The Walking Dead: Alexandria and Watership Down

One of my favorite books is Watership Down by Richard Adams. One night while watching The Walking Dead a scene where the people in Alexandria were so willing to let our group be sacrificed to the walkers in order to save themselves reminded me of one of the rabbit warrens in Watership Down. Where? This group never answered Where? They were fed by a farmer who also set traps. They knew this and just let it happen. They enjoyed their safety knowing it was temporary and contingent upon other rabbits being sacrificed.

The Alexandrians have a lovely, safe environment. The walkers are the potential traps and the stories they tell about what happened when they were out there is their version of not answering the question “Where?” It helps them swallow their guilt for staying alive and not doing more to help another to stay alive with them.

I wondered what other connections The Walking Dead might have with Watership Down. I won’t pretend to make erudite, literary parallels, but I do see some interesting similarities.

The rabbits had to leave their home because of an enemy-man, a construction crew building homes. They left in search of a safe place to live and enjoy life. A high ground. Watership Down. Along the way they ran into enemies of their own kind-groups of rabbits.

Alexandria, Woodbury, the farm, the prison, these are all attempts at Watership Down, but unfortunately, they are but stops along the way.  The rabbits had similar stops and places to rest and fortify along the way.

In The Walking Dead the survivors have to leave their homes because of an enemy-the undead. There are walkers as enemies and groups of human ememies as well. One group of rabbits was similar to Woodbury. It was run by General Woundwort who was much like The Governor and had soldiers and lookouts and was very strict. Although it didn’t have the illusion of nostalgia that Woodbury had.

The rabbits in the main group were much like our group. A group of rebels that had the courage to leave the original Warren when they sensed the danger of the construction site coming and they helped each other even though they had different ideas and personalities. They also accepted help from unlikely sources such as a large bird.

Unfortunately, for The Walking Dead, we don’t know if there will ever be a Watership Down. A real sanctuary for all. If there will ever be rest. Or for how long. Each new place has to serve as a temporary Down until the next threat comes.

The Walking Dead and Watership Down are both stories of adventure, strength, courage and heart. Both stories of a search for security and happiness in uncertain times. They just happen to include rabbits and zombies.

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