[D-Roc]

Back in Season 1, Locke "looked into the eye of the island, and what I (he) saw...was beautiful!"

In Season 3, he revealed to a crippled Mr. Eko that what he specifically saw was a "very bright light", suggesting that he has some understanding or reasoning for what the Smoke Monster actually is - after all, he refers to it as 'looking into the eye of the island'.

Why then, is his first and most earnest question to a tree-strapped Ben in 4.02, "What is the smoke monster?" (words to that effect)

Now perhaps Locke just wants confirmation of what he saw, or what he thinks he saw - or perhaps he wants some more substance to go with his own theory on old Smokey. But it strikes me s interesting that Locke would need clarification on something he took on good faith a season or 2 earlier.

Is this a sign of Locke's diminishing trust in the island? Is Locke becommong more like Jack - needing tangible rationale for something which he cannot comprehend?

Why then, did Locke not ask Ben this question ages ago - he had the opportunity?

It just strikes me as fairly poignent that he asked Ben this question moments after realising that Jacob had jumped the line and gone AWOL in Hugo's subconscious...

No wonder he cannot find Jacob - you can't see if you don't believe..

(but how can you believe if you cannot see?) And so it goes..