How does Memento use a flawed, unreliable narrator to create effect? Memento is written and directed by Christopher Nolan, it is based on his brother's short story

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How does Memento use a flawed, unreliable narrator to create effect?

Memento is written and directed by , it is based on his brother’s short story "". The film consists entirely of an intricately woven pattern of flashbacks. While the black and white sequences progress chronologically forward in time, the colour scenes are arranged in reverse order. Thus the opening (colour) scene of the film is chronologically the last event in the story. The film features a protagonist who, after his wife's rape and murder, suffers from anterograde amnesia. Each scene starts with Leonard (Guy Pearce), blank and "innocent," confronting the mystery of how he got there. Leonard is forced to use notes, photographs, and tattoos to substitute for his missing memory, in an attempt to decipher what has happened to him; his method is obviously flawed. He records clues about the murderer because he hopes to have the opportunity for revenge. By using Leonard as both the protagonist and narrator, Nolan achieves a higher level of tension and suspense than may have otherwise been achieved.

Leonard’s condition automatically makes him an unreliable narrator, the credibility of his point of view is seriously compromised by his mental inability to make new memories. From the start of the film this creates unease within the audience. Throughout the film the viewer is painfully aware that all they know of the past comes from Leonard’s tattoos photos and notes, some of which contradict each other and undermine everything which, up to that point the viewer had known to be true, for instance, a tattoo saying don’t trust yourself. If Leonard can’t trust him self how are we meant to trust him? Using an unreliable narrator is not a new concept. Think Fight Club, Spider, The Machinist. In fact you could argue that all first-person narration, and indeed narration generally, is inescapably unreliable, as it is totally subjective. However we as the audience don’t instantly think of Leonard as unreliable, making us easy to manipulate. We are so eager to work out the plot from the miss-match of scenes that our concentration it not allowed to drift and ponder on the fact that his revenge would in theory be pointless as surely he wouldn’t be able to remember it. Either this or our pity and empathy for Leonard makes us want to (in a Disney like fashion) believe that once Leonard gets his revenge his memory will come flooding back. This sympathy is only felt as everything seen in the film is seen from Leonard’s point of view, we are constantly at his eye level, when he walks in a room we see the room as he would. If Leonard was not seen as so vulnerable, then maybe we would not be so willing to believe him and sympathize with his plight.

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 In using an unreliable narrator Nolan is able to show the audience that human motives are rarely black and white. He is able to challenge the viewer’s perception and expectations making them change their feelings toward the different characters; Teddy for instance, could be Leonard’s only friend or his cynical controller, where does he fall in Voltaire’s dissection of the classical story; is he a hero or a villain ? Meanwhile, Natalie, who is openly seen to be using Leonard and goes so far as to tell him this knowing that he won’t remember it. We as the audience are ...

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