Narrative

There are 4 theories applied to the narrative of every film. These theories were created by:

• Barthe
• Toteroff
• Propp
• Levi Strauss

Barthes theory is that there were 3 codes in each film : Action, Symbolic and Enigma. These theories can be applied to every film and today I am going to asses the opening scene for the Pixar film 'Up' and see if Barthe's theories can be applied.

The main actions within this scene where it shows time passing, is how Ellie and Carl are gradually shown getting older, when the balloon flies away from the stand, when they smash open their savings jar, when the tree crashes into the house and when it shows that Ellie has miscarried. The narrative is moved forward by showing the two main characters getting older an how their dreams and ambitions are both fulfilled and unfulfilled.
Enigma plays a big part in how the narrative is moved forward and how their lives progress together as a young and old couple. Many questions are being asked amongst the audience such as: is Ellie pregnant? Do they still want to go to South America? Has Ellie lost her baby? Why has Ellie become ill?
The only characters presented in this sequence are Ellie and Carl who are childhood sweethearts that grow very old together, learn together and love eachother very much.
The key themes within the video above are: love, happiness, death and time passing/growing old. The audience observe how the characters learn and grow together and develop an attachment to the characters, especially when Ellie passes away.

Here is a list of each shot in order:
1.  Carl carrying Ellie into their new house, post wedding.
2. Ellie and Carl constructing the house still in their wedding attire.
3. Both moving their chairs together by the window.
4. Painting their names on the post box. Disruption of the equilibrium when Carl accidentally makes a hand print of paint on the box, then Ellie does it too, on purpose.
5. The picture of the house that they drew when they were children becomes real.
6. Both climbing up the hill, Carl gets tired and Ellie is laughing at him while she is standing at the top of the hill.
7. Cloud watching while they're having their picnic and see clouds in the shape of animals.
8. Working at the zoo together, Carl's balloon stand almost flies away.
9. Holding hands while reading their books.
10. Looking at the clouds on a different day and seeing clouds in the shape of babies.
11. Painting the baby's room.
12. Music slows down. Ellie sitting down crying in the doctors office while Carl is comforting her. Dark room.
13. Carl watching Ellie sitting in the front garden, sad. Walks up to her and presents her with the book they created from when they were children.
14. Painting a picture of their house in Niagra Falls.
15. Music speeds up again as they put coins into a savings jar.
16. A disruption of the equalibrium when they get a flat tire, Carl breaks his leg and the roof of the house is broken. Keep smashing open the savings jar.
17. Ellie putting on Carl's tie for him until they are old.
18. Working at the zoo again, Carl is wiser and knows when the balloon stand is going to start flying away.
19. Slow dancing in the living room.
20. Cleaning the windows, shes on the other side cleaning too.
21. While cleaning the living room, Carl realises that they never moved to South America.
22. Carl booking flights.
23. Tickets hidden in picnic basket as a present.
24. Carl at the top of the hill, Ellie climbing up and getting tired, then collapses.
25. Music slow and quiet. Longest scene. Ellie is lying in a hospital bed and a little blue balloon floats towards her and Carl is standing in the corner of the room. He walks over and presents the book from their childhood to her and she touches his face. He kisses her forehead.
26. Carl left alone at her funeral holding a single blue balloon. The room is dark.
27. Carl is walking back into the house by himself.