Bugs Bunny

One of the most recognisable and iconic characters in film is the character of Bugs Bunny - Warner Bros next big star. Bugs first appeared in the 1940 cartoon 'A Wild Hare'. In this cartoon, the 'trickster' [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17874931] bugs fools his foe Elmer Fudd as he tries to hunt him. This is a recurring theme in many of the Bugs Bunny cartoons; where Bugs constantly outsmarts his opponents by tricking them into believing the opposite to the way they genuinely feel. In 'A Wild Hare', Bugs installs guilt into Elmer Fudd by playing dead, therefore making Elmer regret all his hunting tendencies.

Bugs still remains today one of the biggest stars in animation. His huge success and staying power is mainly down to the fact that he "is nice, but a bit of a bully, appealing and scary, high culture and low; he morphs from one to the other seamlessly." [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17874931]. He is able to embody the personality of anything and anyone and can get into the heads of his rivals. In the "Hunter's Trilogy": Rabbit Fire, Rabbit Seasoning,
and Duck! Rabbit! Duck! (1951–1953), Daffy's eagerness to become top tune makes it easy for Bugs to manipulate and outsmart him. "He defies authority. He goes against the rules. But he does it in a way that's often lovable, and that often results in good things for the culture at large." - Robert Thompson [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17874931].

Bugs also has a great survival instinct. "You're smarter than the person who's tormenting you even though he's got more power than you. He's got the big rifle, but you are living by your wits and your own creativity. What did Bugs do? He switches genders, he sasses authority. Bugs does everything that we would tell our kids not to do." - John Leland, Hip: The History, Harper Perennial, 2005

Although Bugs is cynical, wisecracking, and often violent [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/25806/animation/215384/Termite-Terrace?anchor=ref722159], he is still a favourite with audiences."His Brooklyn-Bronx accent, voiced by actor Mel Blanc, combined with his quick wit, brash resourcefulness, and boisterous independence, gave him the street credentials that have delighted three generations of devoted audiences." [http://looneytunes.warnerbros.co.uk/stars_of_the_show/bugs_bunny/bugs_story.html#].

Sources:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17874931
http://looneytunes.warnerbros.co.uk/stars_of_the_show/bugs_bunny/bugs_story.html#
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/25806/animation/215384/Termite-Terrace?anchor=ref722159