Tools of Characterization

Characterization in Up

Family Life

On the surface, Carl and Russell don’t have a lot in common. Carl’s old; Russell’s young. Carl’s the strong, silent, really cranky type; boisterous little Russell can’t stop yammering. But one thing Carl and Russell do have in common is their fractured families.

Carl’s quietly reeling from Ellie’s death, and takes out his unhappiness on everybody within earshot. But Carl isn’t just mad about the skyscrapers going up around his house; he’s mad at the world, and he’s mad that his wife is gone. Russell, meanwhile, has a dad and stepmom that treat him like a stray cat.

RUSSELL: Well, I call, but Phyllis told me I bug him too much.

Ouch

Simply put, these are two dudes that are both in dire need of a hug, and it colors their words and actions accordingly. Carl has isolated himself and turned into a mega-grump. Russell, on the other hand, is so desperate for companionship and guidance that he’s willing to put up with Carl. Ultimately, each character’s lack of a fulfilling family life is what drives them together. When they join forces and create their own little clan, the sky’s the limit. Literally.

Thoughts and Opinions

Carl’s opinion on just about anything can be summed up in one word: Harrumph. He’s like the senior citizen version of Mikey from the Life cereal commercial; he hates everything. In a matter of minutes, he sends well-meaning Russell off on a snipe hunt, and tells the construction company they can have his house…when he’s dead. Carl just wants to be left alone and is heavily characterized by his gloomy outlook.

Russell’s characterized by his thoughts and opinions, too, but he’s like the bizarro world version of Carl. For as cantankerous and cynical as Carl is, Russell’s equally enthusiastic and optimistic. “Hey look, buildings!” Russell cries as they soar over his hometown. “That building's so close, I can almost touch it! Wow! This is great!” Russell doesn’t care that he’s floating away in a rickety old house; he’s just stoked for adventure.

Occupation

Let’s cut to the chase: Nobody in Up is characterized by their profession more than Muntz. Being an explorer isn’t just his job; it’s his identity. So when his discovery of a rare South American creature is discredited, it isn’t just a blow to his track record as the world’s greatest explorer, it’s a gut-punch to his ego. That’s why he vows to return to South America and not show his mustachioed face again until he can clear his name. His decades’ worth of failure are also what drive him straight-up crazy. He returns to South America to recapture his sense of self, but loses his marbles instead.

Russell and Carl are also characterized by what they do. Being a Wilderness Explorer isn’t technically a job—we mean, the kid’s not being paid to earn badges—but, for Russell, scouting is everything. Carl, on the other hand, is characterized by his lack of vocation and avocation, which is a fancy way of saying that he doesn’t have a job, and he doesn’t have any hobbies—unless you count waiting for the mail to arrive. Not to get all morbid on you, but in his retirement, Carl’s essentially just marking time until he joins Ellie. In that respect, his journey to Paradise Falls doesn’t only reinvigorate his spirit; it saves his life. And, of course, the fact that he’s a former balloon salesman comes in pretty handy, too.