The Constant

[Brian]

I have no idea if there were any books in tonights episode, in fact I can't remember too many details about what I just watched, what an incredible episode!!!

[Howard]

No books I can remember but notebooks, but yeah, it was. Love the time travel.

[Cassie]

No books that I saw, but the phrase "Unstuck in time" comes from "Slaughterhouse 5" I believe.

So much better than last weeks episode!

[Ted]

lol. Yeah, it was trippy. I thought my nose would start to bleed eventually. :) Yeah, no books that I saw either. That gives us a little rest here to look at what books we have seen, examine this mind blowing episode, and prepare for the next episode.

One thing I want to ask is in the books we have so far, what book do you think may have inspired or applied directly to this episode.

For me I am going to say the Narnia series. From Charlotte Staples Lewis (the scientist on the Island and a person familiar with it) we get C.S. Lewis and his children books Chronicles of Narnia. In it the children go into a different world and eventually come back into the former world with huge time difference.

There is also a situation where "Journals" or Personal Logs are essential. First, we have Miles notebook and then we have Widmore buying the Log book of the first mate of the Black Rock in the auction sold by Hanso.

For that situation what comes to mind is a book not featured or "indirectly" established through LOST, but I have heard from other LOSTIES (in other sites) is Umberto Echo's "The Island of the Day Before" where a journal of a man named Roberto della Griva (a Seventeenth Century nobleman) is found when this man suddenly wakes up on a large ship "anchored in the bay of a beautiful island he cannot reach." I am adding this book to the LOST book selection.

So any books tie in to this episode? What do you think of the LOGS or anything else in this episode. Share it with us. :)

-Ted.

[Ted]

Cassie. Excellent book tie in. The book again not featured in the show, but I think "could be" with it's story line. I'm going to add it to the book club as a fan suggestion for the reason you described. :)

[Howard]

Right, Billy Pilgrim comes unstuck in time.

I think the C.S. Lewis connection, though, is more one of the touchstone name deals, like Locke, Hume, and Rousseau (not sure about the spelling). Lewis was known for being a Christian apologist as much as a children's book author, so he represents a particular philosophical stance the same way those other names do. Which, btw, I'm not sure it's any more than using resonant names. Rousseau was known for the idea of the "noble savage" which Rousseau can be seen as, but I'm not sure how the real Locke relates to Locke's mysticism.

[Ted]

Howard,

That is true about the use of the C.S. Lewis name. I try not to read too much into it. However, it is similar to the whole various "philosophy/philosophers" aspect of the show with the characters. For some reason I think of C.S. Lewis more as a witer/apologist than really a Philosopher. Not that writers/apologists can't be Philosopher, but C.S. Lewis doesn't seem so in the classical sense.

Everyone, great job and insight here.

-Ted.

[Howard]

I suppose you're right. I guess the distinction would be that a philosopher has to be able to step outside of the philosophy he's espousing, or be in the active process of pursuing truth, such as it is, and if you start from "this set of beliefs is true," you're not doing the real work of philosophy.

Is it possible that the ship's log at the auction is from the ship on the island, where they got the dynamite (and the location of the most meta episode; when the high school science teacher complained about not being a main character, and then got blown up like an extra)? Is the Black Rock the name of the ship?

[Ted]

Howard,

Yeah, the Black Rock is that ship. This is why I wonder if that Log has something that will help Desmond. It is also a reason why I think the Umberto Echo book is interesting. (Not that it is officially tied into LOST).

Actually, there are some great (IMHO) Christian philosophers, but I don't think C.S. Lewis would claim to be one. He approached truth or problems from various angles. Literature, fiction, apologetics, metaphors, big questions, his personal life, etc. He wouldn't claim it to be a perfect examination, but finding truth never is perfect journey. Well this isn't a place for such a discussion. :) I just wanted to be clear on what I was saying. Thanks for the discourse.

[Lori]

Each week now, the show just seems to be getting better and better. I think now that they have an ending point in sight, and have listened to the viewers complaints on random filler episodes, and whatnot, the writing is getting much tighter and they are giving the viewers much more to sink their teeth into (Amen to that!)

This particular episode finally shed some light on the time travel/ time difference theory that so many people have been arguing over. Though we dont know everything yet, as in... if there is a time difference, how do they manage to contact outsiders (Penny and the frieghter) in 'real time'.... And exactly how long the time difference stretches for (kates mom was given 6 months to live for the past 4 years and she had only gotten ill just before Kate got on the plane, Aaron is a toddler in the flash foward, while Kate is going through the court ordeal, which should be taking place upon her return from the island, not a 3 month old child as his is on the island, Pennys been looking for Desmond for three years)....

I cant wait for the Enhanced episode to air thursday... I usually catch alot more the second time around, but I didnt really notice any books in this one. But I did notice as some of you have pointed out, the repetitiousness of the logs (the Black Rocks Log, and Daniels log)

Interesting to see what happens next.

[Ted]

Being that we lost 2 or 3 episodes (because of the writers strike) the last episodes will be really tight and fast pased. I hope we get those 3 episodes back somehow :). I don't mind if the show drags a bit. I love the extra time for character development. I'm all about the Character development. The mysteries are secondary to me.

Yeah, I need to watch the enhanced episodes. I usually ignore them. Lori also look into the Slaughterhouse 5 novel mentioned. It seems like a really interesting novel.

Marty, I think that theory is very probable. However, this show always seems to anticipate our logic and twists it like a twizler. I mean that in a good way (kinda lol).

[Cassie]

I read somewhere they will find a place for the missing 2 -3 episodes. Probably put them in next season or something.

I like the character development too. I think that's what the show is about in the first place -- but I don't like seeing episodes about the same few characters over and over again. I'm really sick of Jack and Kate. I thought the "flash forwards" would help this, but I ended just as bored with the Kate episode.

Still better then other things though.

[Lori]

Vangelicmonk, I must have forgotten to mention that i did read SlaughterHouse 5... that was way before i knew it was sort of linked the show. I am not a big fan of the author, the book was a little too all over the place for me.

Character background is essential, especially when you have such a large cast, however, they always seem to focus on the few more popular ones. When was the last time we saw anything on Sun and Jin and the pregnancy, or Claire since she has lost Charlie... besides seeing them for a moment or two here and there... The focus so far has been on Kate, Sawyer, Jack, Juliette, Sayid, Locke and Desmond. These are your main players right now. For good or bad, i guess.

[Tulara]

Lori - good point! I want to know where Richard and the other people on the island are - Ben sent them to the "temple" when he took Locke to "see Jacob. Has there been any mention of what they are doing?

[Somebody]

Hi all, I'm new here! I've just started looking over the posts here and I'm fascinated. Love to see other people thinking like me and doing it so much better! I just wanted to add something to the comment about the Chronicles of Narnia and Charlotte Staples Lewis. There was an interesting article on EW.com that talks about Charlotte's first appearance on the island and the fourth book in the series Prince Caspian. It's here:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20177...

I'll just post the part about the book.

"I am utterly convinced Charlotte Staples Lewis has been to the Island before. Maybe it was her giggly delight as she splashed about in the Island's inland waters. True, the would-be freighter savior (or devil) could have been celebrating the mere fact that she had survived her harrowing arrival. But there was something more to her reaction — something that reminded me of another fantastical tale about an enchanted homecoming. The book is Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis, the sequel to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The story starts with a chapter called ''The Island,'' in which the Pevensie kids return to Narnia via a mysterious island marked by ancient ruins and odd creatures. First thing they do: play in the water."

I've only read the first two books in the series, but now I'm curious to go back and finish. Also the lost writers have admitted her name intentionally references C.S. Lewis.

My apologies if this has been discussed but I didn't see that specific book in the list.

[Lori]

Thank, you for bringing up Richard Janice. Thats the one thing that really irks me about the show. They do have so many plot lines running at once that they cant possibly cover them all each week, Richard and the crew at the temple havent been seen in ages, tho I think i heard that this weeks episode will take place at the Temple, something about Daniel and Charolette and one of thier experiments. So hopefully they will come back into play soon.

Gotta admit tho, its all these loose ends that keep ya watching week in and week out!

[Howard]

Yep. Love the complexity of it.

That's interesting about Prince Caspian, Valerie. I only read TLTWATW, so I'd never have figured that out.

[Ted]

In Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof's first podcast for the new season they state that Charlotte S. Lewis is a homage to C.S. Lewis (which is not a surprise). However, they specifically state there is a parallel with Narnia and the Island.