His given name is Harold Angstrom, but everyone knew him as "Rabbit" including the millions of readers who have read any of all of John Updike's books Rabbit, Run, Rabbit Redux, Rabbit Is Rich, and Rabbit at Rest. (plus a novella, "Rabbit Remembered")
The books follow Rabbit through his lifetime, but much of its appeal probably came from the time periods that make up the settings of each novel and the portrait of middle-class American men and families in that time.
Rabbit was nothing heroic His glory days were always back on a high school basketball court. He's an everyman, the little guy.
His wife, Janice, his son, Nelson, and several women (particularly Ruth and Jill) accompany Rabbit on his journey - but Rabbit does run.
In this clip from 1997 , Updike talks about Rabbit with Charlie Rose.
