Construction Workers

Character Analysis

The Construction Workers

Those construction workers sure seem to mean well, don’t they? After all, they’re only doing their job. They have a cold, suited-up boss to report to, and a dinged-up mailbox is just part of the gig when you’re working with heavy machinery. Right?

Okay, sure. But the construction workers also serve another, more important purpose: The hard-hatted laborers, and the company they work for, represent society’s dim view of the elderly. Carl’s a speed bump on the road to progress. They may be generally good-natured in their dealings with him, but what they really want him to do is shut up and get out of the way. Like the nurses from Shady Oaks, they don’t get what all of Carl’s fuss is about.

In short, the construction workers’ insensitive treatment of Carl and his desire to preserve his and Ellie’s memory-packed house reflects how our youth-obsessed culture straight-up ignores senior citizens, their wisdom, and their contributions. That’s why they’re shocked when Carl and his house hit the sky. That’s why, as a viewer, you can’t help but cheer when Carl’s all, “So long, boys! I’ll send you a postcard from Paradise Falls.” Those narrow-minded construction workers just got played by a septuagenarian. Oh, snap!