Despite writing constantly, he never acknowledges having written any of the other entries despite them being in his handwriting (Sacks, 2007). Patients with anterograde amnesia, however, such as British conductor, Clive Wearing, do not trust notes they write because they cannot recall having written them (Sacks, 2007). Leonard Shelby writes notes to himself so that he can keep track of events and understand the facts. People with anterograde amnesia are not necessarily aware of their condition. Yet this point is where the film diverges from reality. The famous case of anterograde amnesia, is that of Henry Molaison, know as H.M., reportedly always introduced himself to his psychologist, Brenda Milner, despite having worked closely with her for decades (Squire, 2009). In reality people with anterograde amnesia interact with people in much the same fashion. The viewer observes this phenomenon when Leonard interacts with any of the other characters he reintroduces himself, explains his condition, and tells the story of Sammy Jenkins to further explain the nature of his amnesia.
Leonard, when discussing Sammy, recalls meeting him on multiple occasions and was never recognized. Yet he is unable to learn even the simplest new tasks, or people he met after the accident.
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Sammy remembers complex skills, such as how to properly dose and administer insulin to his diabetic wife. Sammy Jenkins, a man with the same condition as Leonard, serves as an anecdotal foil for Leonard to explain his own condition to others. Just like Leonard Shelby waking up to a new moment every time his thought changes, the viewer is placed on the same footing, exposed to a new piece of the puzzle with each passing vignette of his memoryīesides the attempts to make the viewer understand the nature and emotional experience of people with anterograde amnesia, it accurately depicts the challenges people with anterograde amnesia experience interacting with the world. The viewer is no more certain of the facts being presented.
In this sense the viewer is much like Leonard Shelby after his accident.
The viewer, just like Leonard Shelby, comes into the story with only the knowledge and understanding they had before the film began. Robbed of the sequential progression of events to which most people are accustomed, one’s understanding of reality become unsettled an experience akin to that of people with anterograde amnesia who are constantly disoriented if they find themselves in an unfamiliar setting. The narrative operates backwards, working its way from end to beginning. Memento’s structure also plays an important role in creating this experience. Leonard suffers from the worst kind of anterograde amnesia. Patients with anterograde amnesia may still remember the past but have problems recalling events (from a few to all events) that have happened since their amnesia began. Anterograde amnesia is a condition where the brain is impaired in encoding new memories. The film’s story structure and cinematic style creates a disorienting effect on the viewer that provides a visceral experience similar to the daily lives of people with anterograde amnesia. This has the intended effect of causing the viewer to relate more closely to the anxiety and uncertainty that are mainstays of people’s life with anterograde amnesia. Upon watching Memento the viewer has only slightly more insight into the events and back-story than the film’s protagonist.
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