Review of Memento (2000) by Ying-Min C — 09 Aug 2014

We are all blank when we just born. Most of us have no memory of infant. How can a person know his birthday by himself? Even the concept of year, month and day are created by human and we need others to tell us this concept. We have to learn from environment, from external. Human body, our brain is complicate and functional. But just like computers, needs input to have output. It is why Lenny needs to note everything down. The note creates a memory for him. No matter the note is right or not, he need it to shape who he is. Teddy said "it is what you were not what you are." when Lenny answered who he is. I feel confused. Is what we were not what we are? The memory Lenny has experienced but lost can changes him? How about Sammy? Sammy is just an inexistent person for Lenny to flat his guilty. It a lie told by our brain to protect us (a natural white lie.) Going further to science fiction, if some one put my memory to another body, is it still me? The answer for me is YES. We can live without past but need memory, no matter the memory is right or not.

And do we need anticipated future to identify ourselves? For Lenny, John.G is the only chasing of his life and he must keep it because he can't create new one. It's right that you can't heal if you can't feel the time. Lenny's life stays in the moment his wife dying. For other people have long term memory, I think we keep create new goals of life even the smallest one. Sometimes maybe is death (for people have cancer).

Lenny's memory likes sausage slices, every piece are independent. But he still has the whole memory before injured. If without it, I think every slices of his memory can seem as a separated identity. They have no connect with each other. Lenny only concludes himself from the thing he senses in the slice he lives. He only lives in one slice one time.