Experiential affirmation
In “Telling Stories: Narration, Emotion, and In- sight in Memento,” Gautsets out to show how Memento’s narration conditions cognitive and emotional responses.12 He does not explicitly enter the cinematic philosophy debate, as his concern is with the power of narration and his paper an examination of the artistic properties of Memento’s narration. Nonetheless, the notion of experiential confirmation which he advances indicates the manner in which at least one film can meet both the means and results conditions of Livingston’s bold thesis. Gaut distinguishes between narrative (what is presented) and narration (how it is presented) and selects Memento as his example for two reasons.13
First, its narration is extremely complex. I do not have space to explain the narrative structure of the film; suffice to say that it is far more intricate than reversed chronology.14 Despite this complexity, however, the attempt to structure the events in the correct sequence is ultimately rewarding and enlightening, unlike a film such as Alain Resnais’ Last Year at Marienbad (1961).15