Why does the Joker give two explanations for his facial scares in The Dark Knight?

He says his dad does it to him as a child then later he says he did it to himself. Why the two? Is either truth?Why does the Joker give two explanations for his facial scares in The Dark Knight?
When Nolan was reading Batman comics for inspiration for the Dark Knight, he read a comic called ';The Killing Joke';. In this comic, he told Batman that his memory of his past changes from time to time. Sometimes he remembers it one way, sometimes another. He makes a joke by saying if he's going to have a past, he wants it to be multiple choice.





Nolan used this idea by having the Joker tell two different versions of how he got his scars. The first version was to intimidate Gambol, and the second was intended to intimidate Rachel. The Joker in Nolan's movie, unlike Tim Burton's, doesn't have one definite origin. In the Dark Knight, there is no Jack Napier.





The Joker tells the story of his scars to intimidate Rachel and Gambol. I think the Joker might know his past, but doesn't really care about who he was before being the clown prince of crime. All he cares about is creating chaos and fear, and his scar stories do just that.Why does the Joker give two explanations for his facial scares in The Dark Knight?
the whole idea behind the changing stories of how he got the scars in the film ';The Dark Knight'; plays off of a lot more than just the films, you have to be a big fan of Batman (which I'm not saying you aren't)There are two major possibilities for the different stories The Joker used to explain his scars in the film...





1: The Joker is so messed up in his own mind, that he either doesn't remember any more how he got them, or he likes to **** with his victims about the story behind them.





2: Even in the comic book, in all different version of Batman comics there were, each one gave a different reason as to why The Joker is what he is, so ';The Dark Knight'; played directly into that, not giving a specific reason as to what really happened (by giving two explanations in the film) but left it open to speculation...just like the comics, which I personally loved that movie 100 times more for doing
i agree with the comment above.


its also just kind of the nature of the character of the joker that he is the only complete unknown. unlike most villains which are given some kind of back story, there really isn't one definitive one for the joker. he is shrouded in mystery, and it gives him leeway to be crazier.


also, its scarier that way-when he gives multiple stories, you never really know what to expect.


another explanation is that he doesn't remember anymore. that kind of works off the first thing, that he is so mysterious and no one knows a thing about him. he doesn't even know himself. that theme is present in the whole movie--he makes his own clothes, doesn't appear to have a motive (e.g., two face goes after the ones that made his life miserable. the joker kills....just to kill.)
one for each side of the face.