"Memento"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the movie "Memento" which is a neo-noir-psychological thriller about a former insurance fraud investigator. During a burglary his wife is raped and murdered and he sustains a brain injury, resulting in loss of short term memory. The paper uses the movie as a background for discussing memory loss and states that "memory" is one of the key elements that separates human beings from animals. It is one of the basic building blocks of personality. The movie "Memento" is concerned with all aspects of memory, especially the manipulation of it. The paper continues by discussing various case histories of memory loss.

From the Paper:

" Our class discussion has often mentioned that who we are is shaped as much by our experiences as by our environment (nurture/nature). Memory can also be unreliable, not to mention easily influenced. Although memories are skewed by perspective, they are critical to the human experience. Memento is concerned with all aspects of memory, especially the manipulation of it. Manipulation of memory means that Leonard must struggle to avoid being manipulated by various people who would clearly like to use him. This movie's approach to telling us the story in reverse chronological order and as two separate, alternating narratives is probably accurate to how people struggling with memory loss experience life. As viewers this progression clarifies the puzzle - but then our memories are in tact aren't they?"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Berardinelli, J. (2001). Top All Time 100. http://www.reelviews.net/movies/m/memento.html
• Caaco, S., Malec, J.F. & Bergquist, T. (2005). Non-declarative memory in the rehabilitation of amnesia. Brain Injury. 19 (10), 853-859. Retrieved November 2, 2007 from PsycINFO database (10.1080/01449290500109917).
• Feinstein, A., Hershkop, S., Ouchterlony, D., Jardine, A., & McCullagh, S. (2002). Posttraumatic amnesia and recall of a traumatic event following traumatic brain injury. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 14, 25 - 30. Retrieved November 2, 2007 from http://neuron.psychiatryonline.org/cgi.content/full/14/1/25?eaf
• Kalat, J. W., (2004). Biological Psychology, 8th Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning Inc., Belmont, CA.
• Pendick, D. (2002). The Newsletter of the Memory Disorders Project at Rutgers University - Memory Loss and the Brain. Retrieved November 18, 2007 from http://www.memorylossonline.com/spring2002/memlossatmovies.htm

More papers on "Memento":

• Analytical Essay # 4854 : "Human Nature according to Oedipus and Memento"
• Essay # 87459 : "Memento"
• Analytical Essay # 67600 : "Memento Mori" "
• Analytical Essay # 58514 : "Hamlet and the Memento of Death"

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