“Memento Mori” by Jonathan Nolan is a narrative that focuses on revenge. Revenge for
most people is blunted by time and ethical considerations stemming from the context of society,
but Earl does not have these resources available to him. Ironically, the individual who raped and
murdered his wife committed suicide unwittingly by killing the part of Earl’s brain that may
have curtailed his desire for revenge. Nolan’s story is told in a stream of consciousness
perspective in the third person in the present tense. While time is fractured for Early, the
narration progresses in a linear fashion. We are given a subjective narration, meaning that we
gain insight into Earl’s feelings and desires. The character hierarchy is strictly dominated by
Earl, and the minor characters (Card 1999)—his wife, the man he kills—are not even named or
described much. Fittingly for Earl’s condition, they exist as snapshots.
“Memento Mori” is told in the third person. The narrator is not a participant in the
progression of the story; rather it is as though we are dreaming or watching a film (Fludernik
1996). This complements the progression of the story, because we gain and lose insight into the
location and progression of Earl’s progress the same way that he does: through the readings of
notes, photographs, and tattoos. Earl’s feelings and insights, even though they are
communicated at times as fractured symbols and notes, are relayed to us through a subjective
narration axis.
Fittingly, the narration is also done through the lens of a limited narrator, which helps us
to empathize with Earl’s challenges of having to rediscover himself every ten minutes. Initially,
we think perhaps there is another narrator, and that perhaps the notes have been left by a nurse or
relative. This is amplified by the fact that the photograph of the funeral is initially attributed to a
doctor who knew of his condition before Earl worked out his system, and had the photograph
taken in order for Earl to not forget that it took place (this is confirmed by the fact Earl appears
, in the photograph). However, it soon becomes very clear that Earl is leaving himself messages in
bottles in order to accomplish his goal. The mode of address, then, is told from the position of
both the narrator and first person notes that Earl leaves himself.
Due to Earl’s medical condition and the fact that the narrator is not omnipresent, the
reader must take on an active role in order to figure out what is occurring and fill in the holes.
He or she must be able to piece together the story through its limited perspectives and draw
conclusions. One conclusion involves the means by which Earl has transported himself to the
location of his wife’s killer. Another conclusion the reader is asked to draw is the second date
etched on the bell. Perhaps it refers to the date that the man was murdered, or it could be the
birthday or the death of Earl’s wife. However, we could assume it is the date of the man’s death,
because it happens towards the end of the story and we can assume that dates relevant to his wife
(wedding, birthday) would be available to him prior to the revenge killing. In other instances,
the reader is unable to draw even crude inferences, and instead must speculate. An example
would be where Earl got the money from that he has in his pocket. Perhaps he stole it, or maybe
he knew where some money was hidden from his earlier life thanks to some note.
The narration is not omnipresent. Sometimes both we and Earl lose the thread of
continuity, and none of the notes or tattoos can help. One example would be Earl’s tanned arm,
which indicates he’s been possibly driving for a long time or hitchhiking in the sun. Had the
narrator been omnipresent, we would have been given insight such as “Earl then took the keys to
the stranger’s car, even though he knew it wasn’t right. However, he would not have time to
generate a note, and the details of the theft would vanish in time.”
We could see the story working with this sort of narration, but having to experience the
story as Earl experiences his injury builds suspense and allows us to create our own possibilities.
most people is blunted by time and ethical considerations stemming from the context of society,
but Earl does not have these resources available to him. Ironically, the individual who raped and
murdered his wife committed suicide unwittingly by killing the part of Earl’s brain that may
have curtailed his desire for revenge. Nolan’s story is told in a stream of consciousness
perspective in the third person in the present tense. While time is fractured for Early, the
narration progresses in a linear fashion. We are given a subjective narration, meaning that we
gain insight into Earl’s feelings and desires. The character hierarchy is strictly dominated by
Earl, and the minor characters (Card 1999)—his wife, the man he kills—are not even named or
described much. Fittingly for Earl’s condition, they exist as snapshots.
“Memento Mori” is told in the third person. The narrator is not a participant in the
progression of the story; rather it is as though we are dreaming or watching a film (Fludernik
1996). This complements the progression of the story, because we gain and lose insight into the
location and progression of Earl’s progress the same way that he does: through the readings of
notes, photographs, and tattoos. Earl’s feelings and insights, even though they are
communicated at times as fractured symbols and notes, are relayed to us through a subjective
narration axis.
Fittingly, the narration is also done through the lens of a limited narrator, which helps us
to empathize with Earl’s challenges of having to rediscover himself every ten minutes. Initially,
we think perhaps there is another narrator, and that perhaps the notes have been left by a nurse or
relative. This is amplified by the fact that the photograph of the funeral is initially attributed to a
doctor who knew of his condition before Earl worked out his system, and had the photograph
taken in order for Earl to not forget that it took place (this is confirmed by the fact Earl appears
, in the photograph). However, it soon becomes very clear that Earl is leaving himself messages in
bottles in order to accomplish his goal. The mode of address, then, is told from the position of
both the narrator and first person notes that Earl leaves himself.
Due to Earl’s medical condition and the fact that the narrator is not omnipresent, the
reader must take on an active role in order to figure out what is occurring and fill in the holes.
He or she must be able to piece together the story through its limited perspectives and draw
conclusions. One conclusion involves the means by which Earl has transported himself to the
location of his wife’s killer. Another conclusion the reader is asked to draw is the second date
etched on the bell. Perhaps it refers to the date that the man was murdered, or it could be the
birthday or the death of Earl’s wife. However, we could assume it is the date of the man’s death,
because it happens towards the end of the story and we can assume that dates relevant to his wife
(wedding, birthday) would be available to him prior to the revenge killing. In other instances,
the reader is unable to draw even crude inferences, and instead must speculate. An example
would be where Earl got the money from that he has in his pocket. Perhaps he stole it, or maybe
he knew where some money was hidden from his earlier life thanks to some note.
The narration is not omnipresent. Sometimes both we and Earl lose the thread of
continuity, and none of the notes or tattoos can help. One example would be Earl’s tanned arm,
which indicates he’s been possibly driving for a long time or hitchhiking in the sun. Had the
narrator been omnipresent, we would have been given insight such as “Earl then took the keys to
the stranger’s car, even though he knew it wasn’t right. However, he would not have time to
generate a note, and the details of the theft would vanish in time.”
We could see the story working with this sort of narration, but having to experience the
story as Earl experiences his injury builds suspense and allows us to create our own possibilities.
