Symbolism in the Movie Up free essay sample

The house is where Carl and Ellie first met each other as kids, where they chose to spend the rest of their lives together and turned it into the home of their dreams. As the movie gets going Carls house symbolizes his connection with Ellie and how he is holding on to her memory by staying with the house, even if it’s inconvenient or unnecessary. Carl isolates himself from the rest of the world and his house seems a refuge from everyone and everything that want something from him. At first, the house just sits there, resisting everything that wants it gone. Representing Carl and how he does not want to budge, how he’s determined to accomplish what Ellie always dreamed of , just like a house’s job is to stand strong. There’s a level of personification with his house, but the he’s not materialistic and his attitude is directly linked to the house and how he values it as important. We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism in the Movie Up or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Even though it seems to anchor him from moving on with his life. Scenes where shown: When Russel comes to his doorstep and wants to help the elderly – Carl slams the door of the house, because he doesn’t want to let anyone in, even if they’re trying to help. In the middle of a construction site- It appears big and strong and will not move for anyone. He doesn’t have Ellie anymore, but he needs something to ground him. The balloons carry him and the house up and away- Portraying the fact that he’s holding on to the house, it’s a weight he chooses to lift but doesn’t have to. While it’s on fire- Showing how if Carl hadn’t have gone out of his way for Russel, his home would never have been ruined. But it’s also showing the fact that helping others and opening up to happiness with burn away your anchors and burdens. . Kevin Kevin, who turns out to be a mother with many offspring – symbolises life itself. Muntz obsessively tries to capture Kevin (life) and so it escapes him. He’s wasted his life because he is so obsessed with fame that whilst seeking it out, he has essentially ruined his life and shattered the image f the hero he was. Carl doesn’t seem to see much point in life, but even though he doesn’t want Kevin, she finds him and stays with him. Kevin is a parent and as we learn early on in the film, Carl and Ellie never had kids and Russel doesn’t have much of a father; symbolising the parenthood Carl never got a chance to give and Russel never had, as we learn that his father was never there for him. Kevin somewhat adopts Russel, giving him security and care, proving that a wild bird does a better parenting job than his actual parents do. Also, the fact that Ellie lost a child must resonate somewhere inside Carl because he makes sure that Kevin is reunited with her children. Scenes where shown: When she lifts Russel onto her back and plays with him- The fun of having a friend and Russel’s desire to be cared for. Injured- How life is delicate and even the smartest and quickest can still be hurt. It also symbolises karma; how because Russel treated Kevin with care and love, Kevin selflessly chose to save them from Muntz Kevin giving away her position by squawking- Naivety and innocence. The trust that people wouldn’t harm her and there’s nothing to worry about is soon re-evaluated whilst being chased by dogs. Caught in the net- Greed- As the lights from the Spirit of Adventure beam down on the helpless, trapped animal, it represents how greedy humans can be and how they will harm other living creatures to get what they want. The Badge: The Grape Soda badge starts off as a symbol of Carl and Ellie’s friendship, used to show they belong to the same adventurer’s club. The pin also takes on a more symbolic meaning over the course of the story. It increases in sentimental influence and the emotional significance that follows it as it is passed from one character to another. From Ellie to Carl, and then from Carl to Russell. The Grape Soda badge came to represent the dream and bond that Ellie and Carl were a part of. For a while, it just sat in his house like a dead dream, but Carl didn’t give up on Ellie’s dream just because she was gone. Scenes where shown: Carl pins it to his jacket- Like every day, symbolising that the Adventure Club is still just as important as when they were kids. Throughout the movie- Carl wears the badge throughout the movie. He carries a part of Ellie’s spirit with him everywhere. Wilderness Explorer Badge Award Ceremony- Carl awards Russell with the Ellie Badge and pins on the grape soda cap for going above and beyond the call of duty. Here, Carl becomes the father-figure that Russell needs while Russell becomes the child that Carl always needed.