We all remember Up, the only movie I can think of that makes you cry in the first 10 minutes! In the beginning, we see a young lad, Carl, go to the movies to see a movie about a great adventurer, Charles Muntz, who is goes on a journey to South America to find a Snipe. On his way home he meets a little girl named Ellie who also likes Charles Muntz and adventures. She tells him that she wants to live in Paradise Falls (that's where Charles went to find the Snipe). The two end up getting married and continuously save up to go to South America but life keeps getting in the way and they must spend the money they have been saving up. They go through the ages with each other and it isn't until they get to their 70s that Carl finally got tickets to South America and plans to surprise Ellie BUT she gets sick and soon dies. Yea, all that happens in the beginning of the film.

So, here is where the theory comes into play. After Carl tells the construction worker he could have the house "When I'm dead" he goes inside and watches some tv. He ends up having a heart attack and that's when he meets Russell, his guardian angel. He asks Carl if he needs help crossing the street. He tells him no because he isn't ready to die yet. Russell tells him "Well, I gotta help you cross something." . Carl refuses but Russell doesn't let him off that easy. He shows Carl all of his badges and that he is missing one. He has to help an elder cross the street. Russell is like Clarence Odbody from "It's a Wonderful Life", he doesn't have his wings yet. He has to meet certain requirements before he can get them. His badges are the ones he has already finished, and the last badge is helping an elderly cross over to Heaven. Carl tricks the young angel/Boy Scout by sending him on a snipe hunt.

A snipe hunt is a type of practical joke or fool's errand, in existence in North America as early as the 1840s, in which an unsuspecting newcomer is duped into trying to catch a nonexistent animal called a snipe. Although snipe are an actual family of birds, a snipe hunt is a quest for an imaginary creature whose description varies.

Carl does recover from the heart attack and manages to avoid going to the other side. Like the movie, he hits the construction worker, goes to court, and is told he will be evicted from his house in the morning. He goes to pack up his things, finds Ellie's journal and reminisces. When he goes to bed he has another heart attack. His house floating into the sky represents Carl dying but still doesn't cross over into the afterlife but he is well on his way. Paradise Falls is Carl's heaven and Russell continues to help him cross over.

Why is Russell a child? Well, he is a young angel and he was assigned to help Carl pass over because it would be easier for Russell and Carl. Carl and Ellie wanted to have kids, but couldn't, so by sending a younger angel it hit a soft spot in Carl and helped him eventually pass over.

Kevin (the bird) represents a Higher Calling — a Muse, perhaps, or maybe even God himself. Something that Carl can aspire to that's beyond his own desires and wishes. Russell would be fully aware of what Kevin is. At first Carl couldn't care less about Kevin and wants to leave it behind, but Russell eventually shows Carl some of the better aspects of Kevin. Kevin's love of chocolate is a metaphor for the small rewards that are earned along the way of pursuing a higher calling. The fact that Kevin is rarely around when Carl needs him and often around when Carl doesn't want him to be is also indicative of a higher calling. A Muse-like inspiration rarely strikes when we want it to. By the end of the movie Carl has come to accept and protect Kevin, and thereby accepting his own higher purpose in life (and afterwards) even if he doesn't fully understand it.

Dug (the Golden Retriever) represents a metaphor for transition, the change from one state to another. Dug was Muntz's dog but switched over to Carl/Russel's side, he was the worst of Muntz's dogs but became the alpha, and with the translation collar he bridges the gap between humans and animals in the same way that he is helping Carl to bridge the gap between life and the afterlife. There is even a scene in the movie where he tells Carl to "Go towards the light" and Carl does so with the help of Kevin and Russell.

Charles Muntz is Satan, Alpha and the rest of his dogs are the Hounds of Hell. He wants to capture Kevin for his own glory and personal satisfaction, the same way that Lucifer wants to get rid of all that is good. Carl's soul is the prize here; if Muntz destroys the Higher Calling then Carl falls into despair, and Muntz wins.

Carl's house represents his attachment to the physical world and earthly things. Paradise Falls represents Heaven and when Carl finally go his house to Paradise Falls, that's when he finally moved on to the afterlife.... Well, that's what the theory states (the one I read). I don't actually believe that Paradise Falls is Heaven, I think it was a test for Carl. If he went to Paradise Falls and decides to stay there instead of going with Russell to help Kevin, then Carl failed to let go of his materialistic life and chose not to help the good side and ended up going to Hell (Charles' dogs find Carl, bring him to Muntz, he eventually tells him about his crazy adventure with Russell, then Muntz kills Carl). But Carl figures out that it's just a house and that he need to let go. When Russell tells him he is sorry that he lost his house, Carl says "You know, it's just a house." With a smile on his face. They get on Muntz's old blimp and Carl, Russell, Dug, and the rest of the dogs (well all dogs do go to Heaven) head back to North America. The moment that Carl finally got to Heaven is when they landed in "North America" and he saw Russell finally get his wings.

What a sad theory.... but at least it has a happy ending! I really enjoyed this theory and it is probably one of my favorites in this book! I hope you all enjoyed as well! If you aren't following already, why don't you just go on over to my profile and maybe follow? I'd really appreciate it!!!