The only thing more interesting than a story set in hell is a story that might be set in hell. “Ab Aeterno” features not only a timeless narrative theme–the nature of evil–but also a classic literary device–ambiguity. Let’s face it: the writers of Lost intentionally leave things open to  interpretation [...]

(“Recon” spoilers here.)
Just as every cop is a criminal/ and all the sinners, saints.
–Rolling Stones, “Sympathy for the Devil”
In “Recon” it becomes clear that Sawyer is on an inescapable path of vengeance, whether working for law enforcement or working for himself. The lines of good and evil aren’t drawn as neatly as the [...]

“The art of choosing men is not nearly so difficult as the art of enabling the chosen to attain their full worth.”     -Napoleon Bonaparte
In the first scene of the flash sideways sequence, Ben delivers a lecture on the first exile of Napoleon, explaining that the French revolutionary was able to maintain his title of emperor, [...]

Let’s begin this analysis with a look at the episode’s title. Sundown or “dusk” is a period between lightness and darkness, a possible reference to the fuzzy area between good and evil, a zone where Lost tends to dwell at times, especially where its characters are concerned. It is also notable that the Jewish Sabbath [...]

“The Lighthouse” definitely rings some literary bells. First, it recalls To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, which is divided into three parts, the last section titled simply “The Lighthouse.”  The novel depicts the changing dynamics of a large family, the Ramsays, over the course of a ten-year period during which time many characters die and [...]

Okay, folks. Here’s a quick review of the literary allusions from last week, before we move on to tonight’s episode and its bookish Easter eggs.
It has been suggested that the two ladders we saw in “The Substitute” represent the two time lines or parallel realities. Will one of them break or become unstable? Will the [...]

In “The Substitute” we finally get to see The List, a source for all of the speculation about a grand scheme. Presumably, Jacob has acted as the god of Fate for all of the chosen castaways. He spun their threads, measured them out, wove them together and, most likely, decides when each thread of life [...]

Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. (Common utterance during the ritual ash-marking of Ash Wednesday; origin: Genesis 3:19)

Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Ezekiel 9:5
I’ve been thinking about the protective [...]

So far, in the flash sideways scenes, we have seen Claire going into labor with Kate at her side, Ethan Goodspeed monitoring the progress of mother and unborn child, John providing Jack with a more spiritual understanding of the universe, Kate running, tracking (Claire) and escaping “capture,” and Jack rescuing Charlie from near-death. What else [...]

The season premiere’s most intriguing bit of dialogue is the exchange between Ben and MonsterLocke, following Jacob’s murder and the slaughter of Ilana’s team. The absurdity of the setting (inside of the four-toed statue) and the somber tone of the discussion create a mood of fantasy and postmodernist dissonance—Waiting for Godot meets Alice in Wonderland. [...]