Do we have free will, or does fate determine our destiny? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, even though it is a movie, it is also “a parable of existentialism.” Existentialism emphasizes the idea that we, as individuals, make choices. So each individual has the responsibility of shaping his own destiny by the choices he/she makes. These choices will shape who we are. Existentialists take responsibility for all their actions.
The moral of the story presented in this movie relates to us as human beings because it is about choices we make. In this movie, Clementine was afraid of making choices because she was an insecure person. Yet, at the beginning of the movie, it is Clementine who approached Joel at the shore. She chose to talk to him. Then when they are in the train, she chose to sit close to him and talk to him. Joel and Clementine fell in love. But as time progressed, their relationship deteriorated. So, Clementine chose to have all memory of Joel erased. This is heart breaking for Joel because he still loved her. Now it is Joel who chose to go through the same procedure to have his memory of Clementine erased.
In this movie, there are several symbolisms. For example, the doctor is a symbol of a controlling instrument. He tries to change the destiny of these two people. By doing this, the doctor is acting as a controlling god. Another symbol is the sand at the beach which changes all the time just as we change all the time. We can’t remain the same for ever.
While Joel is having his memory erased, he came to the realization that he wanted to make choices, and he still loved Clementine. So he wants to stop the procedure. Did Joel succeed in keeping memories of Clementine? Or, were the memories erased? The two got together again and again. Were they making choices or was it fate?
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