The film Up directed by Docter (2009) shows a storyline about the 78-year-old grouch Carl Fredriksen who believes that life bypasses him. To keep the promise made to his deceased wife, he decides to fulfill his dream of a great adventure by tying thousands of balloons to his house and flying into the wilds of South America. Before flying half a mile, the traveler discovers that he inadvertently took with him an extremely talkative and incorrigibly cheerful 8-year-old boy named Russell. The cartoon also shows how life can change if you start turning dreams into reality; of course, all the adventures of Mr. Fredriksen and the boy scout Russell are funny and fantastic. They help not only to reveal all the main characters but also show how Karl himself is changing and who has found a new meaning in life. I think that during their story, Russell has become, for him, the son /grandson he never had.
Psychological aging is how an individual imagines his aging process (for example, young people may feel psychologically older); a specific feeling of psychological old age, which has both objective signs (a decrease in intellectual abilities, a narrowing of the emotional sphere) and subjective manifestations. The feeling of old age arises in a person’s attitude to the aging process when compared with the aging process of other people: it seems to him that he is aging faster or slower than everyone else. I believe that in the film Up, an old man named Carl is a bright example of psychological aging. After he lost his close and beloved person, he started to have a passive lifestyle and lost any interest in the outer world and other people. However, after he had been introduced to Russel, the child became a new source of light in his life. Mr. Fredriksen experienced new emotions and felt his importance to the other person. That fulfilled him, and he felt himself more active, happy, and young again.
CREATION health principles stand for Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust, Interpersonal Relationships, Outlook, and Nutrition. Such principles as activity and interpersonal relationships from the CREATION health were incorporated into the storyline of the film. For instance, before the adventure on the balloon, Mr. Fredriksen had maintained a very boring and passive lifestyle. He watched TV all day and barely communicated with anybody. That was the reason for his bad mood, and it seemed like he had lost any hope. However, when he took a risk and flew up with Russel, his attitude changed. He started to look at his life from a completely new perspective and realized the importance of having a loving person by his side.
I think that this film accurately depicts the process of aging in our culture today. Many people have an opportunity to stay young for longer by maintaining an active lifestyle and being positive about their aging. However, at some point in their lifetime period, many start to distance themselves from new people, cut their connection with the outer world, and simply stop enjoying life. However, I think that it is important to keep improving yourself, gaining new experiences, and appreciating time with friends and family. As was mentioned previously, psychological aspects, along with activity and interpersonal relationship levels, are vital in the context of aging. While many people in today’s society might stop taking care of themselves after losing important people or retiring from jobs, they, on the other hand, might dedicate more time to their grandchildren and traveling. That would make them feel younger psychologically, maintain good health conditions, and keep them young for a longer period of time.
Reference
Docter, P. (Director). (2009) Up [Film]. Walt Disney Pictures & Pixar Animation Studios.