Watership Down Power Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

"You may think it's a wonderful thing to be saved by Lord Frith in his power. How many rabbits has that happened to, I wonder? But I tell you, it was far more frightening than being chased by the Efrafans. Not one of us will forget lying on that bank in the rain while the fire creature went by above our heads. Why did it come on our account? That's more than we shall ever know." (27.62)

Whatever powers they my have, rabbits are still rabbits. So human technology is a type of power that's beyond their comprehension. They understand guns (guns = dead rabbits), but that's about it. So when they see a train, they think it's a messenger from God. They also don't understand poison gas, construction equipment, boats, etc. Just a reminder: powerful rabbits are just weak rabbits compared to us. They got the fuzzy end of the food chain lollipop.

Quote #8

It was all he could do to stand up to the rough play. "I wonder what would happen if I lay down under it?" he thought. "They'd kick me out, I dare say. They wouldn't have a crippled Chief Rabbit. This is a test as well as a welcome, even though they don't know it themselves. I'll test them, the rascals, before I'm done." (29.2)

Hazel comes back after getting shot and gets thrown a parade—except it's not a parade, it's some rough playing, just like Neil Armstrong got. Hazel may be wounded and crippled (he'll limp forever), but he's got lots of power here still: he's smart enough to realize this is a test, even if the other rabbits don't realize that; and he's got enough strength and willpower to come through it.

Quote #9

When he had explored the limits of his own strength, he set to work to satisfy his longing for still more power in the only possible way—by increasing the power of the rabbits about him. He needed a bigger kingdom. (34.6)

Woundwort is a weird and unnatural rabbit. But check out how Woundwort considers his power to be extendable through other rabbits. Hazel expresses what everyone feels; whereas Woundwort wants the warren to express what he feels (which is usually anger and fear).