Memory, Identity, and Time: The Nonlinear Narrative Strategies in Wong Kar-wai’s Films
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Abstract
Wong Kar-wai’s films are distinguished by their innovative nonlinear narrative structures, characterized by temporal ambiguity, fragmented chronology, and multiple perspectives. These techniques disrupt traditional linear storytelling while cultivating an introspective and emotionally resonant cinematic experience. Through strategies such as temporal fragmentation and interwoven memories, Wong explores themes of love, loss, and nostalgia with a poetic sensibility that underscores the cyclical and elusive nature of time and memory. His narrative style encourages viewers to actively reconstruct emotional and temporal continuity, thereby fostering deeper immersion and interpretive engagement. This study argues that Wong’s nonlinear narrative not only defines his distinctive cinematic aesthetics but also provides significant theoretical insights into contemporary film narrative, memory, and spectatorship.
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References
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