Tools of Characterization
Characterization in Inception
Names
These characters spell dreams.
No seriously, check it out: Dominick (Cobb's first name), Robert (Fischer's first name), Eames, Arthur/Ariadne, Mal, Saito. DREAMS. However, what if we add Peter (Browning's first name) and Yusuf, we get DREAMS PAY. Eerie!
Some names are interesting all by their lonesome, though. Take Mal, for instance. If you think about it, her name is pronounced strangely. Most fans assume it's a shortened nickname of Mallorie, but wouldn't you pronounce it as if it were the first syllable of that name? You'd say "mahl" instead of "mall," right?
Our Mal's name is symbolic: "mal" is actually a root in many Romance languages meaning "bad" or "evil." We don't want to judge, but while Mal as a projection may not be necessarily evil, she certainly isn't making any friends.
Then we have Cobb, a name that could (and probably does) stem from two sources. The first is the Canadian-American architect Andrew R. Cobb. If you haven't noticed, architecture is a pretty big deal in Inception. This movie is all about creating and building worlds and cities and has lots of shots of tall, modernist buildings. It's an architecture-fest.
Cobb could also be in reference to another Nolan character, a thief named Cobb in his 1998 film, Following. This 1998 Cobb character states that "everyone has a box"—everyone has a place people keep valuables. It sounds a lot like what Inception Cobb does, creates a safe space for people to subconsciously fill with what they need to keep safe.
Finally, let's talk Ariadne. She shares her name with a Greek goddess known as the "mistress of the labyrinth." Different versions of her myth tell slightly different stories, but each tells of her role in helping Theseus defeat the Minotaur. Wait—help who defeat what now?
Here goes: the Athenians must make human sacrifices to the Minotaur (a creepy bull-headed man) so Theseus, prince of Athens, volunteers so that he may kill the Minotaur. Ariadne falls in love with Theseus and gives him a sword and a ball of yarn to help him navigate the labyrinth and slay the beast.
Our Ariadne is also a mistress of labyrinths: the ones she creates in dreams and teaches to the dreamers. She also acts as a guide for Cobb in his battle with his past and the guilt he is burdened with.
Props
All right: it's totem time! Everyone's got one and it's about time we figured out what they tell us about our characters.
Well okay, maybe not everybody has one; it's actually kind of unclear how necessary totems are. Cobb and Arthur make a big deal about it but Eames and Yusuf never talk totems and it doesn't seem like Saito has one either. Hey, maybe that speaks to their sanity. Maybe they don't need something that tells them if they're dreaming because they already know.
At any rate, let's look at the three totems we do know. Arthur has a loaded die, which is a bit strange for his character. The die makes him look like a gambler, a risk taker. While he may be risky compared to most of us, in the context of the movie he is portrayed as the level headed, organized one. The die seems like a better fit for Eames.
Then there's Ariadne's bishop. Again this one is a bit tricky. Maybe the bishop is supposed to make us think of the structure of a chess game: Ariadne is responsible for creating structure in their shared dreams.
Then there's Cobb's totem: a top. It was Mal's but now it's Cobb's. Why a top? It could have to do with Cobb's obsessive nature. Unlike the other totems—which can quickly confirm or deny a dream state—the top must be closely watched until it stops…or doesn't.
That's the whole point about Cobb. He's obsessed with reality and what's real, he's constantly doubting himself (in the form of Mal), and must spin the top directly after every time he wakes up. The top's spinning builds suspense and helps us feel the tension that Cobb is feeling due to his damaging trip into Limbo
Actions
This is an action movie after all: each character does things.
Cobb is a man of action. He gets things done even if that means rappelling from a chair weighted only by the malicious projection of his ex-wife to enter a safe of a powerful man. However, it's not just the dream world where Cobb takes action.
We also see him running through the crowded streets of Mombasa, dodging bullets and bad guys alike. Mostly this go-getter attitude works wonders (he is apparently a very skilled extractor) but when it comes to exploring the possibilities in dreams it lands him in trouble and ultimately leads to Mal's suicide.
Then there's Eames. He's also a very take-action sort-of-dude, but he possesses a bit (okay, a lot) more levity than Cobb. He's always poking fun at Arthur. He also isn't afraid to get creative, using a grenade launcher in place of Arthur's more standard assault rifle and having fun with Saito in the elevator when he's still in his womanly form.
We also have Ariadne, whose ingenuity is defined not just by Mile's recommendation but by her ability to complete Cobb's difficult maze challenge…and by how quickly she's able to pick up dream architecture and manipulation. She may be innocent (and repulsed by the dark side of Cobb's subconscious) but like the rest of them she's too curious to turn away from dreams where she can experience "pure creation."