Compare the relationship the rabbits have with Man.

Compare the relationship the rabbits have with Man

In Watership Down and Animal farm, Man is seen as an enemy, but for different reasons in animal farm, this opinion changes over time and the relationship with man develops, whereas in Watership Down, the relationship remains consistent.

In the first part of Animal Farm,Jones (representative of man) is seen as the one enemy of the animals. He is the source of all of their oppression. Old major tells the animals that their lives are 'miserable, laborious and short,' and that this is due to Man. He says that 'Man is  the only real enemy we have'.  
   In the early part of the pigs reign, Man was still considered an enemy to all, and the pigs used the threat of Jones coming back to control the animals. This was only effective due to the hatred the animals had of Man. Later in the novel, however, the relationship between the pigs and Man starts to change as the pigs gain more power. When they begin trading with Man, they are showing that they see man as an equal, and as a resource to utilize. This eventually evolves into the pigs adopting the lifestyle of man, and although they initially claim to still hate Man, they begin to become friends, and so this show that they seen Man as equal, and as not an enemy but an ally.
   The animals always have an interactive relationship with Man throughout the novel, be it by Jones running the farm, or the trading and communication that happens later in the novel. This close relationship may be the reason that the pigs ended up being corrupted by Man and adopting the lifestyle.

In Watership Down, the rabbits live in complete detachment to Man. Unlike the trading that occurs in Animal Farm, Man has nothing to provide or offer the rabbits. He is just an enemy, just like another elil. When Man does intervene with their lives, it is always in a negative way, such as the wires set at Cowslips warren.
   Man is shown to be powerful, but incompetent and ignorant. This is shown by how the Men that shoot Hazel speak in a dialect that is stereotypical of ignorance or stupidity.
   Woundwort was raised by Man, but he rebelled and escaped. This may be because there is nothing that Man can provide that a rabbit cannot provide himself. Woundwart was however influenced by Man, and that became the reason for the failure of his warren - his warren was successful in that the rabbits survived, but due to the human influence, their nature was lost and none were happy, so overall the warren was a failure.
   Form the beginning to the end of the novel, from Man destroying the Sanford warren to the fight with the human-influenced warren of Efrafa, the rabbits relationship with Man has remained the same, and remained detached.

Posted on behalf of Catalina

JS2: Compare the portrayal of the heroes of “Watership Down”.

In “Watership Down”, the whole theme of heroes is simultaneously less and more obvious – although any supposed heroes do not come with their propaganda as they do in “Animal Farm”, they are far more worthy of the title.

Within “Animal Farm”, Old Major is first seen as a huge influence, and could be seen as a hero of Animalism: it is he who first thought of the concept, and he who prophesised the revolution, yet he is forgotten – if anything, humans become more of influence, despite their being the common enemy.  Humans are imitated, evident in that it is the one with the most power who is considered a hero; namely, Napoleon, who terrorises the other animals and rules using the fear of death as motivation.  Of course, one who wields power is not the definition of a hero, yet it is all too easy in a dictatorship to revere the leader as a hero when the consequence of thinking otherwise is death.

This is completely different to “Watership Down”.  The characters in particular that show elements of heroism – in this case, real heroism – are Hazel and Bigwig, who have something of an antagonistic relationship, with Bigwig being the only rabbit to refuse to call Hazel “Hazel-rah”, and so refusing to accept his authority as leader. Bigwig’s heroic characteristics come mainly from his strength, and the respect gained from his position in the Owsla in the Sandlefordwarren; Hazel’s come from his actions in a situation he is really far too young and inexperienced to be in – he has gone from being an outskirter of the warren, and only a year old, to leading a group of rabbits on a journey that is not only long, but which has unknown consequences.  Considering this, Hazel does incredibly well – he is responsible, and has enough sense to have control of their situation (at least for the most part).

However, it could be argued that there are no true heroes in either novel – those in “Animal Farm” are totally false, and it doesn’t take long for them to betray their supposed comrades. It could be of note, though, that Boxer could be viewed as something of an unsung hero in his way – he works hard, and keeps himself motivated (“I will work harder”) even when he is driving himself to utter exhaustion, and when he is sold, by the pigs, to be slaughtered, it is undoubtedly one of the saddest parts of the book.  On the other hand, though, he is only a hero in his undying loyalty and hard work – merits that are to be valued, but he does nothing to help the other animals aside from working himself into the ground: this can be forgiven, though, when it is considered that he is too dim to realise the horror of the situation, and does what he can. The heroes in “Watership Down” – with the exception of El-ahrairah, who is a mythical figure – are given their titles based primarily on their hierarchy: Bigwig is respected because he is strong and in the Owsla; Hazel is respected because he was the only one who seemed to have any idea as to what to do; Woundwort, even, built his way up through strength and violence, and he makes Efrafa an incredibly efficient and well-organised warren, if at the cost of the happiness of its inhabitants. This leads to an interesting point – General Woundwort’s status as a hero is incredibly questionable.  Despite both being dictators, Woundwort and Napoleon are totally different in that Woundwort doesn’t propagate his own heroism.  This could be because Woundwort built himself up, and went on to build up Efrafa, while Napoleon uses manipulation to get into his place with relative ease.

This then leads to the question: what makes a hero? The definition that people mainly think of is an ideal person who exhibits bravery, intelligence in difficult situations and strength; they are usually seen as “perfect”.  El-ahrairah is probably the only character that displays this at all, and he is the protagonist of legends – yet a lot of the characters in “Watership Down” (including Woundwort, in his way) show features and behaviours hinting at heroism, and even more characteristics showing them to be flawed. In “Animal Farm”, characters only show small elements of these characteristics, such as Boxer’s hard work, and the hens’ rebellion.  It could, then, be said that the main difference in the portrayal of heroes in the two novels is that, in “Animal Farm”, heroes are only those who do their small part to help others, and those appreciated as heroes are those who do nothing to help anyone but themselves; in “Watership Down”, true heroes aren’t real, but their ideas can be used in real life – not only this, but that even those with heroic intentions can cause problems, both on a small scale (such as when Hazel manipulated Pipkin to steal does) and on a larger one (such as Woundwort’s efforts to create a perfect warren).  As a result, the portrayal of heroes in “Animal Farm” is starker, and considerably more cynical – in “Watership Down”, a whole spectrum is displayed.

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in “Animal Farm” and “Watership Down” at the beginning of the novels. CAND 8

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in “Animal Farm” and “Watership Down” at the beginning of the novels. CANDIDATE 8

Within both “Animal Farm” and “Watership Down”, the idea of dreams and visions is what triggers events later on.  The idea is rather more focused on in “Watership Down” due to Fiver’s clairvoyance, but is arguably just as important a theme in “Animal Farm”.

One interesting comparison that can be made immediately is that the initial roles of dream and vision in the two novels are inverse: in “Animal Farm”, Old Major puts forward a utopian ideal in which the animals are treated fairly and work together in equality, yet the outcome is horrific; in “Watership Down”, the vision that Fiver has is nightmarish, to say the least, and shows a scene of danger and death – yet it is this that causes the rabbits to find their own utopia on Watership Down.  Another similar comparison is the reaction of those who hear those predictions: Old Major’s polemic is listened to with great ceremony, and his ideas are set as a goal, while Fiver is patronised by the Threarah, and most of the other rabbits don’t believe him.  However, this could be explained by their social standings – Old Major is a highly respected character, while Fiver is seen as weak and jumpy.

The biggest difference between the two novels in the theme of dreams and visions is how they are portrayed.  In “Animal Farm”, there is a notable level of theatre in how Old Major uses his dream: he builds it up, saying that “he will come to the dream later” and “has something to say first”.  It may indeed by true that there was a dream he had, but he uses the animals’ curiosity in the dream to get them to listen to his speech.  The dream itself gives the animals a revolutionary song to sing: as a result, it could almost be said that Old Major had thought this out deliberately to put forward his ideas of revolution with the other animals’ full attention.  On the other hand, Fiver’s vision cannot be read into easily in such a way: his sudden hysteria beings a fairly immediate sense of alarm into the scene, and his desperation is rather more clear and intense than Old Major’s clearly set-out speech.

It can almost be said, when comparisons are made, that the use of visions and dreams is quite drastically different in the two novels – even later on in the books, this stays the same: in “Watersip Down”, visions are still of high influence, whereas in “Animal Farm”, the theme practically never comes up, with the exception of Moses’ parody of heaven, Sugarcandy Mountain, that he talks about to the farm animals.

Despite this, though, the roles of dreams and visions in both books have the same initial result – they cause change.  In “Animal Farm”, the change is wider-scale, as a vast majority of the animals believe in the utopia prophesised by Old Major.  In “Watership Down”, only a minority believe in Fiver, but it’s his vision that has the biggest impact.  This could possibly relate to the differences in the visions themselves.  It could be that the theatre and preparation of Old Major’s ideas made a huge impression, but only gained a weak following held together by hope and the will to follow: it almost seems obvious that, in reality, the animals could never work together to build their ideal world, and, as such, the story comes full circle when the pigs betray the others.  On the other side of it, it could be that the outcome of “Watership Down” could only happen because, although Fiver had less of a following, those who believed him believed strongly, instead of going along with it because it was presented well.  In short, there was more trust in Fiver, despite his visions having no structure: the rabbits who left Sandleford were the ones who felt there may be reason to.  The animals in “Animal Farm” had never considered another way of life, and were simply going along with what the pigs said because they couldn’t think for themselves.  This is what makes the biggest impact in the stories, and it can be traced back almost directly to the situations in which the two prophecies arose.

How is tension built in Chapter One of Watership Down? CAND 8

How is tension built in Chapter One of Watership Down? Candidate 8

The first chapter of “Watership Down is fairly interesting, as it opens on an incredibly peaceful scene with only small hints at any danger.  Despite this, the quote used to introduce the chapter is unpleasant, and at once gives the idea of what is to come.

The chapter itself uses the first line, “The primroses were over.”  Instantaneously, there is an image that, as well as simply giving an indication of the season, also highlights the death of a beautiful thing; similar imagery is seen in the description of the brook, “half-choked with king-cups”, which could indicate that the flow of nature is being hindered by a being that calls itself higher – and this is what the humans are doing when they destroy the Sandleford warren.

Nonetheless, the imagery is picturesque, with some minor focus on gates and tracks, possibly foreshadowing the theme of adventure.  When the rabbits are described, there is a scene of nature at its prettiest, and the first description of Hazel adds to this as he is described as looking as if “he knew how to take care of himself”, and “had not the harassed look of most ‘outskirters’”.  This peaceful scene is mildly disrupted by Fiver’s initial appearance, and his obvious lack of ease does give the idea that, despite the beauty of the place, something is wrong; the conversation between two other rabbits on Fiver’s actions somehow does not dissipate this.

Another factor that goes against this otherwise utopian scene is the intrusion of Toadflax, a member of the Owsla, as he bullies Hazel and Fiver out of a cowslip: this immediately shows that the warren, although seemingly happy, has an authoritative undertone and an obvious hierarchy within which outskirters have no voice. This, in turn, already shows the potential of the introducing quote to be mirrored.  Fiver’s description of his feelings – “something oppressive, like thunder” – seems to fit well.

This description could be interesting, too, when the situation is considered.  The two rabbits discover a sign, and in its direct vicinity, the area “reeks of creosote and paint”, as well as containing a hammer, nails and a cigarette butt.  There could be the idea of the area being poisoned by the presence of humans, and to a wild animal, the sound of vehicles – especially those used for demolition and suchlike – would sound like thunder.  It is almost as if Fiver has predicted accurately the destructive storm that will destroy the warren, but hasn’t the knowledge to have any idea as to what this entails.

Fiver soon gets hysterical, and this is where the tension of the chapter reaches its peak: the weather, which seemed so pleasant when first described, casts light Fiver believes to be blood, and the oppression Fiver feels as he is “surrounded on all sides by the quiet summer evening” is obvious – the claustrophobia caused by being surrounded by those who couldn’t believe in your worry if they tried is felt hugely. There is use of pathetic fallacy as Hazel and Fiver return to the warren, as the weather darkens and the cold and rain set in – especially the line, “All colour had faded from the sky” indicates strongly the death of a peaceful and beautiful day, and, in turn, the death of a (relatively speaking) peaceful and beautiful existence in the Sandleford warren.  The fairly friendly language on the sign that the rabbits cannot read is incredibly sinister, as the letters act as “knives” – death could be seen as inevitable for the rabbits.

Discuss the relevance of mythology in ‘Watership Down’ and the comparative absence in ‘Animal Farm’ CAND 7

Discuss the relevance of mythology in ‘Watership Down’ and the comparative absence in ‘Animal Farm’ CANDIDATE 7

Mythology plays a large part in Watership Down. It is referenced throughout the novel. Chapter ones allegory is taken from Agamemnon, and features Cassandra foretelling a death or danger. Fiver acts as a Cassandra-like character in Watership Down. They are both prophetic, but not believed my many.

Animal Form has a similar character, Old Major. He also foretells the future, but in a very different way. Fiver foretells a danger, then later a new home, and so causes an escape from their old life and a search for a new, better one. Old Major, however, foretells the animals changing their lives for the better where they are, by overthrowing the evil of man.

In Watership Down, Fiver travels with the group, and remains with them throughout the novel. He guides them in many different ways, such as warning them of the danger in Cowslips warren, to showing them where their new home will be. Because of this, they are successful in their initial escape of the danger, and their later search for a new home (and a better life). It may be said that Fiver is meant to represent the importance of faith in mythology, and the importance of characters like Cassandra in literature.

In Animal farm, Old Major dies before his prophecy begins to take action. Because of this, the pigs are able to warp and change the original idea, and so overall, the animals are unsuccessful in achieving their dream of a better life.

In Animal Farm, there is no firm supernatural or mythological belief. Their faith is put into authority, and so into their leaders. They allow the pigs (who represent man) to be their guidance. The pigs have no external guidance themselves, apart from Old Majors dream, but they warp that to their own gain, at the detriment of the other animals. Supernatural belief is mocked in Animal Farm, with some of the animals believing in ‘Sugarcandy Mountain’. Orwell may have done this to show that guidance from mythology and faith in the supernatural is important and necessary, and without it, as with the animals, we will fail in our endeavours.

In Watership Down, the Rabbits often take guidance from El-Ahrairah, an idealistic character from their mythology. They use examples of El-Ahrairah’s doings to guide them in decisions, such as the assisting of other animals, which lead to their alliance with Keharr, who was critical in them succeeding in their dream. They use El-Ahrairah in a similar way to how people use the example of Jesus to help guide them. Their following of el-Ahrairah leads them to success, and so it could be said that Adams was trying to show the importance of putting faith in mythology or religion, and using it to guide you.    

How is tension built in chapter one of Watership Down? CAND 7

How is tension built in chapter one of Watership Down? CANDIDATE 7

In Watership down, Adams uses a quote from classical literature as an allegory of the chapter. In chapter one, the allegory is taken from Agamemnon, in which Cassandra tells of an imminent sense of death, which others do not see or believe. Cassandra is a prophetic character, and so the reader knows that what she tells is true. This creates tension, as it shows the reader that in the chapter, a very real danger is imminent, but it will be ignored by others. In this was Adams uses dramatic irony, as the reader knows the danger is real, but the rabbits (apart from the few who chose to follow fiver) do not, and so do nothing to escape their fate.

Adams creates tension in in the way that he describes Fiver. After describing the peaceful setting and describing Hazel in a calm way, the reader gets the impression that all is ok. However he describes Fiver as ‘ill at ease’, and that he acted with a sense of ‘caution’ and ‘nervous tension’. This shows that Fiver is in fear of something, and so gives the reader a sense that all may not be as it seems, and there is an impending danger. As the reader already has knowledge from the allegory that a prophetic character will foretell a danger that is a reality, they take fivers concern seriously, and share his feelings of unknowing and fear. This creates tension, as the reader knows something bad will happen, but they do not know what.

When Fiver describes the danger that he feels, he says it is ‘something oppressive, like thunder.’ In this, Adams uses pathetic fallacy to create tension. Thunder, for many people, is symbolic of a release of tension, and many say that they can feel when a storm is on the way, as they can feel a pressure in the air that needs release. Fiver implying that an event such as thunder is imminent gives the reader a sense of tension, and also re-infers the sense of unknowing, as we do not know what this event will be, or when it will come.  

How is tension built in chapter 1 of Watership Down? CAND 6

CANDIDATE 6

How is tension built in chapter 1 of Watership Down? 

Negative imagery and language is used to create tension in Watership Down. Although the opening scene appears peaceful, there is an underlying sense of unease and expectation. For example, the opening sentence, “the primroses were over” shows how beauty and peace can die- we see by this opening sentence that something is about to come to an end, which creates tension as the scene appears to be peaceful- we know that whatever is going to happen hasn’t happened yet, and there is little indication to when it will.

“Pale yellow” is described to be “fading”, implying that hope a happiness will fade away. “half-chocked” is a very negative way to describe the amount of flowers there are at the band- and flowers are usually seen to be pretty and innocent, whereas already there have been two pieces of negative imagery involving flowers. This also could be forewarning for Bigwig getting trapped in the snare.

The rabbits are very uneasy, as shown by how they “sat upright” “with erect ears” and how the rabbits run to safety when Fiver startles despite knowing there is no danger. Despite this, to the reader there seems to be no danger- the reader doesn’t know who or what the rabbits enemies are and at this point the rabbits seem to know more than the reader (like the opposite of pathetic fallacy). This creates tension.

Tension is also created where fiver is uneasy- “there’s something queer the warren tonight, although I can’t tell exactly what it is.” And later where he has the vision of the blood field. These extracts of danger and confusion create tension as to the reader the situation appears safe and peaceful.

When the reader is shown the sign, the sentence “All the colour faded from the sky” is used to show how the peace and hope has gone- it joins the end of the chapter with the beginning, with the primrose sentence to show that the characters are now in danger. The situation is now swapped- pathetic fallacy is created as the reader reads the sign and the characters are not. It puts the reader on edge as we know there is danger near, but even Fiver (the most prophetic of the rabbits) does not know what will happen and when. Tension is created in the first chapter by the characters knowing more than the reader, and vice versa. This creates tension due to our inability to warn the characters- we are merely observers of the danger coming to pass.

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in Animal Farm and Watership Down. CAND 6

CANDIDATE 6

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in Animal Farm and Watership Down

Although both Animal Farm and Watership Down feature dreams and visions, these supernatural experiences are interrupted and used in very different ways. In Watership Down, Fiver doesn’t fully understand his vision and has a far more negative feel to it the real reason why some rabbits leave is due to how the vision scared them. However Major’s speech caused change via inspiration and anger towards their current position.

The use of Fiver’s vision resulted in a successful ending, where the characters were better off than they were at the beginning, whereas the animals in Animal Farm are in a situation as bad, if not worse than before. This could be because the rabbits react to Fiver’s vision ultimately to survive, to prevent an imminent death. In contrast, the animals in Animal Farm react to Major’s dream in order to improve their lives, not to save them (not in the short term anyway). The rabbits intentions were pure from the beginning, and manipulated only by their will to survive- Fiver does not experience anger during his vision but only fear, whereas Major’s dream and speech are tainted by his apparent hatred to humans, which ultimately leads to their downfall, as this intentions are not pure.

An important distinction between Fiver’s vision and Major’s dream is how Major uses his dream to manipulate the animals for doing what is ultimately good for the pigs, whereas Fiver has no intentions beside saving the warren.

Although Major’s intentions may firstly seem true, upon closer analysis it is clear he is manipulating the animals from the very beginning. His dream actually has very little importance in what he has to say, he only uses it to fully bring his point home. Major invokes sympathy in his audience in telling them he’s going to die right from the beginning and doesn’t tell them what they came to hear until they had listened to his entire speech.

The most important difference between Fiver’s vision and Major’s dream is how Major’s dream doesn’t seem to be legitimate. He claims the song is old yet the language is modern, the rhyme is easy to remember (making is easier for the pigs to manipulate more people) and the song is contradictory. The melody also doesn’t seem to be original- “something between Clementine and La Curcuacha”. Major’s predictions never fully come true, whereas Fiver’s do in full capacity. The true use of visions in Watership Down are to keep the characters from harm and without Fiver the Rabbits would have never made it to their utopia. But the use of dreams in Animal Farm are not for the good of the animals, but only the pigs, and as a result they never reach their utopia- although one could say the pigs get to their own twisted utopia, and so as a result Major’s dream may have actually came true but only for the pigs. Therefore the use of dreams in Animal Farm may allow the only the pigs to reach their utopia.

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘Watership Down’ at the beginning of the novels. CAND 5

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘Watership Down’ at the beginning of the novels.

 

Both Animal Farm and Watership Down show the use of visions and dreams.

 

In the very beginning of Animal Farm Old Major makes a speech to the rest of the animals, the speech is about his dream that he has. Old Major explains his dream and tells the animals that they should rebel against humans and describes his dream as a world without humans. Old Major is passing on his knowledge of how good he thinks the world would be without man. From this point forward their vision is to rule the farm themselves. At the start of his speech he says ‘you have heard already about the dream I had but I will come to that later’, so from the very beginning his is holding all the animals in anticipation and manipulating them. This tells us that their vision is being controlled and adjusted to Old Majors dream and thoughts.

 

Old Major’s speech is finished with a song that he said he had forgotten the words to until his dream the night before. He claimed that the song was from old but the words fit with the present day. This shows that the speech has been structured and planned carefully in order to manipulate the other animals from the very beginning. He also uses his old age as a form of control to make the other animals think that he is correct because he has more knowledge. We can also see how Old Major uses control in speech when he asks a question but then answers it himself; this shows that he gives the animals no other option but to agree with him.

 

At the beginning of Watership Down Fiver is instantly cautious and uneasy about everything. Fiver has visions of evil and danger coming upon the warren, so from the beginning there is a vision of terror for the rabbits. After Fiver has a bad dream in the start of chapter 2 he tells Hazel they must go away. Fiver tells everyone that they should get to the hills and find a home where they can all live in peace and quiet and defend themselves from natural evils. Fivers vision is driven by fear of the unknown whereas the vision in Animal farm is driven by Old Major’s dream.

 

In Animal Farm, Old Major forces the idea of rebelling against humans whereas Fiver tries to warn the other rabbits about the risk they are in. Fiver is trying to help the warren and has good intentions whereas Old Major almost demands the other animals to do as he says and gets them to agree to his idea through his use of power and control.

 

Dreams and visions that are driven by good intentions can be said to be successful and achievable because in Watership Down the rabbits do achieve their dream but at a price because Hazel dies. This suggests that freedom and happiness isn’t free and is to be earned; this goes against what Old Major suggested to the animals in Animal Farm because he makes it sound like their dream for freedom will be easy to achieve. Whereas dreams and visions that begin with evil can be successful but not fulfilling because in Animal Farm even though they achieve the dream they always wanted, the pigs ironically resemble humans, which are seen to be their enemies, and have all the power and control. So their dream resulted in downfall because they are no better off than they were in the start.

How is tension built up in chapter one of Watership Down? CAND 5

CANDIDATE 5

How is tension built up in chapter one of Watership Down?

 

Chapter one begins with the short sentence ‘the primroses are over’, this tells us that whatever good things that they had before have now suddenly come to an end. So straight away Adams makes the reader uneasy and creates tension in the fact we don’t know what is going to happen to the rabbits in the future. Adams describes the warren as ‘old’ and ‘brambly’, this presents the warren as a used and worn. The use of the word ‘brambly’ could also be connected to pain and negativity; this could make the reader think the rabbits will come into some sort of danger.

Even though the warren may seem old and worn the rabbits at this stage in the book aren’t aware of any danger and are living in peace; the description of a blackbird singing undisturbed in evidence of the rabbits not being aware of any danger or evil.

 

When Adams describes the two rabbits, Hazel and Fiver, he says Hazel stopped in a sunny patch. This suggests that he is a positive rabbit. After describing Hazel as a happy rabbit he goes on to Fiver who is a more cautious and agitated. The order in which he describes the rabbits suggests that things will go from good to bad for the warren. Fiver always thinks there is danger and evil in every situation, this causes the reader to feel tense and on edge as well.

 

Moreover, there is also a build of tension when Fiver finds a cowslip in the brook. Two larger rabbits from the Owsla threaten Fiver and Hazel and demand them not to eat their cowslip. This tells us that there is conflict and threat of pain within their own society; this makes the reader tense because Fiver is afraid in his own warren when he should feel safe.

 

Fiver’s fear of danger builds up tension in the reader; he tells Hazel that they must leave the warren because danger is coming. He doesn’t know what danger is it or when it’s coming, this makes the rabbits fear the danger more because they don’t know what to expect. They are afraid of the unknown.

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in Animal farm and watership down at the beginning of the novels? CAND 4

CANDIDATE 4

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in Animal Farm and Watership Down at the beginning of the novels?

 

Both Orwell and Adams use visions and dreams to present the initial ideas and theme of both books. Adams begins his novel with fiver vision. Using the “danger” that the vision presents to begin a chain of events which run throughout the book. Adams presents the vision as a vague description of “Blood” in the field,  allowing the reader to feel “fear” and apprehension, however it does not definitively tell us what is going to happen.

 

Orwell also uses a dream to introduce the themes of the novel, however unlike Adams, the dream, had by major is not vague, and serves an exact purpose. Majors dream is almost orchestrated to gain the faith and following of his “Comrades”. This dream is far less spontaneous compared to fivers vision, and the fact that major uses the “dream” in his speech also makes this statement feel divested for majors own gain. Showing the corrupt side of his plan and the pigs from the very beginning.

 

However the fact that Adams uses a vision instead of a dream gives the reader a sense that the vision is influenced by a supernatural element. Which could be because the events in the book are influenced through the faith that the rabbits have in “el ahrairah”. This gives the impression that fivers vision is down to a supernatural or other worldly power, this could mean that the events that are guided by fivers vision could also be guided by a supernatural power.

 

Orwell, instead, uses a “dream”, dreams are highly influenced by the person who had them. Therefor the “dream” that is used in majors speech is just another way of pushing his views on the situation. Dreams are more guided by the individual who had them, that is why the dream causes downfall at the end of the novel,  because his dream, unlike fivers vision, is tainted by majors own personal opinions.

 

Adams also shows that a certain amount of hesitation towards fivers visions. The “Threarah” is very hesitant towards fivers ideas, even though the visions are not untrue, and, unlike the majors visions in animal farm, they are not fabricated or twisted for his own purpose. Adams emphasises this by using an allegory about a woman named cassandra who was also able to see glimpses into the future but no one would believe her.

 

However in animal farm, orwell shows that almost every animal is completely convinced by his dream, however he does not truly explain the dream and uses it as a pretence to push his views on the unsuspecting animals.

 

How is tension built in chapter one of Watership Down? CAND 4

CANDIDATE 4

How is tension built in chapter one of Watership Down?

 

The allergy in this chapter is a definitive message to the reader concerning the future of the characters and their home. Adams purposely portrays “Blood” and “horror” in his opening dialogue, conveying a sense of tension and fear to the reader before we
even meet the characters. Adams also uses the characters in his allergy to
present a possible outcome for the characters in watership down. As Cassandra,
much like fiver, can see glimpses of the future. However Cassandra is cursed so
that no one will believe what she says, this gives the reader a sense of
foreboding towards the believability of fivers visions. Adams uses the allergy
as a catalyst to show his intentions towards both the warren and fiver himself.
However Adams also uses this short story to show that the events unfolding in
his book, even if they are fictional, have unfolded before, and not just to
rabbits or animals. This makes the situation more relatable to the reader and
gives us a greater sense of dread as this could be related to our lives.

Adams also suggested the presence of “death” in this chapter. Starting the chapter with the natural and seemingly innocent life of the “Primroses” coming to an end. Adams could be presenting the “death” of the “primroses” as a metaphor, showing that even the most innocent and harmless residence of this field have died. This gives the reader a sense of trepidation towards the safety of the animals in this story.
However Adams could also be showing that anything in the field or warren that
is unable to protect themselves or is seen as weak will be a victim of “death”
and the “danger” that fiver predicts is coming for them. This suggests that the
characters may have to fight for their lives and creates a sense of unrest and
fear in the reader.

Adams purposely shows the “Notice board” at the end of this chapter, as the fear of the unknown threat has built up tension in the reader throughout the chapter. Adams may be showing the rabbit’s innocents or inability to understand the outside world by not making them able to read the sign. However Adams could also be allowing us to
read the “Board” so that we feel guilt over the human role in the possibly
downfall, that fiver has already predicted, for the warren.  

Adams presents tension within this chapter between toadflax and hazel. Adams uses the confrontation to not only imply the power and control that the “Owsla” has, but also the tension is already present in the warren and that the “danger” in the warren will only be emphasized by human intervention. However Adams could also be suggesting that even without the danger from humans, the warren would still be in “danger” from the confrontation and power abuse created by the “Owsla”. This foreshadows the breakdown of relationships in the warren.  

Adams uses pathetic fallacy to reflect the mood of the warren. Presenting the “red clouds” to mirror the red of the “Blood” that fiver predicts will cover the field. The
color “red” signifies the “danger” that is apparent in this chapter. Adams also
uses the sunset to signify the end of the peaceful and prosperous period in the
warren, showing that, like the end of daylight, which is a connotation of faith
and hope, everything is going to become dejected and broken. This creates a
sense of tension for the reader.

Adams uses many techniques to show tension in this chapter. presenting the warren in the first chapter as a very uneasy place, which is about to get more dangerous and threatening. Adams not only creates tension within the characters and tehr relationship, he also gives the reader a sense of unease from the very start.

 

How is tension built up in Chapter one of ‘Watership Down’? CAND 3

CANDIDATE 3

How is tension built up in Chapter one of ‘Watership Down’?

At the beginning of Chapter One all rabbits are at ease and there is no tension at all. Richard Adams describes the scene as peaceful and beautiful and the rabbits have no worries and feel safe, this is described through the quote ‘’ But a blackbird singing undisturbed on the outskirts of the wood , showed that there was nothing alarming there, and in another direction, along the brook, all was plain to be seen, empty and quiet’’.

Adams quickly changes the scene from calm and peaceful when the companion of another rabbit becomes less at ease than the other rabbits and begins to build up tension in the book. This leaves the reader feeling anxious as they are not sure what is going to happen in the future. Just the slight inquisitiveness of the rabbit begins to make the reader question what threats the rabbits have and what is making them feel so nervous and as result changes the emotion of the reader from peaceful to tense and on edge.

Furthermore, Buckthorn asks to leave the warren as he explains that something isn’t right there by saying ‘’you know there’s something queer about the warren this evening, although I can’t tell exactly what it is.’’. By adding this into the book, Adams builds up tension for the reader as you are not sure of what is going to happen.  

Further along on the page the group ‘’Owsla’’ is mentioned which adds more tension to the book as the rabbits seem threatened and frightened of them, this suggests to the reader that the Owsla has some sort of power and control over the rabbits and by saying ‘’Cowslips are for Owsla – don’t you know that? If you don’t, we can easily teach you’’ this is evidence that supports this as the rabbits are restricted as to what they can do. After mentioning the Owsla and seeing the rabbit’s reaction it suggests that something bad could happen if the rabbits do not follow the Owsla’s rules which again builds up the tension for the characters and the reader.

To add to the tension Hazel and Fiver have a conversation that suggests something around the warren and brook is not quite right and that all rabbits should feel uneasy and be aware. They also suggest that moving the warren to another place could be safer for them. This conversation occurs after Hazel asks Fiver if he feels safe to which Fiver replies saying he feels safe but then adds tension when Adams uses the word ‘’oppressive’’ which suggests inflicting harsh treatment which could link back to the threats of the Owsla. Fiver also says ‘’I can’t tell you what; but it worries me’’ which suggests that although they are not sure on what the threat is, they know something is happening and they do not feel safe, this suggests to the reader that something bad is going to happen that is going to inflict harm on the rabbits and begins to add tension even more.

The main occasion in Chapter One which highlights Adams’ intentions of building tension is when Fiver suggests that the field is covered in blood. This is a major point of Chapter One as it really emphasises the rabbit’s terror and adds to the tension enormously. Blood is associated with death and by spreading it over the field suggests war and defeat, this begins to make the reader question as to why this is related to the scene and whether it links to an event further into the book, by doing this it leaves the reader on edge until they are able to identify the answer to why Fiver has thought of this.

To conclude, using these quotes and techniques throughout Chapter One, Adams was able to place a sense of uncertainty and tension in the reader’s thoughts as they question what is happening with the rabbits and what will happen in the future. The way he has used language and words to describe the scene but also change them such as going from ‘’beautiful’’ to ‘’fields covered in blood’’ sets the tension and terror of the characters.

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in ‘Animal farm’ and ‘Watership down’ at the beginning of the novel. CAND 2

CAND 2

Discuss the use of visions and dreams in ‘Animal farm’ and ‘Watership down’ at the beginning of the novel.

Animal Farm opens with a long speech from the old major where he describes his idea of a utopia and forces it onto the other animals. This alerts us to the fact that the dreams and visions in animal are manipulated and constructed by those with a higher position in society. His beings doing this by holding them in anticipation over a dream and constantly asking them questions but answering them himself therefore making them agree with his opinion. This shows how in Animal farm they use education as a power to manipulate the thoughts of others. The Old Major presents an idea of an Utopia to the other animals this makes them believe in a place that in reality does not exist, therefore making their strive for it completely pointless. Orwell uses extreme irony in the old majors speech as the ‘evils’ that all animals should not do are eventually done by the pigs therefore proving how the pigs were the real evil in the novel.

Fiver is presented as a prophet at the beginning and Adams uses the literary device of ‘Cassandras Curse’ where Fiver is able to see the future but no one will believe him. This is shown where the ‘Chief Rabbit’ dismisses Fivers concerns. This shows how the hierarchical system in Watership Down tries to control and manipulate the thoughts of those at the bottom of the system.  The dream at the beginning of animal Farm is used solely to control and manipulate whereas the visions at the start of animal farm are designed to protect people but only the vision in Animal Farm is accepted. The old Major convinces the animals that he is trying to protect them when in fact he is making their situation worse which is also what the Chief Rabbit does in animal farm. This shows how even a Capitalist society where people think they are appreciated and considered the people at the top of the hierarchical system can easily become corrupt with power.

The opening of both books in my opinion seem to revolve around societal control through education. The animals in positions of power use their power to oppress those who have no high societal rank. The dreams and visions of those in lower positions of society are removed and replaced by the thoughts of those in high rankings and positions. In both novels there is a strive for a utopia which is ironic because, as humans, we know that so such thing exists so therefore their strives are doomed from the start. The dream in Animal Farm talks about a desire to change for the means of improvement as they are told that they are unhappy in their current condition whereas in Watership down Fiver only wants change because he feels it necessary to avoid danger.

How is tension built in chapter one of ‘Watership Down’? CAND 2

CANDIDATE 2

How is tension built in chapter one of ‘Watership Down’?

The opening sentence ‘the primroses were over’ already creates an impact on the reader as it is very short and direct. The effect of the fact that it is ‘primroses’ that are over is that it suggests something very idyllic and natural has come to an end as nature is often associated with innocence and hope. This creates a feel of tension because it makes the reader think something is about to change and the uncertainty of what this could be creates a nervousness of the unknown.

Adams uses nature to build tension and mood in the opening chapter. The ‘may sunset was red in the clouds’ creates imagery of dark skies and the use of ‘red’ ha s connotations of danger and fear, this is used as foreshadowing for the danger to come. The warren being ‘at peace’ in my opinion adds to the tension in the chapter as it contradicts the imagery of danger, this irony makes the reader feel as if something is about to change. The reader builds up an element of trust in Fiver because of the obvious way Hazel trusts him, this trust and respect that Hazel clearly shows is unusual as Hazel is described as older and bigger than Fiver so in the nature of rabbits, he should be in charge. So when Fiver beings to panic this leads the reader to believe that he is right and tension is added due to the fact that Hazel slightly doubts him and we know he should be trusted.

Humans are painted as a disturbance of nature in the opening chapter. The posts ‘reeking’ of paint suggest that humans have made the area an incredibly unpleasant place. The area was ‘disturbed’ which we can assume was because of the humans who placed the sign. The use of ‘disturbed’ suggests something unwanted and unnatural, this builds tension as we then know that something is not right. The sign casts a ‘long shadow’ across the field, i think that the shadow could possibly be symbolic of the unseen danger that is to come as the shadow could be representative of the uncertainty of the danger. There is also a contrast of the carelessness of the humans in the chapter with the respect that the rabbits have. The humans carelessness for the environment is shown where they leave behind ‘a hammer and a few nails’ which shows their  disregard for the nature. However the rabbits respect for the field and hierarchy is shown as the description of their area is very idyllic at the start which shows how they do not do anything to disturb it. Also although Hazel and Fiver were originally unhappy with the Owslas treatment of them, they still move for them, showing their respect for the natural order of things. This contrast with the rabbits and the humans, paints the humans already as the unnatural disturbance in the first chapter which is an ongoing theme in the book.

The addition of the sign, which allows the reader to know what is happening but not the characters in the book, at the end of the chapter adds to the tension as it creates dramatic irony. Also it relates Fiver to ‘Cassandras Curse’ as we know he is right but as no one believes him the prophecy of the curse becomes evident.  The use of supernatural also furthers the tension because it furthers the idea of something unnatural happening in this warren so we believe

Animal Farm and Watership Down Questions: CAND 1

CANDIDATE 1

Wednesday 8^th October, 2014                  Animal Farm and Watership Down Questions

How is tension built in chapter one of ‘Watership Down’?

If we look past the idyllic setting described by Richard Adams in chapter one of ‘Watership Down’, we can see that all is not right, and that tension is building in the warren.

Immediately, the reader is notified of the end of a particularly beautiful time of the year, as ‘The primroses were over’. This short, blunt sentence suggests that not only has beauty come to an end, but that something awful has begun. A sense of tension and foreboding is created, as we don’t know what will happen in the future for these rabbits. Although this is followed by a calm, pastoral passage, with a ‘blackbird singing’ and ‘rabbits looking for dandelions’, there are suggestions that everything is not as perfect as it may appear. The brook is overrun with flora, ‘half-choked’ by it, perhaps inferring that there are conflicts and struggles within nature. The verb ‘choked’ conjures up a strong image of suffering and death, which causes uneasiness for the reader. It is also a very violent action that would usually be performed by human, suggesting that pain faced by these rabbits could be down to people’s actions.

Another use of imagery in chapter one that builds tension, is the ‘sunset’ which is ‘red in the clouds’. The colour ‘red’ is often associated with negative emotions, such as anger and hatred, as well as reflecting blood and death. Sunsets are also a signal that the day is over, so much like the end of the primroses, the sunset signifies the end of peace in the warren. All of these subtly written ‘clues’ give us a small glimpse into the future of the animals, creating suspense.

  

Through dialogue, Adams creates an air of tension, with Fiver expressing a lack of comfort in his situation, ‘You know there is something queer about the warren this evening’. This shows us that Fiver is a very intuitive character, who is in-tune with his surroundings. He can sense danger, but ‘can’t tell exactly what it is’, again, providing the reader with some information, suggesting that something is not right, but not expressing what it is; the unknown is mysterious and worrying. Fiver also creates tension by his persona, he is generally at unease, ‘with wide, staring eyes’, jumping at bumble-bees. His ‘staring’ eyes openly show how nervous he is, and causes other rabbits in the warren to worry also. His nervousness causes the reader to wonder at why his disposition is this way-is there something to be concerned about?

Tension peaks when Fiver whimpers the horrifying line ‘the field’s full of blood’. It is immensely distressing and echoes the image of the ‘red sunset’ from before. The graphic description of the field being ‘full’ of blood highlights just how much pain will occur, as ‘full’ suggests that the field cannot take anymore; the rabbits couldn’t face any more pain than Fiver ‘sees’ happening. This forces the reader to feel concerned for the animals, because he has prophesised a horrific, violent event, but we still don’t know the exact details.

Adams uses dramatic irony at the end of chapter one, because he tells us what the board says, but the rabbits cannot read, so don’t know that their warren will soon be destroyed for the development of houses. At this point, tension is released, as we know the horrendous fate of the rabbits.

 Discuss the use of visions and dreams in ‘Animal Farm’ and 

‘Watership Down’ in the beginning of the novels.

Dreams and visions are a vital component in the novels ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘Watership Down’, as both George Orwell and Richard Adams highlight the journey we take when following them, and show that not everything will go to plan.

We are instantly confronted with Old Major’s dream in ‘Animal Farm’. This had already been discussed between animals and anticipation is shown to be high, as animals were ‘fluttering’ with excitement, waiting to hear it. However, Old Major puts this highly awaited dream on hold when all of the animals have gathered. This immediately demonstrates the control he has over the others, and the power to manipulate is present and utilised. This manipulation triggers the reader to question Old Major’s character, and therefore, the validity of his dream before he has even started to discuss it.

To contrast this, in ‘Watership Down’, Fiver is shown to be a nervous, sweet character, and is very small (he upholds no power in the warren). His ‘wide’ eyes link to innocence and youth, there is no part of his description that appears demanding or controlling. He has an awful vision, of the ‘field [‘s] full of blood’, and goes to warn the others about what he has ‘seen’. He does this with good intentions, but is not listened to straight away, even though what he has to say is vital to the survival of the rabbits. From this, we can infer that the power that an individual holds impacts on the gravitas of their words, of how their dreams are listened to; Old Major is greatly respected and can keep his audience in suspense, whereas Fiver has very little control, so is not heard.

Although the Old Major holds the animals under the pretence that his speech is emotive and fairly spontaneous, we can see that it is in actual fact, well-rehearsed and planned. Straight away, he evokes sympathy from his ‘comrades’ by expressing the view that he believes his death is imminent. By calling the animals ‘comrades’, they are tricked into believing that they’re equal and listen intently to the Old Major’s thoughts. He continues to tell the animals of the farm that they have ‘miserable, laborious and short’ lives. Due to the animals’ faith in the pig’s ‘wisdom’ and his seemingly fair treatment of them, they accept that their lives are poor, because they have been told so by a respected character. Another way in which it is clear that the speech was prepared is the order he speaks to collective groups, i.e. ‘He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs…’. Firstly, he talks to the cows, then to the chickens, and so on. The ‘spontaneous’ speech that he gives is well structured and organised, like propaganda. This shows us that the ‘dream’ that they begin to work towards is fundamentally flawed, because it was crafted in such a way for them to believe it. 

Fiver’s vision on the other hand, is very short, and happens to him in the moment we are reading; he does not make anything up for effect, or rehearse it in any way. There is an obvious sense of desperation and despair, when Fiver utters the words ‘We’ve got to get away before it’s too late’, showing his compassion for others, by using the collective ‘we’ve’. The evident emotion expressed by Fiver provokes the reader to feel compassion and sympathy towards him; we believe in his vision. Again, this reinforces our opinion that Fiver is a more honest, trustworthy animal than the Old Major, and that Fiver’s vision is perhaps more reliable.

However, you can argue that the Old Major’s intentions are good, as he vocalises his wish for ‘perfect unity, perfect comradeship’ for all animals. Although we can see that his speech has been crafted, it’s is debatable that the sentiment behind it is just the same. He seems to care for the animals’ welfare, and only wishes a better life for them in the future, free of all domination, free of humans. Here we can question whether the route of their unhappiness is humans, or whether this is just what they have been told, but nonetheless, the dream could lead to prosperous, happy lives for the animals. Unfortunately, as we progress through the book, we see that the dream only leads to downfall.

This is a major difference in ‘Watership Down’, as Fiver’s vision does come true, and a number of rabbits live happily together, after leaving their original warren. In Adams’ novel, we do understand that some things come at a price, because many rabbits never make it to ‘Watership Down’, and sadly Hazel dies. This does not tarnish the fact that Fiver was right and that they achieved a better life for themselves. Dreams can lead to prosperity and come true. ‘Watership Down’ ends in a better position than in the beginning of the novel, whereas ‘Animal Farm’ ends in an even worse condition than before. This could be down to the authors’ own opinions in dreams; Orwell mocks the idea of a utopia, highlighting the fact that it is ‘no place’, unlike Adams, who endorses the belief of dreams and freedom.

In summary, the authors of both novels have taken different stances on the idea of visions and dreams, and express this in their writing. In the beginning of both books the dream/vision is made clear to the reader and we can explore how sincere these are. ‘Animal Farm’ casts a generally negative light on following our dreams, as it often leads to disaster, but ‘Watership Down’ looks upon hope in a more fond way, suggesting that although it may not be easy, we can achieve our own idea of happiness.