ORACULAR DEALINGS
"Hello, this is your intrepid Hollywood scoopmeister, Gil Gamesh, reporting live from a beautifully lush island, located... well, all I know so far is that we're not in Kansas any more, Rosanna.... I've been granted full and exclusive access to provide you with up-to-the minute details on the latest Apollo Candy promotion, in which five golden tickets were randomly inserted into their yummy dark chocolate "Black Hole" bars, with the famous "Taste that sucks you into a vortex of heavenly delight!" These tickets were embossed with the logo for the Hanso Group's new "Dark Star" binary confection, equipped with the new yin/yang Heisenberg Uncertainty Flavor Flux feature!"
"I was fortunate to accompany the five lucky ticket holders on a luxury sub ride to the island.... And we've been treated like Egyptian royalty since we arrived, from Kate's horse-driven chariot to the canopic goo-filled jars, from hieroglyphic alarm clocks to the gold-plated safety blades placed just the right way inside their plexiglas pyramids.... They've taken every step to insure there's never a dull moment on this island..."
"But I know what you're thinking... Has Gil forgotten the immortal pledge he made to scratch and trowel his way into every nook and cranny, to exhume the tomb of truth? Rest assured, kind readers, that I have not allowed my senses to be dulled by the tropical charms of the island and the kitschily-hypnotic octagonal symbols adorning every man, woman, child, canned good, and secret hatch on this fair island. No, I and my trusty crew have succeeded in going under cover as real work men and women, getting lost in the crowd of mundane tasks and existence. And yes, as you can tell from the bumpy ride we're on, we 'borrowed' one of their vans to venture beyond the confines of the compound, in search of the answers behind the island's unsolved mysteries, disclosed to us late last night by one of the native islanders...."
"We're almost there... there's a signpost up ahead.... Hmmm.... It's really old, flaked, and caked with rust... "P. K. Zhone." Well, let's park here and go the rest of the way on foot... Man, what's with that creepy gray stuff they've been sprinkling on the ground, around the place? Maybe they've got trouble with moles.... Folks, this is getting really exciting now, and I don't just mean in a Geraldo 'let's-open-the-vault' kinda way.... We've been told that this decrepit old cabin is home to one of the island's most intriguing, elusive, and reclusive inhabitants.... a man called Jacob..."
"I'm now making my way through a cobweb-encrusted doorway, and the cabin appears to be empty, except for some heavily-patinated furniture and those funky old canopic jars (see Endnote #1).... Wait...... Did that chair just move by itself?! "
GIL: WHO'S THERE?! "Is that you, Jacob?"
JACOB: "Yes, it is me. Normally I would count that as two questions, but I'll cut you a break, since you're new to the island. You now have 19 more questions you may ask of me, so choose them wisely...."
GIL: "Who are you, really?"
JACOB: "Who is Number One?"
GIL: "What?"
JACOB: "You have 18 questions remaining.... I'm playing with you, of course, but in a serious way.... You remember the first mini-series, that televisionary masterpiece 'The Prisoner', don't you?"
GIL: "Of course I do.... I have a deep-seated fondness for beach balls, mini-butlers, and Lotuses....
JACOB: "You mean those roving weather balloons... But my point is probing whether you really want, or should want, to know my true identity. After all, one of the hallmarks of good cinema and television is not telling you everything... leaving something to the imagination.... Hitchcock must be turning over in his grave to see the proliferation of tell-all movie trailers! Pandering to the lowest common denominator is a quick and easy path to mediocrity.... I repeat, good cinema and television have always left room for the imagination, in no small part through posing unanswered questions. Patrick McGoohan knew the power of this approach, on multiple levels. Unanswered questions stimulate your natural curiousity. Humans are an undeniably inquisitive species, and you love to learn through attempting to solve puzzles, from crossword to sudoku, from whodunits to archaeology, from meaning in life to scientific paradigms.... There is truth to the trite observation that meaning in life is found through the process of searching for the answer to the question: 'What is the meaning of life?' Furthermore, unanswered questions provide open spaces for extending your knowledge and understanding of yourself, others, the world around you, and your place in the universe. In a vicarious yet powerful manner, through observing the lives, trials, and the tribulations of others (and Others) on the island, Lost is providing you with a richly diverse terrain for mapping new meaning, for finding yourself anew.... So, do you really want to know who I really am?"
GIL: "I suppose that Lost's producers/writers face some of the same inherent challenges McGoohan, Tomblin, and crew faced when doing 'The Prisoner.' How to keep the audience engaged and entertained, while simultaneously exploring a range of important and enduring questions surrounding the human condition and experience.... Hmmm.... I can see some of the difficult choices Lost's producers/writers face in posing important questions and determining which questions to answer, and which to leave unanswered. I guess it's easy to forget how engaging, intriguing, and enlightening the process of trying to solve the puzzles can be, and how easy it is to press for an answer, only to find we're disappointed on deeper levels, once we receive the answer.... Still, a show comprised mainly or solely of intriguing but wholly unanswered questions would be an ungrounded, uncertain mess.... I can see how it would be beneficial to design a series denouement that delivers some degree of satisfactory resolution by answering several important questions posed by Lost, while leaving other key questions unanswered, stimulating ongoing learning, exploration, debate, and discussion throughout the ages. I have to admit that is a core lesson learned from 'The Prisoner.' But still, I'm wondering which questions they'll answer, and which they'll leave unanswered? I mean, will we ever find out whose funeral was mentioned in the paper Jack saw on the plane?"
JACOB: "Sorry, but I'll have to deduct two questions from your tally.... You now have 16 questions remaining.... While we cannot be absolutely sure which questions will and will not be answered until the curtain closes on the series in 2010, the Lost producers/writers have been kind enough to drop hints and clues along the way regarding which questions will be answered. For example, Lost fans with sharp eyes and keen tech skills have identified some letters in the name of the person whose funeral was mentioned in the paper: The person's first name begins with a "J", and their last name ends with a "THAM". As reported in Doc Jensen's 5/29/07 column (see Endnote #2), speculation is that this person's identity will be revealed in Season Four as either "Jeremy Bentham" or "John Latham." The focused learning resulting from this discovery is yet another example of how our puzzle-solving inclinations and abilities are being channeled with entertaining and enlightening effects, far beyond the TV monitor. If the 'panopticon prison' theme pans out, Lost viewers may learn more about why I said 'Help Me' to John Locke..."
GIL: "So what's another key question that will be answered by the time of the series finale, in 2010?"
JACOB: "Who is in the cave....? We've been told by the show's producers/writers that we will finally learn the identities of the man and woman found in the cave, and this revelation will further cement an understanding that the producers/writers knew what they were doing, all along, in terms of the story arc. 15 questions...."
GIL: "So who's in the cave?"
JACOB: "Well, you're familiar with the Apollo Candy Company... Another part of the Hanso Group is the DHARMA Initiative, led by Gerald and Karen de Groot to the island, in the 1970s. Some of you have speculated that it is their bodies which are located in the cave. 14 questions...."
GIL: "So who else might be in the cave?"
JACOB: "If you take my name in a Biblical context, as some of you have done, you may have surmised that the island is a figurative reference to the Promised Land (or perhaps even the Garden of Eden).... Maybe I really am Jacob, brother of Esau, son of Isaac.... Perhaps I will wrestle with God on the island, and be called Israel.... Maybe the island is more than a figurative device for storytelling and meaning-making.... Maybe the cave really does contain the remains of Abraham and Sarah, or Isaac and Rebekah, or myself and my favored wife, Rachel (or even Adam and Eve). 13 questions...."
GIL: "Is that it.... are there any other likely suspects?"
JACOB: "I must admit that I really liked the twists contained in the Season Three finale! Seeing Jack and Kate off-island, with Jack wishing to return to the island, and taking the trippy-loopy time phenomena of Desmond into account, suggests another intriguing possibility.... The couple in the cave is Jack and Kate. 12 questions...."
GIL: "Come on... That one's pretty far out there, for sure.... I think you're hiding something.... What are you not telling me about, in terms of your relationship to who is in the cave?"
JACOB: "Well, you have really got me, there.... I don't know what you're going to think about this, but here is the honest-to-goodness truth.... Benjamin Linus and John Locke are twin sons of different mothers.... And Ben's twin in higher-order dimensional reality is Jacob, and Locke's twin is Esau. (Note: I am using twin in a more conventional sense, focusing on similarities, NOT in the 'mirror twin' sense, focusing on opposites):"
"Jacob, together with Esau, was born to Isaac and Rebekah after 20 years of marriage, at which time his father was 60 (Genesis 25:26), and Abraham was 160 years old. He and his twin brother Esau were markedly different in appearance and behavior. Esau was a ruddy hunter, while Jacob was a gentle man who "dwelled in tents," interpreted by many biblical commentators as a mark of his studiousness and reserved personality. (Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob)"
"So clearly you can see that Locke's dimensional twin is Esau, the ruddy hunter (who does not like technology), and Ben's dimensional twin is Jacob, who dwelled in tents, marking his studiousness and reserved personality. Of course, as you have observed while the series has progressed, although Ben still dwells in tents and has a more reserved personality, he is not a gentle man.... So when Ben and Locke lock horns, it is symbolizing the struggle between Jacob and Esau over the inheritance which is represented by the island and its powers. And by the puzzled look on your face, I can see you are now even less clear as to who I really am! 11 questions...."
GIL: "So let me get this straight... Locke the island hunter, with his knife-wielding prowess, is linked to Esau, and Ben the island tent-dwelling deceiver, is linked to Jacob?"
JACOB: "Yes, that's right, at least in a figurative sense.... Now your challenge is to ascertain whether Ben is correct in calling me Jacob, or if he is again falling back into his lying mode.... In which case it would be more apt to call me... ESAU... You've reached the half-way mark and now have 10 questions remaining...."
GIL: "Hmmmm.... If it is true that you possess healing powers, having saved Juliet's sister from cancer, I guess I can see how you-- Esau-- would fervently desire to help your corporeal twin Locke, restoring his legs to full power, speeding the recovery of his Swan hatch blast-door-injured thigh, and helping him recover from the gun shot wound... And I can now see why you (Esau) would not want to help cure the spinal cord cancer of your dimensional twin's (Jacob's) corporeal twin (Ben).... Moreover, this would fit with the theories that Jacob is an old Locke, especially if: (1) Jacob is really Esau, and (2) Esau is Locke's higher-order dimensional twin, using the island's unique electromagnetic power to communicate with and to help heal others. But now I'm wondering, what's up with 'Smoky' the Monster? And those popping trees?"
JACOB: "Those are better questions than you might think.... I know some of your kind have posed theories involving entities with child-like motivations and actions, you know, 'Evil Aaron Theory', and the like.... Once you begin moving beyond mere figurative theories of who/what I really am, you can begin to see how, from a functional standpoint, some may believe that I really am a child. This is a possibility certainly not without precedent in your species' history of broadcast media. Maybe I'm an analog to the powerful alien child 'Trelane' in that old Star Trek episode 'The Squire of Gothos.' Or perhaps I'm closer to 'Anthony Fremont,' played by Billy Mumy in the classic Twilight Zone episode 'It's a Good Life.' I know that some of your kind would consider this a 'cheat' ending to the series, but it is one possible way to resolve things, especially given the series' emphasis on observation.... What if the island were simply a powerful child entity's school project, aimed at learning about another (lesser) species, through observation? (Please see Endnote #3.) 8 questions remaining...."
GIL: "Hey, not so fast there, pardner.... You're not gonna slip that one by me. You still did not address the 'Smoky' Monster and tree-popping questions...."
JACOB: "Fair enough.... All I'm willing to say at this point is that these questions may well turn out to be the kind of questions the Lost producers/writers choose to leave unanswered. You still have 8 questions remaining...."
GIL: "What is up with Desmond tripping through time? Is that another question they may leave unanswered?
JACOB: "Well, the Minkowski reference in the Season Three finale should have shed some light on the first question, for sure... And I'm surprised more of you didn't pick up on the Minkowski connection earlier, given Damon Lindelof's widely known admiration for Alan Moore's 'Watchmen':
"Lindelof has been quoted as saying that the graphic novel Watchmen, written by Alan Moore, is the greatest piece of popular fiction ever produced, and its effect on Lost is evident many times in the show. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damon_Lindelof)
"As J. Wood aptly noted, the Dr. Manhattan character experiences Minkowski space-time. So the Minkowski reference is important in opening your eyes to exploring and considering the possible ways in which Desmond was able to do what he did, including Minkowski space, multiverses, Hugh Everett's 'many worlds', David Bohm's 'implicate and explicate order', and beyond (see Endnote 4). And all of you who are thinking about diving headlong into String Theory should be advised of two prominent critiques of that approach, published late last year (see Endnote 5.)"
"Exactly how Desmond does what he does, and in a larger sense how the island's electromagnetic energy operates on and influences space-time, may remain as mysteries. This approach-- leaving some of the science out of the magic-- may be a wise move on the part of Lost producers/writers, since as we especially saw in the first season, 'magical' occurrences in an exotic location, involving characters we truly care about, can engage and entertain us on multiple levels. Although your species is wired as puzzle-solvers, at some point it is beneficial to leave part of the magic intact.... If the producers/writers follow the lead of 'The Prisoner' and other classic series (The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, etc.), they will intentionally leave some magic unexplained, partly to mirror the dynamics of the real world, and partly to leave some puzzle-space and some incentive for returning to Lost, time and time again, as a renewable source of personal and sharable insights into our selves, our lives, our world, and our place together in the universe."
"These are not merely some facile, meta-level theoretical musings without consequence, for if Lost's producers/writers do indeed wish to entertain us and to leave an enduring legacy of ongoing engagement, they will carefully select which questions to answer and which to leave unanswered, once the curtain closes on the series in the Spring of 2010. The challenge to you is to seriously consider how a concern for leaving an enduring legacy of ongoing debate and scholarship will affect not only which questions Lost's producers/writers choose to leave unanswered, but how this will influence the nature and contents of the remaining plot, including and up to the series finale. In the broader temporal context of the series, Lost theorists will eventually embrace the need to simultaneously work forward (puzzle-solving mode) and backward (legacy-leaving mode) in the present moments of their theorizing. Interestingly, as we move closer and closer to the denouement, we will perforce confront the need for this more 'Minkowskian' approach to theorizing, considering how our projections of likely future Lost plots and answers, in the present moment of our theorizing, will also take into account a reverse projection from the future, in terms of what the remaining Lost plots and answers may be, given the twin goals of entertaining and engaging us, and those who will follow, in ages to come (a concern for leaving a future legacy).... Again, The nature and contents of our Lost theorizing will be enhanced, especially as the series makes its way toward the sixth and final season, through considering which interpretive spaces will likely be closed off-- and which spaces will remain open-- in no small part through choices made by Lost's producers/writers regarding which questions to answer and which to leave unanswered, when the series reaches its final conclusion.... How might these considerations impact and inform the nature and contents of your own Lost theorizing? (Tune in next week for my own answer to this question!) Since I responded to both of your questions, you now have 6 questions remaining, grasshopper...."
GIL: "You mentioned 'The Prisoner.' What are some lessons we can learn from that show, and other televisionary masterpieces, on challenges the Lost producers/writers will face, as the series heads toward its denouement in 2010?"
JACOB: "Like 'The Prisoner', Lost is in the unenviable position of figuring out how to simultaneously entertain us while stimulating our drive to solve puzzles and learn more the human condition, in the process. One challenge is developing a strategy for managing the process of posing and answering key questions during the series. As I've suggested earlier, the classic series have figured out a way to have it both ways, by answering some questions while leaving others unanswered, for the ages. So leaving a legacy as an entertaining and enduringly engaging show involves answering some, but not all, of the central questions in the series. Another hallmark of a classic series as a source of renewable insight is the use of polysemy and other forms of intentional (and unintentional) ambiguity as generative devices, prompting and fueling exploratory learning, creative interpretations, and fresh insights with each new viewing and every new dialogue/discussion, from here into the foreseeable future (see Endnote #6.) So when they call me "Jacob", the challenge for you is to examine a range of different things that might mean, including whether or not Ben is lying about my name/identity, etc. 5 questions remaining...."
GIL: "Earlier you mentioned personal and sharable insights.... One of the testaments to Lost's impact is the range of different web sites devoted to the show. How does this all play into the ongoing series and its impacts, short- and long-term?"
JACOB: "To paraphrase Damon Lindelof's own observation, one of the reasons for creating Lost was to make a show that they would be interested in watching.... By so doing, Lindelof, Abrams, Cuse, and crew have provided a highly valuable-- and, unfortunately, an all-too-rare-- gift to thoughtful viewers around the world. One of the profound benefits of this gift is the rich response by viewers who are leveraging the internet as a means of sharing their personal thoughts, reflections, and emotions regarding the series. In addition to providing a platform for blogs, chat, and other forms of communication, the internet has enabled the show's producers to expand their reach to the audience in ways McGoohan and crew could only dream about; imagine how McGoohan and crew would have leveraged the internet during and after the airing of 'The Prisoner', had the technology been available (e.g., 'The Prisoner Experience', ala the 'Lost Experience'?) And if only Doc Jensen and J. Woods had been available as commentators during the initial run of 'The Prisoner'! These intelligent and insightful commentators 'get it' with regard to the fundamental need to juggle, juxtapose, and reconcile the key roles of DIVERGENT and CONVERGENT thinking, in the overall puzzle-solving enterprise. Wrestling, as we invariably do, with fundamental questions posed to us by Lost, we must not lose sight of the beneficial creative tensions as we are pulled hither and thither by our divergent and convergent thinking. "
"Divergent thinking opens our minds to realms of creative possibility-- what could or might be-- while convergent thinking focuses our attention on what is or will be. So, when we wrestle with questions concerning who is in the casket, how Des trips through time, and who is in the cave (etc.), we should not let our puzzle-solving drive lead us to devalue or overlook the creative possibilities the show has opened to us-- the coulds or the might be's-- once the 'real' solution has been disclosed to us. While we are naturally quite interested in the solution the Lost producers/writers have arrived at, we should not so easily discard the insights and lessons we have learned along the way, as we wrestled with the questions and puzzles they have posed to us. Following the wise lead of Robert Pirsig, we must not allow ourselves to become so focused on the destination that we overlook the journey (see Endnote #7.) So I am truly and fervently hoping that both Doc Jensen and J. Woods will maintain records of their insightful Lost commentaries throughout the years, in sharable hard-copy and electronic forms. And my great hope is that the rich tapestry of Lost commentaries and exchanges will continue through 2010, and beyond.... Talk about unique sources of energy.... Each one of us brings a unique background of experiences, talents, abilities, perspectives, and preferences to bear on this phenomenon.... You have 4 questions remaining...."
GIL: "Whew! You were really on a roll, Jake! Hmmmm... I think you slipped a bit, however.... You've been referring to me and other 'humans' as 'you' and 'your', then you started talking in terms of 'we' and 'our'. What's up with that... Does that mean you are a higher-order dimensional manifestation of human thought, after all?"
JACOB: "Good catch, gil-mann! I'll give you one more piece of intriguing information, just for that.... Remember the X-Files episode 'The Calusari', involving an evil 'mirror' self in the form of a brother who died at childbirth.... only is still with the living brother... heh-heh.... Charlie and Michael Holvey.... Maybe I'm not Jacob... Maybe I'm really Ben.... Let me back up a bit.... Remember when they showed Ben being born, and his mother dying? What if there was a twin corporeal brother to Ben, who died and remained in the womb, but whose nefarious psychical presence followed Ben... At some point, enabled by the island's electromagnetic energy, perhaps catalyzed by a critical emotional breakpoint, the psychical entity that was Ben's dead mirror twin brother, took control of Ben, and Ben's mind was shifted out-of-sight and body.... Maybe I, 'Jacob', am really BEN! Now, that should cook your noodle for a while, G-man! (Note: Unlike the earlier sections, here I am using the 'mirror twin' concept to denote twins characterized by different/opposite traits.) You now have 3 questions remaining...."
GIL: "How are you able to heal wounds, restore power to paralyzed legs, and such?"
JACOB: "Hmmmm.... Well, the 'science of the magic' folks would point to the documented healing powers of electromagnetism.... But let me bump things up to a higher plane of thought/discussion.... Earlier I answered one of your questions with a question of my own-- Who is Number One? This overt reference to 'The Prisoner' is more than homage; in addition to having some admittedly rewarding fun with you, playing 20 Questions (something a child might enjoy doing?!), I am dropping potential clues in as we speak.... Let me be more explicit.... When you ask who I, Jacob, am, are you asking 'Who is Number One', or rather, 'Who is Number Two'? Who is really in charge, here on the island? Who is the one who really has the power to heal? Am I Number One? Or am I Number Two? If I'm the analog to Number One, am I God, or am I an electromagnetically-enabled, higher-dimensional manifestation of a key character like Jack or Desmond? (For those who subscribe to the Watchmen/Des is Dr. Manhattan school of thinking, this could ultimately turn out to be Des....) Or maybe I'm a higher-order dimensional manifestation of a corporeally-expired Christian Shephard,
Hippocratically (and hypocritically) operating on the higher plane? If, however, I'm the analog to Number Two, then you might expect that who I am will shift as a function of who (appears) to be in charge on the island (Ben, Locke, ?) Think about it, G-man! It's nearly time for me to go, and you have only 2 questions remaining...."
GIL: "Well, I'm not really happy with your answer to that last question, but maybe that's another one they'll leave unanswered, when the curtain on the series finally closes in 2010 ('the year we make contact'). Oh, I almost forgot to ask this one... I gotta know how Richard Alpert does it, you know, how he keeps his skin so youthful and vibrant looking. It's almost like he hasn't aged a bit, once he reached adulthood. Is the island's electromagnetic energy helping slow Alpert's aging process, or is it the hematitic mudpacks?"
JACOB: "Oh, all right, G-man.... I'll cut you a break and give you a glimpse of the truth. On the one hand, you can try it for yourself and see if an electromagetically-based immortality device really does work (Google this one, yourself... It's a hoot!). On the other hand, you can go back through the space-time stuff and reconsider the aging question within that set of paradigms (hint-hint!) Now it's time for your final question...."
GIL: "What's up with Jack's beard color? First it's salt 'n peppa, then it's solid...."
JACOB: "Gil, some mysteries are even beyond the ken of a higher-order dimensional being like myself...."
Copyright 6/9/07
by Dr. Todd J. Hostager
E-mail: thostager@losthematheory.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ENDNOTES:
1. Kudos to "Phutatorius" for the 'canopic jar in Jacob's cabin' notion, expressed in a 6/7/07 (12:58pm) response to J. Wood's blog:
http://www.powells.com/blog/?p=2110
2. Here is the link to the Doc Jensen column containing the Jeremy Bentham and John Latham speculation:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20040589,00.html 3. For more information on these classic TV episodes, involving children with great powers, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Squire_of_Gothos_%28TOS_episode%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_a_Good_Life_%28The_Twilight_Zone%29
4. Please see the following for more information on the intriguing possibilities opened up by the Minkowski reference, in the Season Three finale:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minkowski_space
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Many-worlds_interpretation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bohm
5. Please see the following critiques of String Theory:
Smolin, L. (2006). "The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next." Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Woit, P. (2006). "Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law." New York: Basic Books.
6. For more information on polysemy, please see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polysemy
7. Please see the following for more information on Robert Pirsig and his classic book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._Pirsig