MovieChat Forums > Memento (2001) Discussion > spoilers of course: question about diabe...

spoilers of course: question about diabetes vs attack

posted 9 years ago by cinephyler
4 replies | jump to latest

teddy says something to the effect that lenny killed his own wife with insulin.

he also says that his wife survived the attack. clearly there was an attack if lenny suffered brain trauma and the whole movie is not a dream.

are we to understand that:
-there was an attack (with a second attacker perhaps)
-wife survived and lenny lost memory
-lenny then poisoned wife with insulin at some later date, possibly as the result of a test from his wife (he has no memory of it of course)
-lenny then crafted the memory that his wife died in the attack
-lenny THEN decided to go hunt the second intruder

[–] mad_weather 9 years ago

Yes, this is about right.

[–] cartesianthought 9 years ago

This would mean that the brain damage and the wife's death were two separate events.

Would this also mean his wife wanted to die and manipulated him into giving her too many insulin injections?

[–] mad_weather 9 years ago

Well, technically we do not have a reliable witness to how exactly his wife died, as there wasn't anybody present to the event except Leonard who doesn't remember it. We only know that yes, they were separate events and insulin OD was involved. Her motives are matter of speculation, though.

My personal interpretation is that she perceived Leonard's condition as something he could "snap out" of, given proper nudging, and the threat of losing her would be just a right kind of shock to make it happen. Unfortunately for her, AA doesn't work like this.

[–] the-author 9 years ago

But if Leonard had really killed his wife, then he would not remember it.
So, how could he or even want to remember the event?
Saying that he swapped his story for Sammy's just because he has a flash image is weak.
He imagines himself giving a shot to his wife when John suggests it.
He also pictures his wife alive and being reunited with her.
Also, John (Teddy) lies almost every time he speaks and can't be trusted here either.

It is possible that Leonard's wife left him and that it would be more painful than 'remembering' her as dead. He seems somewhat surprised at his own tattoos, even the John G. one. Also, his other tattoo says "She is gone" not she is dead. This makes sense as Leonard is able to trick himself that she is still alive by placing mementos around the hotel room and having the escort warm the bed and slam the bathroom door. This wouldn't work if he would remember her dead in the bathroom.

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