Rj's Personal Faults: How They Led Him Into Conflict

Nicholas Moncho
Professor Ellis
English Composition 2
13 April 2023
RJ’s Personal Faults: How They Led Him into Conflict

RJ, the cunning and self-centered raccoon from the 2006 animated film "Over the Hedge," has many character defects that cause him to get into conflicts. Although he is originally shown as a smooth-talking and charismatic figure, it soon becomes clear that his ability to manipulate others and his lack of concern for them lead him to make unwise judgments that endanger both himself and his companions.
RJ's addiction to junk food is one of his biggest weaknesses, which he uses to divert and con the other animals into helping him take food from nearby people. He is conscious of his addiction but unable to control it, which

His falsehoods , however, are a major part of the main struggle in the movie, therefore he may also be seen as an enemy in the eyes of some characters. The film offers enough evidence to back up the claim that RJ has character flaws. The pivotal moment where he displays his self-centeredness is when he decides on stealing the blue cooler from Vincent the Bear, endangering his group as a whole. Throughout the film, it is clear that he has a propensity for lying and deceit, and this has also caused him to clash with Gladys Sharp, the human antagonist of the movie, as well as with the other

In the beginning of the film, he uses a group of animals to get what he wants, which is to retrieve a cart full of food from a human neighborhood. He tricks the animals into thinking that the food belongs to them, and they should get it back from the humans. However, RJ's real intention is to repay a debt to Vincent the Bear, and he uses the animals to accomplish his task. He even puts the lives of the animals in danger in order to achieve his goal, which shows how selfish he is. In addition to this, Rj is also very dishonest with his fellow companions, which is another personal fault that he displays. Throughout the movie, he lies to the animals and keeps the truth from them. He hides the fact that the food he wants to steal belongs to Vincent the bear, who is a dangerous animal. He even goes far enough to lie about his relationship with the bear, which is not necessarily a friendly relationship. RJ's dishonesty puts the lives of the animals in danger and creates a conflict that could have been avoided if he had been honest with them. Lastly, Rjs impulsivity is another major fault that lies within him. He always acts without thinking about the consequences of his actions. For example, whenever he steals food from the humans, he does not consider the fact that he might get caught, and his friends might get hurt in the process. Through these faults that Rj displays, his true colors are