree and singing.” (Adams, pg. 410) Clover’s litter symbolizes hope for the rabbits in the new warren. The birth of the litter, gives hope to the rabbits that they will soon be able to live a natural and normal life. Clover’s litter also contributes to the number of rabbits they have at the new warren. The birth of the litter brings the warren together; and in a way makes them stand up for what they believe in. For example, when Hazel found out that the Efrafans were coming to the warren to attack, she refused to leave the warren, which she now referred to as her home.
Although Clover was not a main character in Watership Down, Clover was able to contribute many characteristic traits; like her personality and determination that influenced the development of the new warren. Clover was a well-developed character and had her own unique personality. The trials and tribulations that Clover and the rest of the rabbits went through depict the struggles they faced between freedom and tyranny.
Throughout the novel Watership Down, Richard Adams makes it apparent to the audience that a community or family resulted when a group of rabbits came together and shared a common purpose in life. The groups of rabbits who are all individually different soon realize that in order to survive, it is necessary to trust the talents of each and every rabbit. Another theme Richard Adams made apparent was maturity. As the journey continued most of the rabbits started to mature and grow up. They begin to work as a whole; such as think of ideas collectively, think out strategies, and begin to appreciate everyone in the warren.

Work Cited:

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner, 2005.

Andy Hood
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature
15 February 2007
To Live and To Learn
The Watership Down, by Richard Adams, introduces a variety of rabbits that portray what we know to be very human-like characteristics. The chief rabbit of the warren, the Threarah, is considered a flat character in this story and only makes two actual appearances in the story. The name Threarah actually means “Lord Rowan Tree” (10). Threarah isn’t just a name for the Chief Rabbit though; it’s something that represents him as an individual. Similar to that of a name in the Native American culture such as “The Running Horse”, the name fits his description. It’s part of his swagger, if you will.
Richard Adams clearly tries to create a representation of the way of the European world about the time of World War II with the characters in the story. He gave the Threarah characteristics of an old wise man, worn down by a lifetime full of paying his “do’s” and putting in work. He has now taken the reigns, for he is smartest of all the rabbits in the warren and must make all the important decisions. You can get the sense of a dominant figure with power even before his first appearance, simply by the fear in Hazel and Bigwig when they speak of him (9-10).
The Threarah reminds me of my grandfather on my mother’s side and my father, two men alive during the same time period as Richard Adams. The Chief Rabbit, and both my grandfather and father all share similar characteristics and play the same role as the head of the family. Now as old wise men, they feel they know best and are not too fond of youngsters going against their opinion. They will, however, indulge you in a sort of sly, manipulative way to amuse themselves when an ignorant or sometimes brave one will attempt to do so. They politely listen to your side of the story, but guide your thoughts toward the logic that they see without you knowing it, using cute, sarcastic responses. The Threarah demonstrates this well when approached with the astonishing request of Fiver and Hazel (11). I image this type of attitude could be a common denominator among the blue collar elderly population during those times.
The Threarah did have to earn his spot as Chief Rabbit though. His legends may speak for themselves now, but he was not always feared and obeyed by all. As a young adult, the Threarah did possess the necessary attributes to succeed. He was a strong, independent rabbit in nature that did not show the same high level of paranoia other rabbits do. One might say he was calm, cool, and collected. He was capable of balancing his forces, and he demonstrated his abilities as a leader early in the warren. The Threarah saved the warren from extinction by standing his ground and making the vital decision to lock out all sick rabbits (10). In another situation, he displayed heroic characteristics by leaping onto a farmer’s rifle in front of a pheasant coop (10). Surely, it was the Threarah’s fierce combination of physiology and psychology that landed him Chief Rabbit and head of the warren.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner, 2005
Hobbs, Lee. ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature Course Pack. 2007
Roberts, Edgar V. Writing About Literature: Brief Eleventh Edition. 2006. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006.

Greg Crossland
Eng 121
Dr. Lee Hobbs
2/12/07
Reading Response #1:Rabscuttle

Significant or Irrelevant?

While doing a close reading of the character, Rabscuttle (Rab), in Richard Adams’s novel, Watership Down, I have come across some interesting findings. Rabscuttle holds many important relations to the characters in the novel, primarily El-ahrairah (El). Also, I will discuss how he affects the novel from a couple different points of view.
Rabscuttle is mentioned only while the band of hermits retells stories of there idol/God like figure, El-ahrairah. He is the captain of El-ahrairah’s Owsla and is El’s best friend and sidekick. Rabscuttle seems to be a flat character, because throughout the novel he does not show much, if any development. This is especially true when he is brought into comparison with the protagonists of this novel, like Hazel and Bigwig, who show a great deal of character progression and evolution. Therefore, I can reason that Rabscuttle is a static character, because his character ends in the same manner in which he starts. I can build an inference about Rabscuttle’s character in comparison to other characters from different works of literature.
It is safe to say that Rab is a stock character due to the likeness of his traits and personality in comparison to many other characters in numerous literary works of fiction. Rabscuttle falls into the category of a sidekick, because of his relationship with El-ahrairah. Rab is his confidant, best friend, and El-ahrairah’s source of personal security. Rabscuttle is a physically strong character, yet he is submissive and respectful of El-ahrairah. He follows the orders given to him by El-ahrairah, but shows compassion and love for him. In a particular section of the novel where the story of El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inle is told, Dandelion describes, “All the time, Rabscuttle, looked after El-ahrairah, brought him fresh dock leaves and kept the flies from his wounds until they healed” (280). This is an example of how a sidekick would look after his chief. Anytime El-ahrairah was in the process of a mission, rather mischievous or grave in nature, Rabscuttle was right there ready to fight tooth-and-nail for El. Rabscuttle can be compared to many other famous sidekicks in literature and on the big screen. Some that came to mind when I thought of Rabscuttle were Robin and Batman, Kato to the Green Hornet, and Luigi in comparison to Mario. Being a sidekick was one main reason for Rab to be in this novel, but there is one other I would like to touch upon.
Rabscuttle was a voice of reason to El-ahrairah. He would consistently look out for El. This is best stated in Richard Adams’s novel when Rabscuttle says, “That’s saying to much, master. A pity to throw your life away for a cabbage, after all we’ve done together” (398). He also states, “Oh, master, what good can this suffering bring? For the sake of Lord Frith and the green grass, let me take you home” (276). He appears in very few parts of the novel; however he becomes an important part of the story.
Rabscuttle is an important character in Watership Down, because he is the perfect representation of how a good rabbit should act and carry themselves. He is a great friend, who would risk his life for El-ahrairah or any other rabbit in his warren. He strictly follows the orders given by his master and chief, without question, like a good captain of the Owsla is obligated to. He embodies the playful trickster, yet is respectful and stern. Since he is only in a small amount of the chapters, it leaves a few questions to be asked.
If I could ask questions to an all knowing source of information on Watership Down, I would start with the past. Where did Rabscuttle come from, how did he start out, as well as where and how did he come to meet El-ahrairah? After I bombarded this aficionado with questions on the past, the next logical step would be to move to the future. What happens to Rabscuttle in the end? The author states in the epilogue that rabbits only live for a few years. Is he or does he become immortal? Well I believe I can answer that one myself. He might not have lived for ever, but he is immortally placed into the hearts and minds of the rabbits of Watership Down.
In conclusion, I would state that Rabscuttle was important to the novel; and to really know or understand a particular character you must examine them carefully. You must compare him or her to their surroundings and other fellow characters. At a quick glance, important traits could easily be over looked. So if a novel is important to you for any reason, a close reading is necessary.

Works Cited

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner, 2005.

Lorin Gdula
Professor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003: Humanities Literature
16 February 2007
Pipkin
Characters are what make a story. Without drama and conflict between the characters and the plot all novels would probably be really boring. Watership Down focuses on leadership and a concern for their home, bringing the two themes together. The rabbits come together and realize that cooperation is the key to survival, and they engage in a trust between each other. Pipkin is introduced to us early in the story as a small, timid, rabbit that is talked into leaving the warren with the rest of the rabbits for fear something bad is going to happen.
Pipkin is not one of the main characters in the story but his role plays a large part in the story. Undersized, Pipkin was an easy target for the bigger enemies. He often got injured a lot, and it made the reader wonder why sometimes they just wouldn’t leave him behind. It just always seemed Pipkin slowed the rest of the pack down. There was the instance were he got the thorn in his paw and they had to stop and spend the night there, but the rabbits didn’t seem to mind because while on their journey to the new warren they realized that they need each other, every single one of them. Pipkin and Hazel start to form a bond between each other. “Throughout the bad dream of the night’s journey, Pipkin seemed to always be close beside him. Though each of the others vanished and reappeared like fragments floating round a pool, Pipkin never left him; and his need for encouragement became at last Hazel’s only support against his own weariness” ( Adams 63). They formed a trust, a bond between each other. Hazel can rely on Pipkin because he knows that whatever he would ask Pipkin to do, he would do without questioning. I feel that Pipkin’s main purpose in the story is to aid the others and help them get though the tough times. When Richard Adam’s discusses Pipkin in the book, he always refers to him as small and the other rabbits always look down on him.
I feel that Pipkin is important to the story, if he wasn’t, Richard Adam’s would have never mentioned him. The question is why is he important? Is it the fact that he is loyal to the others or that the other rabbits just feel bad for him because of his size. Pipkin is considered a flat character as well as a static character, not very complex and doesn’t change drastically from beginning to end. He lacks the knowledge about life and nature that the others have which plays a big part in the novel. Living naturally is what these rabbits want, and it is hard for Pipkin to understand that because he is so young and small and not adapted to the whole survival thing yet. Pipkin also applies as a stock character too. I feel he is stereotyped because of his size and that effects how the others look at him and act towards him. The other rabbits really didn’t pay much attention to him. Pipkin and Fiver are similar in those ways. When Fiver runs to tell the rabbits in the warren that Bigwig is caught in a snare the other rabbits really don’t acknowledge the fact of what Fiver had to say. Normally, I would have thought Hazel would have sent Pipkin but, in that situation, Hazel knew he needed to send someone that the others would believe. In that case they trusted Fiver because he always has his visions and so far they have lead him and the others on a right path. It’s not the fact that they wouldn’t trust Pipkin, it’s just that I feel that if Cowslip and the other rabbits wouldn’t come when Fiver said something then they probably wouldn’t have even accepted what Pipkin would have said. I think it would have been hard for Pipkin because he didn’t have much dialog and Adams always referred to him as small. He was never really talked about by the other rabbits, because he really never did anything outstanding to be talked about. I feel that if Adams would have left Pipkin out of the story that the book would have been missing some symbolism.
I don’t think that Pipkin really had any symbolism but, a lot of the rabbits, like Hazel, often called Pipkin, Hlao. Hlao or Hlao-roo, as they often called him, means depression in the grass. Is this what Adams wanted us to think about Pipkin? That he was just a depression in the grass. In a way, Pipkin was like that. He wasn’t really noticed by the other, like a depression in the grass. He was loyal to Hazel but, the other rabbits hardly ever intervened with Pipkin. So, I feel that by the way Adams named Pipkin that he really didn’t want him as a main focus in the book.
Characters made Watership Down an interesting story. They brought the story to life and even though Pipkin wasn’t a major character, he was still needed in the story. A character can have so many meanings behind them and sometimes if you look deep enough you can find interesting things about them that you would have never known.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. New York: Avon, 1972

Jennifer L. Naugle

Instructor Lee Hobbs

English 121.003 Humanities Lit

10 Feb 2007

“Vat you do now, Meester ‘Azel?”

Watership Down by Richard Adams is a story of a journey taken by rabbits who are searching for a new warren. Kehaar is a seagull that the rabbits meet during their travels; he is not a main character, but he plays an important role in the rabbit’s survival. Hazel is the leader of the rabbits, and he quickly finds out that they will not be very successful in this journey with out the assistance of other animals.
“The bird. The bird will go and search for us” (Adams 188). Hazel explains to the other rabbits that a search for does is necessary, and Kehaar is the perfect candidate for such an exploration. Hazel and Bigwig have become very cunning throughout their travels, and instead of asking Kehaar for his help, Bigwig allows Kehaar to assume it is his idea to search the downs for does (Adams 189). Kehaar has told the rabbits about the ocean and other lands that they will never see. Adams states that although the black-headed seagulls are gregarious, when they travel south for breeding season and one gets hurt, they are deserted and left to survive on their own (184-185). Looking at this situation from a psychological approach, I think the rabbits realize Kehaar’s independent disposition, and Bigwig suspected that Kehaar would be much more compliant in searching for does if it seemed like he had thought of the idea himself.
In the Writing About Literature text, Edgar V. Roberts explains that there are different types of characters. There are flat, round, static, dynamic, stock, protagonist, antagonist, and heroic characters (Roberts 67-69). Kehaar is an example of a flat character. Flat characters usually have one role to perform in the story, and Kehaar’s role is to be the additional help the rabbits need to fight the Efrafans. Flat characters are usually minor characters, but they tend to highlight the development of the round characters (Roberts 69). In Watership Down, I believe that Kehaar’s character aids in developing Hazel’s character traits. Hazel has learned during his journey that having compassion for other animals is important. Not only did Hazel want to help the injured seagull, but he had the intelligence that the bird could help them in return. Kehaar’s character allowed Hazel to be an even better leader for the rest of the rabbits.
In the introduction to Watership Down, Richard Adams explains that there is some Arabic influence within the story. Kehaar’s name comes from the Arabic word “Behaar” meaning sea (Adams xiv). Adams also described in the introduction that Kehaar’s personality was based on a Norwegian Resistance fighter whom he had previously met at war (xii). When Kehaar helps the rabbits fight the Efrafans, he performs a surprise attack. It is interesting how Kehaar’s personality came from a person of war, because in the story it seems like he represents the air force in the rabbits’ battle. The Efrafans only had their rabbits on land, and that may be why they failed to be successful against Bigwig and the others.
There is a lesson that Kehaar’s character tells the readers. Not only is he an ally in the war between the rabbits, but Kehaar also proves that every animal in nature has a certain survival trait, and by working together, they can be much more successful. The success the rabbit’s had in the last half of their journey was due to Kehaar’s friendship. Being a bird, Kehaar would usually be a predator to these rabbits, but ironically, it is General Woundwort that was ruining the lives of many rabbits in his own warren. I wonder if the resistance fighter that Richard Adams based Kehaar’s character on was just as altruistic in his life. It makes sense that General Woundwort was oppressed by Kehaar and the other rabbits, because he was ruining the peace in nature that Kehaar, Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and the others had worked so hard to create.
Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner, 2005.
Roberts, Edgar V. Writing About Literature. 11th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006.

Rebecca Shenkle
Instructor Lee Hobbs
English 121.003 Humanities Literature
19 February 2007

Reading Response # 1
A Close Reading of the Character “Rabscuttle”
Rabscuttle is a character in the stories that Dandelion and Bluebell told to the other rabbits. Rabscuttle is the captain of Owsla and El-ahrairah’s faithful friend. He is always found with El-ahrairah, usually causing some sort of trouble.
Rabscuttle seems to be a certain kind of stock character that is found in many stories. He is the kind of character that is a follower of another character that is usually more important in the story. In “Watership Down”, that more important character is El-ahrairah. These stock characters also can be servants of these more important characters, which is also what Rabscuttle is.
Rabscuttle’s character seems to be much like the character of Gollum in the story “The Lord of the Rings”. Gollum, during certain parts of the story, was like a little servant to Frodo because he wanted to get the ring. I wouldn’t say that Gollum is a stock character, but I think he is similar to Rabscuttle in some ways because he is like a servant to El-ahrairah in that he seems to do a lot of the dirty work for him.
Another character Rabscuttle can be compared to is Peter Rabbit from “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”. Peter Rabbit was the bunny who was always getting himself into mischief and causing a ruckus. Rabscuttle is very similar to Peter Rabbit in this way because Rabscuttle is also always getting into a lot of trouble and playing tricks on the other rabbits.
Rabscuttle can also be compared to some people. He is the type of person that is someone’s sidekick. He has a leader that he follows and he is willing to do almost anything for that person. These people can be annoying sometimes if you are not their leader. They seem to have low self-esteem because they feel like they need to follow someone else instead of just being their own person.
Compared to some of the other characters in “Watership Down”, I don’t think Rabscuttle is that important. His character did serve a small purpose, but I think the story would not have changed much if Rabscuttle was not involved in it. El-ahrairah probably could have performed his tricks alone and the story would not have suffered without Rabscuttle’s character.
It seemed like Rabscuttle was more talked about in the story than he was involved in it. He didn’t seem to get much dialogue, and characters would just mention his name a lot. This is probably partly because he was a character in the stories that Dandelion and Bluebell told to the other rabbits, and he wasn’t a “live” character during most of the book. Although Rabscuttle wasn’t a “live” character throughout “Watership Down”, and he was mainly talked about more than anything else, this could mean that he really was important.
Rabscuttle’s character is in a way a stock character that is seen in many stories. These characters can be important to stories, but sometimes they aren’t. Sometimes stock characters can seem unimportant, but really are. In Rabscuttle’s case, I don’t think he was that important to the story, and the story still would have been good without him in it. Rabscuttle can be compared to other characters however that were obviously important to the story. Some examples of these characters are Gollum, from “The Lord of the Rings”, and Peter Rabbit from “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner, 2005.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tales of Peter Rabbit. 1902. London: Frederick Warne and Co, 2002.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. 1938. New York: Ballantine Books, 1974.

Jeff Hoover
Professor Lee Hobbs
English 121 College Writing

Ensign Speedwell
I chose the character Speedwell to do my close reading on. Speedwell is a rather dull character with little importance to the plot of Watership Down. He seems like he has the stereotypical filler role, he doesn’t contribute much but is there cause someone has to be there. This was my view of him before reading into his character so I’m looking to answer a few questions about him such as, what is his function in this story? Would this story be much different if he weren’t in it? Did he even affect the opinions of the other characters in this story? Through my research I’ve been able to answer some of my questions.
First off, I stated that Speedwell’s role is similar to someone you would see in a movie who never really contributes much to the scenes but is always in them. I came to this opinion of him because all he seems to do is say one or two lines every fifteen to twenty pages. When he finally does make his appearance, all he says is something small such as “there’s a rabbit coming down from the warren. Look!” (p. 117), and then doesn’t appear again for another twenty pages. Speedwell’s role reminds me most of the role of the nameless ensigns on Star Trek. The ensign’s pop out, give a report, and then disappear for the rest of the show or until it’s their turn to die when the console explodes and they do a front flip over their station. Though Speedwell doesn’t die, he could have been killed off at any time with no damage to the story line just like the ensigns.
The second thing I’d like to know about Speedwell is if he isn’t in the story just for filler, what purpose does he serve? I went through the book and found every appearance of his that I could and tried to figure out what purpose he served in each scene. In every scene Speedwell is in he either talks about being scared or worried about something, notices something coming closer, or is sent off on some errand. His purpose is just to be one of the weaker rabbits who have to do the work that the rabbits who are actually useful don’t want to do, sentry duty, running errands, and being worried about the decisions of the higher-ups. If Speedwell wasn’t around there wouldn’t be much of a difference to the story, someone else would watch out for things and someone else would point things out. Although his role is pretty insignificant, it is a role that needs filling and he just happens to be the lucky guy.
That brings me to my next point, would this story be much different if he weren’t in it? The conclusion I came to is no, it wouldn’t be very different at all. His role is running on errands or pointing stuff out, and if he wasn’t doing it another rabbit would be. When Speedwell’s name appears any time throughout this story mostly you just think “Speedwell...who?,” because he’s insignificant to the plot of the story overall. He’s one of those characters you don’t really care to get to know, or try and figure out their personality or anything of the sort. He’s the stable boy while Fiver, Hazel and Bigwig own the farm, and Watership Down is completely about the owners.
The last thing I wanted to know is sort of on the same lines as the above paragraph, I was wondering if Speedwell had any affect on any of the other characters in the story. For the most part I don’t think he did. His only conflicting moment with another character was on pages 50 and 51 where Speedwell, Hawkbit, and Acorn confronted Hazel about how they thought Fiver was wrong and wanted to go back to the warren. This was the only part where Speedwell could have played some influence on the decisions of important characters, but he was also with two other rabbits. However, we did not get a chance to find out if confronting Hazel had an impact or not because a few pages later they found a new area to settle at.
Ultimately, I’ve concluded that while Speedwell wasn’t exactly useless to the story, he did not play much of a role in the plot or the outcome. I feel my assumption of him from the beginning is correct and he is just a filler whose personality we are never meant to see. His only real function is as an errand boy, his role could have been filled by any of the other rabbits and so the overall plot would not have changed if he weren’t in the story. For the most part he had no affect on the opinions of anybody substantial to the story. Speedwell was pretty much just along for the ride.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. New York: Scribner, 2005.

The character I was assigned to name is Threarah ,which means "Lord Rowan Tree" Threarah do not have a lot of speaking parts throughout this story, but he is still a significant character. Threarah is an important character because of his position in the story, he is chief rabbit. He is well respected by many of the rabbits. Threarah received his position by strength in his prime, but also by his level-headiness.
Threarah job was like he was president of the rabbit community. It is made clear that Threarah is an important character in this story because his name was mentioned on numerous occasions by the main characters. Before Fiver and Hazel decided they were going to leave they felt it was their civic duty to warn Threarah that they believed danger was headed to their community. Although, the brothers did not believe that Threarah would believe them or leave the community because of something Fiver believe was going to happen , they did it out of respect for him. Once the brothers warned the Chief rabbit they felt like if something did happen they would not feel guilty because they warned him.
Moreover,I believe that this story was an Economic Determinist| Marxist because of how the community was ran.The rabbits had different types of class. The rabbit society is similiar to the united States Government.

Katie Kovac
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature
19 February 2007

Bluebell: The Comic Relief

In Robert Adams’s novel Watership Down there are many characters of importance that make the story heroic, but we must not forget about those characters that help make the story a little bit more enjoyable. In this novel the character of Bluebell is one of those small characters there to help make the novel not so serious the whole way through. In most cases that character is known as the “comic relief.” They help to release the tension of the dilemma placed upon the characters of the storyline.
In this case, the character of Bluebell makes the difficult situations in which the rabbits are placed much easier by telling jokes. From the very first moment we meet Bluebell he tells a joke to lift the others minds of the danger they are in. “Captain,” said Bluebell, “do you know what the first blade of grass said to the second blade of grass?” (147). Most of the rabbits are annoyed by the jokes that Bluebell tells, but the character of Holly sees him as a close friend and lets him finish his jokes before moving on. “It said, ‘Look there’s a rabbit! We’re in danger!’” (147). The jokes may not be all that funny, but they are there to make the reader and other rabbits clear their heads a bit before diving back into the dilemma they are in.
In spite of this, we can relate the character of Bluebell to that of a jester in a king’s court. Think of the rabbits in the group as a court in the medieval times, Bluebell is there to entertain much like a jester does in a court. Adams also points this similarity out on page 197 when Holly calls Bluebell his “faithful jester.” If a court had no jester to break the tension a kingdom could fall apart in a minute with the stress from day to day. Likewise, when Bluebell tells a joke he causes the other rabbits to forget about what they were talking about or arguing over. Therefore, if the rabbits were without Bluebell they may all be going their separate ways since each holds their own ideas on how to survive.
Although Bluebell adds comic relief through his jokes, he is made fun of and looked down upon in the novel for being the way he is. It is assumed that whenever Bluebell speaks he is going to make a joke. Such as, on page 168 Bluebell begins to speak, but is the interrupted by Hazel saying, “Don’t make a joke.” The other rabbits dislike how Bluebell makes jokes all the time because it can lead to trouble. For example, Holly wants to take Bluebell on the journey to the large warren to retrieve does, but Blackberry says, “one funny joke at the expense of the Chief Rabbit might ruin everything” (201). Which he is right because an unfamiliar creature to their group, whether it be a rabbit or bird, may not take his joke as a joke, but rather a serious comment. This makes it difficult for Bluebell to be a part of something important in the group. However, Bluebell does contribute a little to the storytelling of El-ahrairah when they rest (172). Yet, when everyone is sad and a joke is much needed Bluebell is yelled at by Hazel (261-262).
Playing the role of comic relief has its burdens, especially when the other characters label them. In this case for Bluebell it is difficult to contribute to decisions because everyone thinks of him as the “joker” or “jester” of the group. The other characters see his one specific trait of adding humor and figure that due to this he can’t contribute all that much. We don’t really see much how this affects the feelings of Bluebell because he plays such a small part making him a very static or unchanging character throughout the novel.
To conclude, the character of Bluebell plays an important role as the comic relief of the novel. He makes the difficult times a bit better by adding a tiny joke, but the addition of a joke doesn’t always make the situation better. Sometime it can lead to the need for a quick escape or the reason for being left out. Yet, overall without the use of a comic relief any story would be dull and boring, like this one. This makes the small character of Bluebell a bit important to the novel Watership Down.

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Avon, 1975.

Tatiana S. Mack
English121 003
Mr. Lee Hobbs
Due: February 19, 2007

El-ahrairah, The Great Folk Hero

Individuals of today sometimes need guidance, direction, and a source of reference. It is said that we are standing on the shoulders of giants, and without those giants, how would we be able to come up with ideas that help us in our everyday situations? How about in the rabbit society? How could the rabbits come up with clever tricks, without the help of El-ahrairah. El-ahrairah is “the rabbit folk hero” (Adams 475). It is also believed that without such a rabbit, rabbits in the proceeding generations would not have the imaginative ability in inventing such solutions for the many situations that rabbits face in their everyday lives. El-ahrairah is a necessity for rabbits in Watership Down, and without him, their thinking process would not be as well developed.
El-ahrairah is a very important figure in Watership Down. He is considered a legend to rabbits of “today”. He is an all around leader who feels that he is obligated to make sure his “people” are out of harms way, and taking care of them at all times. He shows this act of gratitude when his rabbits are in war with King Darzin's rabbit. After the King discovered that El-ahrairah manipulated him into giving away his lettuce, he declared war with El-ahrairah's rabbits (Adams 166). Because of this war, El-ahrairah's rabbits were desperate for food, and El-ahrairah felt that he had to save his rabbits, by giving his life to the Black Rabbit (Adams 268). Other rabbits in Watership Down seem to also look up to El-ahrairah as well. When Dandelion asked Hazel, “...are you-like El-ahrairah?” “Hazel gave him a quick, friendly glance. It was warm praise and cheered him” (Adams 24). They make it a habit to learn about his life, by keeping him alive and telling stories about him, such as, The Story of the Trial of El-ahrairah (Adams 161) and The Story of Rowsby Woof and the Fairy Wogdog (Adams 394). In addition, the rabbits value his cleverness a great deal. For example, Hazel feels that he receives a “message” from El-ahrairah to defeat General Woundwort and his people (Adams 422).
With a creative rabbit, such as El-ahrairah, there is bound to be enemies. In fact,the name El-ahrairah means “Prince with a thousand enemies” (Adams 475). However, someone with as much wit like El-ahrairah is up to the challenge of anything an enemy has in store. Prince Rainbow had motives to finally stop El-ahrairah in his tracks, by giving him obstacles that Prince Rainbow just knew El-ahrairah would fail. In contrast, this motivated El-ahrairah to out-smart Prince Rainbow, and prove that he has the ability to prevail. Due to this, El-ahrairah was able to obtain the lettuce from King Darzin's garden, and have Hufsa (a spy sent to El-ahrairah's warren from Prince Rainbow) made a fool of, and removed from his warren (Adams 177). By accomplishing these task, El-ahrairah and his rabbits were awarded the privilege to go into peoples gardens as they wished.
El-ahrairah is a highly skillful, brilliant, creative, patient, strong-minded, a leader, and an up for any challenge kind of rabbit. When he and his rabbits were put in a bad position, he did not run from his problems. He knew that he had to come up with a plan, and he did this by any means necessary. For example, when he was trying to get Hufsa out of his warren, El-ahrairah asked a hedgehog to sing, and a pheasant to swim (Adams 170). This is obviously rare behavior for these animals. El-ahrairah never rushed his plans, he knew that it will happen when it happens. For instance, when Prince Rainbow challenged El-ahrairah to steal King Darzin's lettuce, the Prince was confident that El-ahrairah had given up when he said, “Well, well, Prince with the Thousand Enemies, where are the lettuce?” El-ahrairah simply stated, with self-admiration, “I am having them delivered, there will be rather too many to carry” (Adams 95).
El-ahrairah is a dynamic and round character in Watership Down. In the beginning of the story, El-ahrairah was care-free, and only worried about himself. El-ahrairah had many women, and had many children. Frith said to El-ahrairah “ if you cannot control your people, I shall find ways to control them”.El-ahrairah did not find this as a warning, and simply brushed this statement off because he felt that “his people were the strongest in the world” (Adams 27). He soon learned his lesson when enemies began killing off his people. Later in the story, El-ahrairah transitions into a more mature rabbit, and does all he can to protect his rabbits. He displays this by turning to the black rabbit, pleading for the black rabbit to take his life for the life of his rabbits. El-ahrairah is definitely memorable and unpredictable with all the tricks he has up his sleeve
In the final analysis, El-ahrairah is a hero and paved the way for many rabbits. From his experiences, he made it alright for rabbits to think outside the box, and be just as creative as he. El-ahrairah is a by far memorialized by all rabbits. His stories will continue to fill every warren at story time, and rabbits will forever idolize El-ahrairah for his bravery, self-satisfaction, and knowledge.

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. Scribner. New York. 2005.

Lyndsay Krall
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121 Humanities Literature
19 February 2007
Dandelion
For reading response number one, the character which I chose to focus on from the story was the character of Dandelion. In my opinion, I feel that Dandelion was a very important character to the story of Watership Down. The character of Dandelion was a storyteller, in which his main function was to tell stories to the other rabbits during their long journey. If the character of Dandelion would have been omitted from the story altogether, the reader’s understanding would have been altered completely, for Dandelion mainly tells stories of the legendary rabbit hero El-ahrairah. In this paper, I will be discussing the character of Dandelion from the story of Watership Down and how he could be considered as an attribute to the story.
The story of El-ahrairah plays a vital role in the story of Watership Down. Dandelion tells a story in chapter fifteen of a time when El-ahrairah and his people were in desperate need of food. El-ahrairah had made a deal with Prince Rainbow that if he could steal King Darzin’s lettuce to then let his people out of the marshes. Although the king’s lettuce garden was heavily guarded, El-ahrairah had managed to pull off the trick in which rabbits had supposedly mastered the art of trickery from that day forward (93-99). The character of Dandelion would be considered as a flat character. On page 54 of the course packet, it states that a flat character has only one outstanding trait or feature. Although Dandelion is the fastest of the rabbits and is somewhat known for his speed, his storytelling is ultimately his outstanding trait and what he is known for. From the other texts that I’ve read and the films that I’ve seen, the character of Dandelion is in my opinion somewhat similar to the character of Mrs. Potts from The Beauty and the Beast. I see this reflection between the two characters for the simple reason that both are the storytellers of their group. Like Dandelion, Mrs. Potts is the one that everyone turns to tell them stories when everyone is in need of being cheered up. I would say that the character of Dandelion could also be considered as a stock character. A stock character is a stereotyped character, or a character type that is used repeatedly. Although Dandelion’s character may not always be present in all works of literature, there is however usually that one character like that of Dandelion that everyone in the story looks to. Like stated before, the job/function of Dandelion in Watership Down is to give the other rabbits hope by telling them stories. In addition to myself, the other characters, particularly the important ones in Watership Down, react positively to Dandelion. For example, while the rabbits are staying with Cowslip at his warren, Hazel suggests that Dandelion should tell a story so that they can become acquainted with the new rabbits of the warren. Hazel states that they have a good storyteller among them and that they can’t go wrong with Dandelion telling the story of El-ahrairah (92). This to me means that the rabbits think very highly of Dandelion. Although Dandelion’s character did not get as much dialogue as some of the other characters in the story, when he did speak however, everything he spoke about was very important to the story. I think that Richard Adams did it this way just to prove that sometimes the littlest things can be of the most importance.
In conclusion, I felt that although the character of Dandelion was not one of the main characters of the story, that he played a very important role of keeping the story entertaining and a more enjoyable story at that. He would in a sense “liven” the story up when he would tell his stories to the rabbits when they were in very serious situations. He was very descriptive in his storytelling and would make you as the reader feel as though you were there with the other rabbits listening to him.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: SCRIBNER, 2005

Mr. Hobbs,

Nicole Novak
9 February 2007
Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003

Watership Down by Richard Adams
Chapters 25: The Raid, pages 213, 215-218
and Chapter 42: News at Sunset, pages 410 and 412

Clover

When the rabbits moved to their new warren they wanted to have a good population which made them need does who could have litters of babies. Bigwig, Hazel, Blackberry, Dandelion, Speedwell, and Hawbit went to the farm with a mission to bring back more rabbits. After a run-in with the farm cat, and ripping down the leather hinge to the hutch, the team was able to convince Boxwood and Clover to return to their new warren.
Clover was able to help the rabbits out by having a litter of six kittens with Speedwell. She had three bucks and three does, and all were healthy kittens. Since she was weak after giving birth to the babies she was forced to stay at the warren when some of the rabbits decided to leave in hopes of finding a new home.
Clover did not have a major role in the story but did have an impact on the new warren. She was the first doe to have a litter and a very aggressive female rabbit. She was not afraid to leave her hutch and follow clover and the others, and made a very strong attempt to adapt to the wildlife. I admire the fact that she was able to do so much for the warren that I think even though she had a small part, she had a huge influence and created hope for all the other rabbits.
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. New York: Rex Collings Ltd., 2005

Amber L. Dunmire
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121 Humanities Literature
14 February 2007
Analysis of the Buckthorn
Buckthorn was first introduced into the novel entitled Watership Down, written by Richard Adams, in Chapter 4, on page 27. Hazel was getting ready to go to Blackberry’s burrow, before their departure, when Blackberry came out of his hole with three rabbits. One of the rabbits was Buckthorn. Hazel knew Buckthorn fairly well, and thought to himself, “Well, with him and Bigwig, at least we shan’t be too badly off if we run into any fighting” (Adams, 27). Hazel knew that Buckthorn was a fighter.
Buckthorn seems like a strong character. He is a good fighter and eventually works well with his fellow rabbits to keep them all safe. In chapter 18, the rabbits luck had been good so far, until rats starting attacking them while they were sleeping in a lonely barn. Silver and Buckthorn followed Bigwig’s instructions and fought off the rats until all of the others were outside and safe, with Bigwig’s help of course. After the rabbits got attacked, they took a step back and thought that they would have never been able to fight off the rabbits by themselves. At this point, they need qualities of every single rabbit. For example, Hazel is a good leader through out the novel, Fiver has strange feelings that tell him when something bad is going to happen, and Bigwig is one of the best fighters in the group. “They had come closer together relying on and valuing each others capacities” (Adams, 129). When the rats came in, Buckthorn and Silver actually obeyed Bigwig. This is how they worked together, to fight them off. Teamwork is a great quality that the rabbits can have because teamwork is necessary when in a big group (Adams 128,129).
This reminds me of our military when we are at war. Our soldiers may not always get along with all of their fellow soldiers, but when they are at war, they know they have to work together, so they don’t get hurt or even killed. They realize that they have to trust the person standing next to them, working next to them, driving in a vehicle next to them, whoever it is that is next to them, because they are in it together. Both soldiers are fighting for the same thing.
Buckthorn would be a dependable solider. He would be a solider that I would want next to me if I were at war. It shows that he would fight to keep you safe. He would risk hurting himself to save someone else. This shows that even though Buckthorn is a big, tough, sturdy rabbit on the outside, he is a caring, compassionate rabbit on the inside. This reminds me of Shrek. Shrek is an ogre that is big and scary and ugly on the outside, but when his inner self is shown, he is a loving, gentle ogre that wants someone to love him back.
Many people will argue that people that like to fight aren’t compassionate people. I don’t think this is true that all. Some people, or so to say, rabbits are just good at fighting. So if you are good at something, that would make you want to do it more. I think Buckthorn likes to fight because he knows he is good at it, but he also knows that he can’t do it all by himself. He needs other rabbits there to help him.
Overall, Buckthorn is a good, solid, dependable fighter, but yet he is still a very compassionate and caring rabbit as well.

Work Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1975.

Shrek. Dir. Andrew Adamson. Perf. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithogow. DVD. Dreamworks, 2001.

Carlos R.Gonzalez
Instructor: Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature
19 February 2007
The Smallest Is the Strongest
Blackberry is the smallest but, perhaps the smartest rabbit of them all. Blackberry is the tiniest rabbit of the gang of runaway rabbits in Richard Adam’s novel, Watership Down. Hiding in the shadow of the two leaders of the gang, Bigwig and Hazel, Blackberry helps his group of companions out on their journey toward a safer place to live. Through out their journey the group of rabbits comes across many obstacles that they must over come. Such as crossing a river, dodging many predators, and finding shelter for several nights. The leaders of the group Bigwig and Hazel have many skills that allow the rest to trust and respect them. Bigwig is a very strong rabbit, he once was a member of the owlsa of their old warren; he is also the oldest on the voyage. Hazel also embodies many traits that a leader has; he is very determined and is quick on his feet. The missing elements that both of these rabbits do not show is the skills of thinking quickly, strategy and a level head in serious situations. This is when the rabbit that seems to be the smallest and one of the weak, Blackberry shines through to help lead his fellow rabbits.
On their journey to a new home away from danger that their warren faces the rabbits encounter a large obstacle. This obstacle is in the form of a body of water, a river. The rabbits leave the woods and come to a point in their adventure where they can either follow the banks of the river as suggested by Bigwig. Or cross the river and follow Fiver’s premonition. The rabbits are torn between two possible ways to continue their journey. A few of the rabbits are exhausted and injured and this is why Bigwig believes that it is a mad man’s idea to try and cross the river. Bigwig does not believe that all of the rabbits will survive the crossing. Hazel depending on his younger brother to give him direction to safety announces to the other rabbits that crossing the river is necessary.
It is suggested that Bigwig crosses the river alone to check if the field across the river was safe to rest in after the rabbits cross the river. Once bigwig crosses the river he notices that there is a dog heading toward where the others awaited his return. He rushes back and warns the others that they must cross the river immediately. Bigwig expressed the need to cross the river and told Hazel that staying there was not an option. Hazel told Bigwig and the others that he was not moving until Fiver and Pipkin are fit to cross. While Hazel and Bigwig decided what was to be done Blackberry was on step a head of them. Blackberry understood the need to cross the river as it was in Fiver’s visions. Fiver’s visions were what forced them all to leave the warren and this just proved to him how important it was to cross the river. Blackberry discovered a wooden plank that was stuck in the gravel at the pool of the river. “It must have drifted down the river. So it floats. We could put Fiver and Pipkin on it and make it float again.” Explained Blackberry (Chapter 8, page37)
No one else understood what Blackberry was trying to get at. It was Blackberry who bullied Pipkin to his feet and to the gravel where the plank of wood was. He placed Pipkin on to the piece of wood. Fiver followed him aboard the piece of wood. “Who’s strong?” said Blackberry. “Bigwig! Silver! Push it out!” No one obeyed him. (chapter8, page 37) They all sat their puzzled and uncertain. Blackberry himself pushed the board out into the pool. “Firth and Inle`!” said Dandelion. “They are sitting on the water! Why don’t they sink?” “They’re sitting on the wood and the wood floats, can’t you see?” said Blackberry. “Now we swim ourselves.” said Blackberry. (Chapter 8, page37)This is when everyone realizes that Blackberry discovered a way to have the weak members of the group cross the river.
If it was not for Blackberry’s quick wit the rabbits would not have been able to escape the danger that Bigwig saw. After this situation that the group of rabbits was in danger Hazel comes to Blackberry for a plans or ideas. Blackberry’s great ideas and quick wit became a great asset to the survival of the rabbits while still on their journey. Many of the other rabbits in their new warren were surprised to see that Blackberry was as smart as he was. Most of the rabbits did not see such a small rabbit as a help in any situation until the complications at the river. Many of the rabbits looked to bigwig and Hazel for direction being that they were two of the largest and strongest. Blackberry is a very important character in this story. If it was not for the Blackberry’s higher understanding of things the rabbits may have been stuck in many places through out their quest to find a better home.
After reading the Novel, Watership Down, I saw a connection to this group of rabbits to Peter Pan and his gang of wild boys. I see some similarities of Peter Pan and the gang of wild boys because Peter Pan utilized all of the boy’s strengths in the group; especially the youngest boy who can see and understand things that most of them do not. Hazel did this very similar thing by using his brother’s premonitions as a map. Hazel also used Bigwig’s strength and experience from the owlsa. But most of all he always looked for Blackberry when ever he needed an idea about something or a plan.
One could say that Blackberry’s job was to help lead his companions on the expedition. The title leader defined by Webster’s New Dictionary is one who leads; a guiding head. I see Blackberry as a leader because the older rabbits on this conquest could not see and understand the things that Blackberry had the ability too. He may have been the smallest but Blackberry was the brightest. Blackberry did not try and put him self in the leadership position because he was the smallest and may have believed that none of the rabbits would have trusted the smallest rabbit’s judgment. And the irony in blackberry’s case is that most of the time the brave rabbits that tried to become the leaders came to him for advice.
In the story of Wateship Down, Blackberry can be seen as the antihero. The reason being is that he does not embody all of the usual traits that a hero would. He has a strong heart and is a very quick thinker but, lacks physical strength. I believe that Richard Adam’s uses Blackberry in his novel to allow the reader to recognize that the person that is the strongest may not always be the best. The old saying of “two heads are better then one” is what the character of Blackberry represents. Hazel needed Blackberry’s help through out their journey. Adam’s is trying to inform the reader that just because a person is small does not mean they are use less. Some times and in the case of Blackberry in the novel Watership Down the smallest can be seen as the strongest.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972, New York. Scribner: 2005
Agnes, Michael. Webster’s New World Dictionary.2002, Cleveland. Pocket books: 2003

Erika L. Knox
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 101.003 Humanities Literature
19 February 2007

(Ag) under the Microscope:
A Closer Look at Silver

Dear Mr. Hobbs,

As I read Richard Adams’s Watership down, and I was introduced to all of the characters, I couldn’t help but feel that, like the dwarves of the Hobbit, many of these characters were not important to the plot. Instead, many seemed to act simply as another head to count. Silver is a prime example of a non-essential character. In the set-up of his character, Silver was given a fairly decent background with a lot of potential for a well rounded character; he was the Nephew of Threarah, which gives him “Royal” blood; he was ridiculed for his light fur, which gave him a cause to rise above prejudice; he was the only member of the Owsla that Bigwig brought which made him useful muscle in a tight situation, but none of these aspects were focused on and Silver, for the most part, remained, a flat and unfinished character. Although Silver’s character does serve a purpose in the story he is fairly superfluous.

In description Silver does not stand out as extraordinary. He is not the fastest, the smartest, the most organized, or even the most useless character. He is topped in every factor by another character. He is helpful occasionally when the group is called to act, but he doesn’t do anything that another character couldn’t have done just as well if not better. From the very first introduction of Silver, the reader pretty much has gathered all of the information that they will need to know about him: He is new to the Owsla, a bit older than a year, and as described by Hazel, “a quiet, straightforward fellow” (19). He is generic, and to the reader’s disappoint, he remains so.

Silver is spotlighted mainly in ways that are not significant to the story. For example on in chapter nine, on page 41, after the trouble with the dog and the river; everyone in the party is exhausted. In this scene Silver shows that he has sense, and responsibility; “’Not asleep, Silver?’ (Hazel) said ‘It’s too dangerous, Hazel,’ replied Silver. ‘I’d like to sleep as much as anyone, but if we all sleep and something comes who’s going to spot it?’” Then when the group gets moving Silver wakes the others. Adams mentions Silver six times on this page: more than he does on any other. This is Silver’s Spotlight! What happens on this page is not important to the grand scheme of the story, and although Silver has good insight, this section really doesn’t allow the reader to get to know him any better, nor does it significantly progress the story.

Silver is a nearly static character who grows very little through the events of the story. The reader cannot see a clear path of change in Silver’s Character. However, to a certain extent it is undeniable that a change, although be it subtle, must have taken place. At the end of the book Silver serves a great part when the rabbits are trying to escape from Efrafa, and he is mentioned in the success of the Warren. Originally Silver is not much of a leader, but here he does take a place of authority. He seems to have become a little bit more comfortable in a leadership position, but there is no point in the story when the reader can point at and proclaim the moment of evolution, his epiphany. The event is simply not there, and so, one could make a fair argument that Silver cannot be considered a dynamic character.

So, in conclusion I found Silver to be a very flat character who was not particularly exceptional. He did not take any action that significantly progressed the plot, nor did he cause the reader to understand any particular aspect better. Because he is mentioned so prevalently, the fact that he is so unimportant is a bit shocking. From his first introduction I thought that his character was set up to be a pivotal character and that there was a lot of potential for him. But, that potential remained untapped. Like Bifur, Bofur, and Dwalin, three of twelve (practically interchangeable) accompanying dwarves in the Hobbit, Silver was not essential to the story. He was sadly superfluous.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner, 2005.

Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Hobbit. 1966. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2002.

--Erika Knox

Sheryll Daugherty
ENGL-121-003
Lee Hobbs
February 15, 2007
El-ahrairah
In Richard Adams novel Watership Down, the character El-ahrairah was important to the stories function. El-ahrairah is a folk hero the characters praised. This is because he was a clever rabbit that oppressed any horrific situation that was dangerous to rabbits. Also, he played a vital part in the creation of the world according to rabbits. Although El-ahrairah is not one of the main rabbits traveling on the profitable journey; his tales and tricks are influential upon the others. The tale, “The story of the Blessing of El-ahraiah” explains how the world became into existence. Also El-ahrairah and his tricks were important in emphasizing his character. This is mostly noticeable in “The Story of the Kings Lettuce”. These stories help exemplify the qualities of El-ahraiah which; are bravery, and being sneaky.
El-ahrairah is vital to the story, this is because he a played a part in the formation of rabbit society. At the beginning of the story, the rabbits are crawling through the woods nervously. To calm everyone down, Hazel tells Dandelion to tell the others a story about El-ahrairah. This is an important, because it presents the idea that El-ahrairah and his tales are emphatically superior in rabbit culture. The tales central focus is that El-ahrairah’s people were multiplying and eating all the grass. As a result, Lord Frith told El-ahrairah that he must control his people. El-ahariah simply replied that his people were the strongest. This gives us a clear view of the morals and personality of El-ahrairahs character, which are the traits of superiority,
and the ability to achieve power
Daugherty 2
He obviously is confident and brave for having the courage to approach Lord Frith in such a manor. As a result of the rabbits multiplying, Lord Frith blesses others with a present. For example he bestowed the gift of claws and teeth for the cat and dog. This made El-ahrairahs “prince of a thousand enemies”. (Adams 34). When Lord Frith blessed El-ahrariahs he gave him the present of strength and the full of tricks. This made El-ahrarishs character more noticeable; due to the fact that the world was is enemy. El-ahrariahs instructed himself with tricks and sneaky plans to be able to survive.
Another characteristic of El-ahrairah is his sneaky ability to get out of sticky situations; a good example of this is “The Story of the Kings Lettuce”. Dandelion tells the story of how El-ahrairah wanted to remove his people from the marshland. To complete this task he had to steal King Darzin lettuce. El-ahrairah and his friend Rabsculltle were able to achieve this task with a clever trick to sneak into the king’s palace. The character El-ahrairah is comparative to Eigo from the movie The Return of Jafar. He played a trick to get into Aladdin castle. The two characters personality corresponds, because if they need to achieve a task they will no any means necessary. The character El-ahrairah can also be compared and exemplified as a Greek God. This is because he is emphasized as a folk hero towards fellow rabbits. His stories are passes on from generations to generation.
The characters in Watership Down idealize the knowledge and never ending games of the great El-ahrairah. They worship the qualities of El-ahrairah; which include his bravery and his superior attitude of curiosity. As well as the means to play tricks to obtain wealth and safety for his people. El-ahrairah is a caring individual and will stand up for risk his life to steal lettuce just to remove his people from the marshlands. This says a lot about his qualities and morals this
Daugherty 3
particular folk hero. Without the character El-ahrairah to story would not have functioned. This is because, the tales are very important to the stories meaning and other characters lives. A Hazel was leading the others they relied on stories of El-aharaih for survival. These stories included the encounter with Keehar and “The story of the king’s lettuce”.

Thomas Nolf
Instructor Lee Hobbs
English 121 MWF 11:45-12:45
19 February 2007
The Puppet of the Prophet?
With things in place, I mustn’t wait. That is an anecdote I feel that fits my character, Captain Holly, perfectly. With the old warren seeming to have been abolished, Holly joined the rest of the early deportees’ during the making of their own burrow. Holly’s importance to the story comes up more and more as the story goes on. The transition which he makes throughout the story will enable the reader to see why Captain Holly is in retrospecting a vital part of Adams novel.
The beginning of Watership Down we are penetrated with vocabulary which instills a feeling that Captain Holly is a bully, and somewhat miserable character. He seems to be frivolous and bold when we first interact with him and the reader senses that Holly is almost a puppet to the Threarah. As the story unravels we loose touch with Holly for awhile, but he is foreshadowed by the feelings Fiver has that the old rabbits from the warren would be tailing them. His first meaning and functional supplement to the plot is when he joins the rabbits again for the first time and he explains to them, along with Bluebell, the story of what happened at the old warren. (Adams p. 146-48) This twist in the plot depicts to the reader a facet of the dynamic character in which Holly characterizes. Edgar Roberts describes a dynamic character with some similaraties found in the descriptions of Holly.
Dynamic characters recognize, change with, or adjust to circumstances… Such changes may be shown in and action, the acceptance of new conditions and the need for making changes. (Roberts p. 68)
This parallels the life of Holly through a large portion of the novel. He was able to go from a well respected elder in the old warren where he sat close with the Threarah, to an ordinary worker when he joins the rest of the surviving rabbits. Regardless of the fact he denied anything Fiver had informed him on at the beginning of the story, Holly survived the demolishment of the warren and accepted his role in the new pack. This transition from Captain to an everyday working soldier showed the resilience which was necessary to survive.
In developing a strong character analysis, I think it is crucial to show the relationships that Holly endured with the rest of the rabbits, and his importance to Adams. From start to finish, Holly is constantly a major character in the novel, with the acceptance of the characters which were not available for analysis. He is, in a sense, a bearer of the good and unfortunate news to the extremist rabbits. He was the one who told them that their old warren was destroyed, which at the same time relinquished some anxiety the remaining rabbits were encountering daily with the thought of what would happen to them if they were caught. Adams portrays Holly firstly, as a juggernaut type figure to the rest of the warren, which is ironic with how he treated Fiver and Hazel when they approached him about Fivers intuition to being helped out of harms way by those same two when he was badly injured.
The irony which keeps arising from the story with connection to Captain Holly is what keeps this character of such importance. His strength as a dynamic character was at first his fatal trait in the story, now is what kept him so important to the survival of the group.

Works Cited
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York; Scribner 2005

Roberts, Edgar V. Writing About Literature. 2006. ed. New Jersey; Pearson Education.

Gillenberger 1
Erika Gillenberger

Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature
16 February 2007
The Future
The character Speedwell is not a character that appears allot in the story of "Watership Down". Through out the story Speedwell seems to not even be an important character at all. Once you come to the end of the story of “Watership Down" you come to find out why Speedwell was part of the story. You actually end up realizing that Speedwell is one of the most important rabbit's in the group. He is one of the most important rabbit's in this particular story because he brings new life into the burrow.
Speedwell if first introduced at the beginning of the book. When he is first introduced into the story Hazel say's, "He did not recognize the other two rabbits and when Blackberry told him their names-Speedwell and Acorn-he was none the wiser.” (pg 33) This informs the reader that Speedwell is not very well known around the burrow and is an introverted rabbit. As the story continues on, Speedwell stays an introverted rabbit and does not appear often threw out the rest of the book. Speedwell does not stand out and his character development is weak as the story goes on.
So as you see Speedwell seems to be a character of no importance, but on the contraire Speedwell becomes a major character. He becomes a major character when he is the first rabbit to produce offspring insuring the future for all of the other rabbits. Speedwell’s most important rule comes at the end of the story when Speedwell appears

Gillenberger 2
above ground, "He had an excited, triumphant look which attracted everyone's attention immediately. He squatted in front of Hazel and looked around him in silence, to make sure of his effect. "You've finished the hole?" asked Hazel. "Never mind the hole," answers Speedwell. "I didn't come up to say that. Clover's had her litter. All good, healthy kittens. Three bucks and three doe’s, she says." (417) This is Speedwell’s time to shine. This was the moment that defined his character and let the readers know what part Speedwell had within the group.
Speedwell’s existence among the group is to start the future by being fertile and the first rabbit to reproduce offspring. This is a huge part within the journey they took. If the rabbits did not end up producing offspring then their whole journey and everything they did would have been in vain. They left their homes and went on an incredible journey to survive. If they would have just given up and did not try to reproduce after all that they had been through, their story of survival would not have continued on. Without continuing further generations the rabbits would have had no purpose. The rabbits eventually would all have died off as they would have is they stayed at their old burrows.
Speedwells fertility was a huge necessity for the rabbits. Even though the need for his character in the story did not seem important, you find out at the end of the story his importance and what his character represented. Speedwell represented rebirth of a new burrow. There is no doubt that my character was the first to start the legacy of the new burrow and the first one to carry on the burrows future.

Gillenberger 3
Works Cited

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Macmillan, 1996.

Jenny Troutman
Instructor Lee Hobbs
ENGL 121.003 Humanities Literature
14 February 2007
Character: Cowslip from Watership Down
“Cowslips are a delicacy among rabbits, and as a rule there are very few left by late May in the neighborhood of even a small warren,” (p.13). With this characteristic of Cowslips, their purpose in this story is that they are all part of the Cowslip (Warren of the Snares). Warren is best described as an area where rabbits breed or live in burrows. Along in the novel, Cowslip assures to Hazel that he and his tribe are really friendly to be with and interact with. Cowslip wasn’t your typical and ideal leader such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Cowslip was just a not a good rabbit that welcomes other rabbits like Hazel with open arms because they never knew what they were going to be up against.
With Cowslip and his people didn’t much really like the stories of El-arairah, because as Fiver pointed out to everyone that Cowslip and his people really have forgotten proper ways of rabbitry. Many of the rabbits from Cowslip (Warren of the Snares) have looked up to the humans. The humans have been keeping them well fed, and Cowslip manages to keep Hazel’s followers motivated to be able to make his warren bigger. That was one of the main reasons why most of the rabbits have stayed at the warren because of them being well fed. Cowslip just showed this “good guy” character to everyone and all the rabbits fell for his trap. It seems to me that he thinks he can control them and grab them into his warren and there isn’t anyone to stop him or know what he is up to.
The other rabbits have been appreciating everything that Cowslip has done for them. He has helped provided food, shelter, and Cowslip believes that there is nothing wrong with it. Because he tricks them into believing that he is a true leader and that he is this good rabbit that does nothing wrong. In Chapter 17, The Shining Wire, the other rabbits have been always asking of Cowslip. The rabbits have been trying to escape from the snare and apparently when Fiver tried to tell Cowslip and Strawberry joins in, they completely ignored him. As Fiver was trying to call out on everybody, Silver went up to Cowslip. He asked kindly if Cowslip was leaving with them on their journey, but Cowslip was being rude because he turned his back on Silver. Then Fiver spoke to him quietly but as they were talking, Cowslip replied, “Hills or Inle, it’s all one to me where you go. You hold your tongue,” (p. 121). After the conversation, Cowslip ended up striking at Fiver. As suppose to Bigwig’s stating that Cowslip was trying to get them killed and he wants to kill Cowslip for what he has done. The author was trying to show that people in our lives can have split personalities or that sometimes people in our lives can do wondrous things and then end up doing something devilish.
As the novel goes on, Cowslip has been an interesting character, and I’ve been wondering what ever happen to him. In chapter 22, The Story of the Trial of El-ahrairah on page 172, Hazel explained an idea and that was the end of hearing from Cowslip. It would be interesting to know if his warren survived through all the hardships from the foxes or wondering if he was killed. There are so many ideas and thoughts that go through my head and I keep wondering what comes next but since I didn’t get a chance to watch the video, there are many questions that come to my mind and will always remain in my mind. Since I’ve read the end of Cowslip in Chapter 22, I guess I can watch the video and see what happens or just make up my own conclusion on what happens with Cowslip. But no matter what the video or novel states, the rabbits that traveled that long journey will never forget the Cowslip (Warren of the Snares).

Work Cited:
Richard, Adams. “Watership Down.” New York: Avon Books, 1972.

Reading Response # 1
Mr. Hobbs English 121
Erin M Rock
February 16, 2007

Silver is a young rabbit who is serving his first month in the Owsla. He is easily recognized because of his fur. He is grey all over with little patches of white. He looks quite different from the other rabbits. He is rather large, strong, and to top it off he also adds experience to the group. Silver acts well under pressure and can make good decisions for the group. He is a good rabbit to have around when times get tough. When Bigwig decides that he wants to leave Owsla, he convinces Silver to join him and the other rabbits.
Right now we are involved in a war that seems like it will never cease. We, as Americans, sit in our homes, watch the news and hope that the brave soldiers over seas are doing their jobs and keeping safe at the same time. Silver reminds me of a soldier in a war. In particular, he reminds me of my good friend, Specialist Corey O’Connor.
Just like Silver, when Corey was asked to leave his home to make a better life for himself and his family by enlisting in the army, he didn’t think twice. Both Silver and Corey know what they want and how to get it. They have a level head and are there to fight and be quick on their feet when they are needed. When the journey gets hard they know their position in the team and know how to get everyone to work together in order to accomplish what they need. When the rabbits are resting in the barn and find themselves suddenly being attacked by rats, Silver and Buckthorn both stand up to fight off the rats. They are successful in doing this. (Adams, 122).
Corey chose to become a part of the infantry. His fellow soldiers can count on him to lead the way and keep everyone behind him safe. Corey is just like Silver in that they are both trusted. Their friends can depend on them to get the job done how it needs to be done. This is a very good quality to have for the rabbit’s journey and for war. In the book, when the rabbits need to go find some does, Hazel has a hard choice to make when deciding who will make the trip. He knows that he cannot go himself so he has to choose rabbits who are strong and can survive the long journey. He needs rabbits who will arrive in good shape to bring back the does. He finally decides on Silver, along with Buckthorn and Strawberry (Adams, 195).
When Corey’s platoon was moving from one army base in Iraq to another, Corey’s Commander chose him, along with a few others, to lead the way in the front Humvee. Corey’s Humvee was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Corey was hit by a piece of shrapnel in his neck and has been going through extensive surgeries for the past month.
Both Silver and Corey possess a good quality. They are very protective of their friends. When Fiver tells Bigwig that the warren they are at in chapter 17 is dangerous and that it is too good to be true, Bigwig gets mad that Fiver is just saying that so everyone will follow him and turns back to go to the warren. Bigwig gets caught in a wire that the farmer has set out to catch the rabbits. Bigwig is barely hanging on to life. Eventually the rabbits help Bigwig get out of the wire. When Silver and Hazel are walking away to leave, Strawberry comes up to them to ask if he can come along. Silver is very sharp with Hazel and says “We don’t care for creatures who deceive us” (Adams, 118). Finally, Hazel realizes that Strawberry doesn’t mean any harm and invites him along with them (Adams, 118).
Recently, Corey was presented the Purple Heart award in a very touching ceremony. Some of his friends and fellow soldiers talked about what a great person Corey is. One person told a story about a bitter cold, snowy night in Afghanistan last year. Corey’s commander asked him to spend a few hours of the night on the roof looking out for any suspicious activity. He did as he was asked and when his time was paid and the next person came to take his place, Corey stayed up there with him for the rest of the night just for extra protection in case anything may have happened.
The similarities among Silver and Specialist Corey O’Connor are very interesting. They are both strong courageous men willing to go to the limits to help out their team. They don’t necessarily need to take charge; instead they follow the commands of their leaders to their fullest ability. Corey is a very special person to me and he is a wonderful friend as is Silver to the other rabbits. They are both looked at with great respect. Corey and Silver both encompass great qualities which make them who they are.

Works Cited

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. 1972. New York: Scribner, 2005.

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Erin, thanks for posting this, but you didn't have to. The FINAL draft of reading response #1 will go in a different place on the English-Blog. Your final one will probably look a bit different from this one after it is peer-reviewed.

Jaime Hersh
Mr. Hobbs
ENGL 121
19 February 2007

Bluebell the Jokester

In Richard Adam’s, Watership Down, Bluebell is a character who is only mentioned briefly throughout most of the story. He does not have a large role in the story and does not do anything extremely important throughout the duration of the entire story. He enters the story about halfway through when he escapes with Holly from the warren which was about to be destroyed. Bluebell’s main purpose is to entertain the rabbits in the warren.

Bluebell is not extremely important to the story line. I believe his function in the story is to make all the rabbits in the warren laugh, because it takes their minds off of nerve-wracking things. For example at one point in the novel, Holly begins by saying,” If it hadn’t been for Bluebell’s jokes and chatter we’d have stopped running for certain.” Bluebell immediately comes back with a joke saying,”Hraka one end, jokes the other (165).” He also adds numbers to the warren. It would be impossible for the warren to exist with only three or four male rabbits, so I think some rabbits such as Bluebell were added to the story just so the warren realistically had a chance of survival. I do no think the reader’s understanding or enjoyment would be lessened without having Bluebell in the story. Now and then he tells a story or adds a funny line, but his existence in the story is not crucial to the plot or understanding of the story.

I believe that Bluebell is a flat character. His role in the story is not complex and often times I feel he is put in the story just to make Hazel or another round character look better. For instance, if every character in the story had an equally important part the story would not be as interesting and easy to follow. It is important to have some characters whose only purpose is to
lighten the mood.

Bluebell in this story reminds me of Dori in “Finding Nemo.” Dori does play a more popular and important role in “Finding Nemo,” but in some ways the characters remind me of one another. Dori’s main role in that film is to lighten the mood. While Marlin is going completely crazy trying to figure out where his son is, Dori is cracking a joke. She does not know the way to find Nemo or how long it will take, but she comes along for the ride. She follows Marlin to keep him company and to keep him upbeat, so he is able to make it through the entire trip. Bluebell is in many ways similar to Dori. He is not an overwhelmingly funny character nor is he a main character, but he supports the stronger more powerful rabbits in everything they do. Bluebell is able to tell a story to lighten the mood and does not have a stubborn personality so is able just to follow the lead of other more powerful rabbits. For example, Holly tells the story of how he and Bluebell escaped. Bluebell simply chimes in to add to the story, but does not have a role in explaining and educating all of the other rabbits about what happened (160). If all the rabbits in the story had extremely strong personalities, they would all clash and fight all the time.

I would not say my character is a stock character, because he does not fit a particular mold. He has only a few lines, but that is not because he is shy or timid. If Bluebell was a shy character, he would fit the mold and be a stock character. However in this story, I think he is just a character who is not of utmost importance to the overall novel.

Bluebell’s job in the story is to tell stories to take the other rabbits’ minds off from things that are not so pleasant. For instance as soon as Bluebell begins to speak, Hazel tells him not to make a joke (168). Bluebell often makes jokes out of serious things and is therefore very good changing the mood when the rabbits are feeling worried or very tired. He was placed in the story to ensure the survival of Holly. Holly and Bluebell would not have made it to Watership Down
without each other. Holly lead Bluebell and Bluebell kept Holly laughing and able to move on.

In conclusion, Bluebell’s main purpose in the novel is to bring comic relief to the story. Although he is not extremely crucial to the novel, his character makes the novel more enjoyable. I think he definitely adds to the story and makes it easier to read. It is nice to have someone like Bluebell who is not as serious as all of the other characters to break up the monotony.

Work Cited

Adams, Richard. Watership Down. New York: Rex Collings,Ltd., 1972.

19 February 2007

Class,

This is where your formal reading response #1 goes (the final, revised version - the one you prepared AFTER correcting/revising the draft you brought in to class today for a peer review). Don't forget that the latest version should ALSO be submitted to Turnitin.com in the folder I've provided.

A few items of news here: (1.) textbooks, (2.) info for those who missed class today (3.) DDS sign-up sheet.

There have been some issues regarding the class texts so I investigated after class today by paying visits to both college bookstores, The College Store and The Co-Op Store. Both looked on their computers and checked the shelves and verified for me that they both do, in fact, have copies of all the required books for ENGL 121.003 still on their shelves. The Co-Op doesn’t ship theirs back until Spring Break so everyone still has a chance to get the books (so, no excuses). If you are waiting for an issue through some other venue, for example the PALCI service at Stapleton Library, you might want to check the return policy of books from the two on-campus stores. Perhaps if you don’t write in them you could return them in a week or so? Don’t take my word for it, call the places for yourselves and check the policies.

Included as attachments in a group e-mail I just sent to the entire class are a copy of the rubric we used in class today and the homework for the weekend (also reprinted below).

NOTE: If you were ABSENT, you’ll NEED this information to do the assignments correctly. You may have someone else do your peer review for you, but you still need to hand in your peer reviewed version along with your finalized version.

Also, if you were absent, you also missed the chance to sign up for a day to present on the DDS readings, which are coming up shortly. You’ll need to sign that list on Monday. See the attachment in that class e-mail I just referred to for the openings still available. I may or may not remind you to sign the sheet Monday depending on what we do: it will be YOUR responsibility to get signed up. This is for one of your participation grades.

Homework:

(Part 1) Read the scheduled Coursepack articles and the beginnings and up to page 74 of The Diary of Dawid Sierakowiak (DDS).

(Part 2) Staple the peer-review sheet that your partner filled in today to the top of your reading response. Correct Reading Response # 1 according to the comments you received during the peer-review session today. Post the corrected/revised version on Turnitin.com AND the English-Blog this weekend. This will count for a class participation score (only).

NOTE: A hardcopy of this revised version is now due Monday in class. Paper-clipped to this revised hardcopy should be the hardcopy of your version from today with the peer-review sheet stapled to it. This will all count for the paper score. Your paper will be graded according to the same standard as the rubric you used today: a point deducted for each shortcoming (Note: these paper scores will NOT be displayed on the Turnitin.com grade book)

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*NOTE* The deadline for this assignment has now passed. Comments are no longer being accepted for this exercise

~Lee