Core Themes And Narrative Conflicts In Memento By Christopher Nolan

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The psychological thriller, Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000), encompass many factors that contribute in resolving the core themes and narrative conflicts within the film. When specifically looking at the final scene, we can analyze the use of camera framing, plot, symbolism, the use of diegetic and nondiegetic sounds and cinematography to depict the themes and narrative conflicts.
Memento foreshadows several core themes which represents the entirety of the film and are heavily based in the concluding scene. These themes include identity, being one of the largest and most influential theme developed. This larger theme, however branches into other important sub-themes such as manipulation and the unreliability memories. These themes cultivate
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There is a sense of irony behind the tattoos as they are initially intended to symbolize the truth and memories, however we discover in the final scene that it is the basis of manipulation and lies in order to fulfill Leonard’s willingness to live and what he has constructed to be his meaning of life. He has himself and the audience to believe that his purpose of life is to get revenge on his wife’s killer. However, we discover he is constantly manipulating himself to get his purpose in life, which seems to be keeping himself distracted. In Leonard’s monologue in the final scene he states “We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are.” (Nolan, 2000). This is nevertheless ironic as this refers back to the symbolism of the tattoos. He uses mirrors as an approach to read the tattoos on his chest so that he could remind himself of who he is and what his purpose of life is; nevertheless, it is all a game of …show more content…
He does this through a number or different aspects including the use of climax in most of the scenes incorporated in the film, leavings the last, and questionably, the greatest climatic scene to the very end of the film. Nolan doesn’t follow the classic Hollywood story line which allows him to shock the audience till the very last scene. The last scene contradicts with many of the past scenes, as it opens with a recognizable setting of Leonard on the phone instead of thrown into a random unidentifiable setting. This can allow the audience to grasp what is being given to them and understand the whole message and buildup of themes being hurled at them rather than trying to construct and interpret a meaning in the story and action.
Nolan is overall able to successfully shock the audience in the concluding scene when Leonard’s intentions and true nature unfolds. He successfully does this by incorporating several factors to aid the scene in its revelations. This includes the use of cinematography and its use of colour, framing to portray emotions and focus on diegetic and nondiegetic sounds, the plot and the use of non-linear time framing, and finally the use of symbolism. This all contribute in resolving and building narrative conflicts and the core themes of manipulation and identity within the

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