“I have this condition,” repeats Leonard Shelby, the protagonist of Memento, a film by Christopher Nolan. In the psychological thriller, Leonard has a condition that prevents him from creating new memories. The condition was caused by head trauma; the result of trying to protect his wife from being killed by burglars who broke into his house and raped his wife. He is condemned to live a life following his memories: his photos, his notes and his tattoos. Leonard's single life mission is to find and kill his wife's killer. However, his condition allows him to seek revenge again and again. As a result, there is not only a barrier between Leonard and reality, but also a barrier between Leonard and his understanding of himself. Rooted in this confusing film is an important philosophical study of identity. How does the ability to create memories contribute to the idea of ​​one's identity? Can Leonard have an identity if he has lost this ability? These questions can be explored through the perspectives of John Locke, David Hume, and Immanuel Kant. Their philosophical theories of identity and the self involve an in-depth study of the conscious mind. However, by studying only this level of the self, it is difficult to argue that Leonard has an identity. Leonard's identity can be best supported if one also considers Sigmund Freud's theory of the multilayered self, which allows one to look deeper, beyond the conscious level, into what simmers beneath. Before Freud, there was a lack of philosophical consideration for the unconscious---the fundamental driver of one's desires. However, to better look at Leonard's identity in this Freudian light, one should trace the historical progression of the study of the multi-layered s...... middle of paper ......king Leonard kills Teddy, for killing the his wife or to possess inconvenient truths, Teddy says, “so you lie to yourself to be happy. There's nothing wrong with that. We all do it." Teddy is right: we all do it. Although Leonard's condition constitutes a further barrier to reality, it only reinforces what is already in our human nature. According to Freud, it is human nature to protect ourselves from painful memories and feelings. Leonard's condition and his manipulation of reality leave him in an endless cycle of denial. He will never come to terms with what lies hidden in his unconscious, the pain that drives his new identity as a killer. Works CitedChaffee, John. The Philosopher's Way: Thinking Critically About Deep Ideas. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2012.Memento. Directed by Christopher. 2000. Santa Monica: Summit Entertainment, 2001. DVD.