Lost is, at it's base, all about Greek mythology. From the beginning of the show, and the simple decision to start the show from the middle with Jack opening his eye, the producers and writers have told us that the show is about the entire plot arc. Much like a Greek epic, say, the Odyessy for example, this show is about a group of people trying to find themselves. The use of words like “Cerberus” in the blast door map, naming all the stations after things and places that can be associated to Greek mythology, and even the ARGs, FIND185 and The Lost Experience, using obviously Greek names. The Island is the gate to the underworld, which Cerberus guards. Jacob is Hades, and the Dharma wants the Island to control the gate between this world and the afterlife (or perhaps Otherworld). What if the show is really about people happening upon Atlantis? Our Losties are caught in a world, beyond the Pillars of Hercules (or Lewis’s Wardrobe), trying to find their way back. But, like Hercules and Oddyseus and the Losties, the only way back is to find themselves first.
Benry
The obsession with science among the LOST faithful baffles me. Sure, I think that references to Faraday and Maxwell (or even Schrodinger with the coffin) are interesting, and certainly helpful, but LOST is not Mythbusters. Fundamentally, Mythbusters is about using science to explain a story. The whole point of the show is the science; the stories act as a vehicle to get to the equations and experiments. And, one would expect this from Adam, Jamie, et al, because they are scientists.
LOST is structured just the opposite. Starting with a story, taking what they can that sounds like it could relate to science, the build the scientists and theories into the story. (the magnetic theory of Faraday and Maxwell are a great example of this, but more on that later). This science can then be used to what ever end the writers want. (in Star Trek science is twisted the same way).
But, why look at it this way? What evidence to we have that this is the way the show should be lensed? First, 2 pieces of external evidence.
1. The writers are writers - They want to tell a story. To say that they are writing a story to come up with, or verify a theory of science is absurd. To the writers, science acts as a tool, one more resource they have to appeal to. In that regard, science is much like the flashback.
2. the writers always have to keep the audience in mind- The writers are writing for 2 groups of people at all times: you and me, the hard core types, and the casual viewer. Both of these groups must be able to follow the show, as a self contained unit, and be satisfied. There must be a recognition that people have a certain knowledge, lets call it dinner party knowledge. Things you heard once, but don’t know how true they are. (DaVinci Code did this brilliantly). Those of us that played the ARGs know more of what’s going on….Don’t we? By declaring anything not in the show “non-canon” (including the ARGs) we have a serious problem: what value is it to play the ARGs? But more on this later.
If the show isn’t about science totally, what is it about? What internal evidence does the show have for us?
Preliminary Internal Observations about the show
I started watching the show late. I watched the first season on DVD, and moved through them pretty quickly. When I passed them on to a friend of mine, I said 2 things. 1st – The show is all about the quest for meaning, and 2nd It feels like Atlantis. The more and more I watched, the more I realized there’s more to both of them then I thought. I couldn’t seem to put it together, until Find815, then it all made sense. But, lets stay with the show.
The show has everything to do with Greece. Actually, specifically, It has everything to do with several Greek stories. Atlantis, Appolo, and The 12 Labors of Hercules. So everyone is clear, LOST is not a recreation of the 12 Labors, or Atlantis. LOST is on a collision course with those stories. The same way Stargate was put on a collision course with Egyptian mythology. What if those stories that we call “myths” were actually true?
The Greek Connection
Most things in LOST are references to those stories. The obvious examples being the names of the stations, which it has been pointed out all have to do with Apollo in some way or another. And then there are the mysterious animals on the island. The horse (Labor 3 or 8), the Boars (Labor 4), The Swan station (labor 6), the Hydra Station (Labor 2)and my favorite the Cow (labor 10). And then there’s the real zinger. The Cerberus.
The Cerberus is described in mythology as a dog with 3 heads that guards the entrance into Hades (which Hercules has to kill with out weapons {why no weapons? He’s smoke} in labor 12). Hades isn’t really Hell in Greek thought, its more like an agnostic afterlife. The blast door refers to a Cerberus on it several times. But, if you think about it, you would call a giant smoke monster a dog with 3 heads too. Hades (the dude that rules Hades) is also a possible connection. Why could Jacob not be him, begging to be helped out of Hades?
Hercules in several instances has to use these mythical “pillars of Hercules” to get where he’s going. While traditionally considered to be Gibraltar, there is another interpretation. These Pillars have been thought to possibly be portals to jump from place to place, think of single planet Stargates here. These portals allowed Hercules to bounce around to different places to do the tasks he was sent to do. But wait there’s more.
This is where the science comes in. around these Pillars there are reports of magnetic anomalies. (this actually makes sense, even if it is the mountains, because of the rare earth magnets that naturally occur). What if the magnetic where what caused the “purple sky”? The numbers were a way of keeping this gate closed, but when Dez didn’t push the button the first time, the portal was opened and sucked the plane through. When the Swan exploded, it opened up permanently. But you have to know where to look.
It is interesting that Atlantis is often referred to as being beyond the Pillars of Hercules. Why associate two unless they are considered to be a portal. The Hostiles could be the original inhabitants of Atlantis that went through their portal to get to safety. (hence the 4 toed statue) The polar bear is in Tunisia because it wandered through the portal. Other portal references include: The Looking Glass, The insignia for the Temple, and even Charlotte Lewis name (C.S. Lewis).
Speaking of Lewis, think of the people they brought from the freighter. An anthropologist, pilot, Ghost whisperer, and a physicist….all those fields sound familiar?
If this is correct some things start to make sense. The Black Rock, Adam and Eve., ect were all sucked there by the portal. People like Hanso might want the island because of the portals, or perhaps because of its significance with these extraordinary things. Ben might be trying to hide it so it does not get abused. In some ways this brings up the classic debate between use and abuse., but that has been addressed in other great places. (notably Heidegger’s “Essay on Technology”).
What about the ARGs?
I think the ARGs are good for something, and have something to do with the show. Damon and Lindenhof have said that they are not canon, that is anything not in the show isn’t canon. BUT, then why play them? Do they really tell us nothing useful? What if what we get out of them is actually the content, not the story? The content (the names, ideas and references to stars for instance) are is what we are supposed to be looking at. In that case, all the names, Maxwell, the stars, Argo Novis, and the Hydra ect…are the hints that we hardcore types are looking for. When one looks at all the hints that way there seems to be more evidence of my idea.
“Go wake up my son, he has work to do..”
In the end, what he show is about is the quest for meaning. It’s the quest to find ones self and act on that. Like Hercules our Losties are on a journey for redemption. That journey has put them on a collision course with history and mythology. Will you be a man of science or a man of faith?
Thanks to the Team, Neeperkat, gig, Jamesie, et al.
Theory by Benry
Benry
The obsession with science among the LOST faithful baffles me. Sure, I think that references to Faraday and Maxwell (or even Schrodinger with the coffin) are interesting, and certainly helpful, but LOST is not Mythbusters. Fundamentally, Mythbusters is about using science to explain a story. The whole point of the show is the science; the stories act as a vehicle to get to the equations and experiments. And, one would expect this from Adam, Jamie, et al, because they are scientists.
LOST is structured just the opposite. Starting with a story, taking what they can that sounds like it could relate to science, the build the scientists and theories into the story. (the magnetic theory of Faraday and Maxwell are a great example of this, but more on that later). This science can then be used to what ever end the writers want. (in Star Trek science is twisted the same way).
But, why look at it this way? What evidence to we have that this is the way the show should be lensed? First, 2 pieces of external evidence.
1. The writers are writers - They want to tell a story. To say that they are writing a story to come up with, or verify a theory of science is absurd. To the writers, science acts as a tool, one more resource they have to appeal to. In that regard, science is much like the flashback.
2. the writers always have to keep the audience in mind- The writers are writing for 2 groups of people at all times: you and me, the hard core types, and the casual viewer. Both of these groups must be able to follow the show, as a self contained unit, and be satisfied. There must be a recognition that people have a certain knowledge, lets call it dinner party knowledge. Things you heard once, but don’t know how true they are. (DaVinci Code did this brilliantly). Those of us that played the ARGs know more of what’s going on….Don’t we? By declaring anything not in the show “non-canon” (including the ARGs) we have a serious problem: what value is it to play the ARGs? But more on this later.
If the show isn’t about science totally, what is it about? What internal evidence does the show have for us?
Preliminary Internal Observations about the show
I started watching the show late. I watched the first season on DVD, and moved through them pretty quickly. When I passed them on to a friend of mine, I said 2 things. 1st – The show is all about the quest for meaning, and 2nd It feels like Atlantis. The more and more I watched, the more I realized there’s more to both of them then I thought. I couldn’t seem to put it together, until Find815, then it all made sense. But, lets stay with the show.
The show has everything to do with Greece. Actually, specifically, It has everything to do with several Greek stories. Atlantis, Appolo, and The 12 Labors of Hercules. So everyone is clear, LOST is not a recreation of the 12 Labors, or Atlantis. LOST is on a collision course with those stories. The same way Stargate was put on a collision course with Egyptian mythology. What if those stories that we call “myths” were actually true?
The Greek Connection
Most things in LOST are references to those stories. The obvious examples being the names of the stations, which it has been pointed out all have to do with Apollo in some way or another. And then there are the mysterious animals on the island. The horse (Labor 3 or 8), the Boars (Labor 4), The Swan station (labor 6), the Hydra Station (Labor 2)and my favorite the Cow (labor 10). And then there’s the real zinger. The Cerberus.
The Cerberus is described in mythology as a dog with 3 heads that guards the entrance into Hades (which Hercules has to kill with out weapons {why no weapons? He’s smoke} in labor 12). Hades isn’t really Hell in Greek thought, its more like an agnostic afterlife. The blast door refers to a Cerberus on it several times. But, if you think about it, you would call a giant smoke monster a dog with 3 heads too. Hades (the dude that rules Hades) is also a possible connection. Why could Jacob not be him, begging to be helped out of Hades?
Hercules in several instances has to use these mythical “pillars of Hercules” to get where he’s going. While traditionally considered to be Gibraltar, there is another interpretation. These Pillars have been thought to possibly be portals to jump from place to place, think of single planet Stargates here. These portals allowed Hercules to bounce around to different places to do the tasks he was sent to do. But wait there’s more.
This is where the science comes in. around these Pillars there are reports of magnetic anomalies. (this actually makes sense, even if it is the mountains, because of the rare earth magnets that naturally occur). What if the magnetic where what caused the “purple sky”? The numbers were a way of keeping this gate closed, but when Dez didn’t push the button the first time, the portal was opened and sucked the plane through. When the Swan exploded, it opened up permanently. But you have to know where to look.
It is interesting that Atlantis is often referred to as being beyond the Pillars of Hercules. Why associate two unless they are considered to be a portal. The Hostiles could be the original inhabitants of Atlantis that went through their portal to get to safety. (hence the 4 toed statue) The polar bear is in Tunisia because it wandered through the portal. Other portal references include: The Looking Glass, The insignia for the Temple, and even Charlotte Lewis name (C.S. Lewis).
Speaking of Lewis, think of the people they brought from the freighter. An anthropologist, pilot, Ghost whisperer, and a physicist….all those fields sound familiar?
If this is correct some things start to make sense. The Black Rock, Adam and Eve., ect were all sucked there by the portal. People like Hanso might want the island because of the portals, or perhaps because of its significance with these extraordinary things. Ben might be trying to hide it so it does not get abused. In some ways this brings up the classic debate between use and abuse., but that has been addressed in other great places. (notably Heidegger’s “Essay on Technology”).
What about the ARGs?
I think the ARGs are good for something, and have something to do with the show. Damon and Lindenhof have said that they are not canon, that is anything not in the show isn’t canon. BUT, then why play them? Do they really tell us nothing useful? What if what we get out of them is actually the content, not the story? The content (the names, ideas and references to stars for instance) are is what we are supposed to be looking at. In that case, all the names, Maxwell, the stars, Argo Novis, and the Hydra ect…are the hints that we hardcore types are looking for. When one looks at all the hints that way there seems to be more evidence of my idea.
“Go wake up my son, he has work to do..”
In the end, what he show is about is the quest for meaning. It’s the quest to find ones self and act on that. Like Hercules our Losties are on a journey for redemption. That journey has put them on a collision course with history and mythology. Will you be a man of science or a man of faith?
Thanks to the Team, Neeperkat, gig, Jamesie, et al.
Theory by Benry
