"UP" Introduction to Demonstrate Erikson's Later Stages

Honestly, now, how many of you BALLED your eyes out during the first ten minutes of the movie "Up?"

I did, and I have to work really hard not to cry while I share this video clip (Use the text link as YouTube will not allow me to embed this specific clip) with my students.

But the clip is so worth sharing! It does a great job at demonstrating the later stages in Erikson's theory of development.  After sharing the video with students we discuss:

• Ellie and Carl could not have children.  How did they still stay happy throughout their middle life?
• Carl was very lonely without Ellie and is a very cranky man in the remainder of the movie. How do we know that Ellie handled Erikson's stages better than Carl?
• Have you seen this movie before? What makes Carl a happy person again? How does this support Erikson's theory?

If I do get choked up, I ask students why I take the clip so personally while they don't seem as bothered by it.  Perhaps they just have tougher skin than me, but students always catch on that I have found my life partner and I am looking forward to the middle part of my life.  The students are still concerned with figuring out who they are and finding someone to share their lives with.