Unreliable Memory in Memento
Unreliable Memory in Memento
Thesis: The unique narrative structure of the film and the leading role, Leonard Shelby in Memento prove that memory is unreliable.
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In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Samneric saw something moving, something large, which in reality was the dead body of a parachutist. But in the darkness and out of fear, in Samneric’s memory, the parachutist became a beast with leathery wings, teeth, and claws. He even claimed that he 'saw it slinking behind the trees'. In this case, Samneric's memory were mastered by his personal feelings — fear. Thus memory is unreliable, as it can be manipulated by personal feelings.
Similarly, the leading role of Memento, Leonard Shelby’s memory is also manipulated by his personal feelings. Leonard distorts his memory due to his desire to find and kill 'the one and only' murderer of his wife. In the following, I am going to prove memory is unreliable through the unique narrative structure and Leonard Shelby, the leading role of the film.
Memento, the story features a man called Leonard Shelby, who has anterograde amnesia, a disorder that caused his brain to be unable to store new memories. From Leonard’s memory, the disorder was a result from a concession caused by the rapist murderer of his wife. From then on, Leonard's life is all about finding 'the one and only' murderer of his wife and get him killed in order to take revenge.
Firstly, it is the unique narrative structure. The film's events unfold in two separate, alternating narratives — one in color, and the other in black-and-white. The black-and-white sections are told in chronological order, beginning by showing Leonard conversing with an anonymous caller in a motel room. Leonard's actual investigation is shown in color sequences that are in reverse order. By the end of the film, when the two narratives converge, revealing the investigation and events that lead up to Leonard’s friend, Teddy's death.
The narrative structure is
Thesis: The unique narrative structure of the film and the leading role, Leonard Shelby in Memento prove that memory is unreliable.
.
In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Samneric saw something moving, something large, which in reality was the dead body of a parachutist. But in the darkness and out of fear, in Samneric’s memory, the parachutist became a beast with leathery wings, teeth, and claws. He even claimed that he 'saw it slinking behind the trees'. In this case, Samneric's memory were mastered by his personal feelings — fear. Thus memory is unreliable, as it can be manipulated by personal feelings.
Similarly, the leading role of Memento, Leonard Shelby’s memory is also manipulated by his personal feelings. Leonard distorts his memory due to his desire to find and kill 'the one and only' murderer of his wife. In the following, I am going to prove memory is unreliable through the unique narrative structure and Leonard Shelby, the leading role of the film.
Memento, the story features a man called Leonard Shelby, who has anterograde amnesia, a disorder that caused his brain to be unable to store new memories. From Leonard’s memory, the disorder was a result from a concession caused by the rapist murderer of his wife. From then on, Leonard's life is all about finding 'the one and only' murderer of his wife and get him killed in order to take revenge.
Firstly, it is the unique narrative structure. The film's events unfold in two separate, alternating narratives — one in color, and the other in black-and-white. The black-and-white sections are told in chronological order, beginning by showing Leonard conversing with an anonymous caller in a motel room. Leonard's actual investigation is shown in color sequences that are in reverse order. By the end of the film, when the two narratives converge, revealing the investigation and events that lead up to Leonard’s friend, Teddy's death.
The narrative structure is