The movie “Momento” directed by Nolan depicts a story of a man suffered from amnesia as a result of head injury when a killer confronted his wife. The movie vividly portrays psychological difficulties and problems experienced by the main character, Leonard, and ways he invested to solve his daily problems. In terms of psychological analysis, amnesia can be explained as defective visual memory. The patient is considered to be unable to generate visual images because his visual memory is destroyed. In order to remember things, Leonard develops a system of notes and messages which help him to manage his life and communicate with the environment. Following psychological explanation, the main character reduces all of the material-specific conflicts of memory.
In this case, amnesia is seen as a loss of verbal memory-images and a loss of visual memory-images (Myers et al.2006). Though, if his memory is defined in this way, the issue as to whether or not his cessation of dreaming is a memory disturbance assumes a different meaning. It becomes a n issue of whether or not cessation of dreaming is a conflict of gnosis or imagery (rather than a conflict of memory as such). The relationship between cessation and imager has been discussed already in the movie. For instance, in order to maintain logical structure of events and daily activities, Leonard uses photos and pictures to record information. He looks through these images again and again trying to recollect feelings and emotions (Lethem, 2000).
The relevant issue now is whether or not people with amnesia are actually having images of reality but then forgetting them, that is, whether or not cessation of images is illusory. Moreover, in recent years cognitive neuropsychologists have stated that the so-called semantic memory system can be integrated into multiple subsystems which can be impaired selectively. In order to add emotional tension to the plot development, the director uses reverse chronological order of events and memories. Viewers understand that memories are real but suppressed by psychological stress and injury. In this climate, it is not not possible that some contemporary theorists might conceptualize cessation of dreaming as a category-specific amnesic syndrome (Myers et al.2006).
It is important to state that since the relevant issue is whether or not people with amnesia are actually having images of reality but then forgetting them, critics concern with the so-called episodic memory system. This means that people with amnesia, like Leonard, need to establish memory system and recollect information about people and events of everyday life. The example of Leonard suggests that the explanation for this cognitive disorder might be that although amnesia frequently produces subjective cessation, subjective cessation of events is only rarely caused by amnesia. In other words, although some cases with loss of memory may be dreaming but then forgetting their images, in the majority of cases the psychological disorder occurs independently. This suggests that cessation and memory loss might not be a unitary syndrome with a single underlying apparatus (Lethem, 2000).
In sum, the movie “Momento” vividly portrays problems and troubles caused by amnesia and possible adaptations to life. The subjective complaint of cessation of memory loss is not the same as a failure to report specific images of reality during a time-limited period. The relationship between cessation or amnesia and memory disorder has clearly not yet been adequately evaluated. This issue will have to be reconsidered by modern psychologists, on the basis of the empirical findings of the present research. With this purpose in mind, the movie portrays complicated relations between cognitive development of a person and his/her relations with reality. In the case of Leonard, memory loss or reduction of memory is a main phenomenon, independent of any disturbance of memory and inner psychological state.
References
Lethem, J. (2000). The Vintage Book of Amnesia: An Anthology of Writing on the Subject of Memory Los. Vintage.
Myers, E. et al. (2006)..Social Psychology (6th Edition). Prentice Hall; 6th edition.
Momento (2000). Dir. By Ch. Nolan. DVD. Sony Pictures.