Butterfly Effect

Considering this character’s ability to go back in time and change past events, one may be posed with the question “if you could go back to change something, would you?” This question seemed to result with equal responses for and against going back. The main argument for not wanting to go back was for the life lessons that were learned during the experiences. Some argued that they learned important lessons from these events that were worth the consequences, encouraging them to leave things as they are.

The film suggests however, that this is not necessary. In the film the character remembers his past including the knowledge he had in his adulthood prior to going back. When he goes back in time it is the retention of the memories from his adult life that aid him in redoing events. Considering this, going back in time could then be thought of as a learning experience. Each time the character goes back in time he acquires new knowledge and memories. Therefore, he knows the outcome of the events as they are and could then go back in time and learn of new outcomes. Repeating an event ten times for instance could provide the person with ten times the knowledge.