You've probably heard that certain fish only have a three-second memory span. Of course, this isn't true. Fish can remember stuff.
Just not fish named Dory.
See, Dory suffers from short-term memory loss. It's a problem, especially for Marlin. On one hand, we've got a fish who can't forget about his wife's death and another who just constantly forgets everything. But, this underwater odd couple will eventually learn that they don't need to hang onto the past to achieve their goals. Memory can be a powerful thing, as long as you never forget to just keep swimming.
Questions about Memory & the Past
- Do Marlin and Dory make a good pair because of their differences in memories? Or would Marlin have been better off with another fish helper?
- Why do you think Dory remembers the address from the diver's mask so clearly? Why does she start remembering things once she meets Marlin? Do you think something like this has ever happened to her before (and she just doesn't remember)?
- How do our memories (or lack of memories) shape us into who we are?
Chew on This
Marlin and Dory are set up as foils in terms of their memories. Dory hardly has any and Marlin can't let go of his bad ones.
Dory is presented as kind of stupid throughout the movie, but she actually has a lot of very important skills that help her and Marlin survive out there in the ocean. Forgetful? Yes. Dumb? No way.