My 9 year old daughter is tall, strong, and deeply concerned with what she sees hapening in America. She wanted me to share with you a paper she just finished for her ninth grade Honors English class. I know you will welcome her… and with a little encouragement, she just may sign up.
Thanks.
Go below the fold to see
Watership Down and its Allusions to America’s Current State
America must face up to the loss of democracy and regain our intelligent and vibrant culture. We have developed a policy of hubristic diplomacy that is responsible for worsening international relations, including the predominant “Bring `em on!” policy for the Iraq war. There are also signs of American fascism such as cronyism and corruption in government. America is at a crossroads where it can become a fascist state, lose our culture, or remain a true democracy. Watership Down is an important cautionary tale in showing that the paths of fascism and willful ignorance both lead to sure ruin.
First, one must realize the dangers of losing our democracy. The warren of Efrafa is a dictatorship lead by a rabbit named General Woundwort. The rabbits of Efrafa are forced to lead unnatural lives. Rabbits are “marked,” or bitten, in various places and the scars are used to sort the rabbits into groups. The rabbits are identified by their mark, as “Every rabbit is marked when he’s a kitten: they bite them, deep, under the chin or in a haunch or forepaw. Then they can be told by the scar for the rest of their lives.” Rabbits could not visit another group without an officer’s permission. While Bigwig was in Efrafa, he “went to Chervil and obtained his consent to visit another Mark.” A rabbit would spend most of the day with his Mark and go out with them to silflay (eat) twice per day. The rabbit would pass hraka (droppings) in a ditch to be buried because that way it would make it harder to be discovered by man. The presiding force in America is similar to Efrafa because they both give up natural rights and freedoms in favor of security.
Efrafa is an example of what America could become, given time. America is becoming less democratic, elections are tampered with, and there is ongoing torture and wiretapping. Our current government has a disdain for the constitution in general. Fear of “terrorists” and of “rebel nations” such as Iran and North Korea, forces people to support our current administration. Dr. Britt`s article, “14 Points of Fascism,” has many points which are prevalent in our own society. His first point,” Powerful and Continuing Expressions of Nationalism ,” is shown by the “If you aren’t with us you’re against us” policy and ubiquitous displays of flags. The administration’s disdain for human rights is shown by torture and also by the wiretapping of private phone conversations. An obsession with our national security is seen in our dwelling on 9/11 and by the image of our president as king, shown by his phrase “Let freedom reign.” We must consciously work towards permanent democracy in America.
We must also be careful not to swing too far the other way. The Shining Wire warren represents complacency and apathy. The farmer leaves carrots, lettuce and other such rabbit delicacies to trick the rabbits into getting used to roaming far from the warren so that they can be more easily caught and trapped. The rabbits also have a disdain for knowledge, which takes the form of a taboo on questions, and the use of shapes, which are stones pushed into the wall in patterns that represent certain things, as distractions. Willful ignorance can be seen in the elaborately and completely covered up problem of the snares. They tried to make themselves seem better than other rabbits, so “They found out other marvelous arts to take the place of tricks and old stories.” The rabbits also live in an unsustainable way, as the traps gradually destroy the warren and there are few or no children to carry on the population.
We as a nation have many similarities to the Shining Wire warren. America practices willful ignorance by having disdain for science, such as the government’s refusal to believe that global warming is true. America also has inferior education compared to other countries, for it has an anti-educational culture. Cover-ups such as the denial of true torture accusations are currently taking place. Our mainstream media does not report real news- it reports popular culture blather. One top CNN article title is “Andrea Yates’ ex-husband weds, days before her trial.” Our consumeristic way of life is also unsustainable. Our debt is massive and exponentially increasing. Many scientists say that the amount of oil in the ground and the amount produced will soon begin to decrease. This is called peak oil. As our economy is based on petroleum and petroleum products, it will cause economic and other upheaval and instability. As one can see, our overall consumption is unsustainable and we must change our ways now or it will be too late.
However, there is hope for a viable future America. The Watership Down warren represents the ideal and is the best path to choose out of the three. It also has a strong sense of community and democracy. Individuals like Fiver, the rabbit that has visions of the future, and Blackberry, the unusually smart and inventive rabbit, are appreciated, as “They had come closer together, relying on and valuing each other’s capacities.” All rabbits are given voice and their needs are met. The warren settles in a place with a sustainable ideal location because they choose to adapt and plan for the future. The warren allows rabbits to act freely and naturally, leading to the fact that “The warren was thriving at last and Hazel could sit basking on the bank and count their blessings.” America must regain the society that is represented in the Watership Down warren.
America ignores obvious signs of danger and degeneration at its peril. One can see the need for a safe country. The warren of Efrafa is also very efficient but excessive safety and lack of real thought leads to unnatural and diminished lives. The need for an enjoyable life must also be considered. Both people and rabbits are happiest when they can look forward to enjoyment at the end of a day of work, but not at the expense of family or lives. The Watership Down warren incorporates safety, comfort, and democracy, making it the best option for America. America shall become no more than another dictatorship if we continue on our present path, but if instead we choose the path of democracy and equality, we shall indeed become a sustainable and community-based nation.
