Daddy Island

[D-Roc]

The island wont let Michael die - just like it probably didn't let Jack die when he tried to kill himself by jumping off that bridge in Through the Looking Glass.

The other day I was thinking about the level of authority the island has over these folks..folks who still have 'work to do'. It suddenly struck me that the island is literally, or perhaps, metaphorically taking on the role of a parent..a daddy, to be precise? After all, every character on the show has "daddy issues", and there seems to be this ever emerging 'character' in the island and it's governing and 'protection' (particularly in relation to Locke) of the Losties and some of it's other inhabitants.

Much like any parent, the island wants it's 'children' to do their "work". The island also places restrictions on what they can and can't do. The island feels it is able to cast judgement and even 'punish' the inhabitants when they don't apologise for the errors in their ways, but like any loving parent, the island also allows for redemption and forgiveness. We could interchange many of our central characters in those above situations - from Mr. Ek, to Michael, to Locke, to Charlie.

The more I think about it, the more the island is taking on the role of a parent. I feel that it's becoming both metaphorical and literal in it's parenthood. I'm not sure what this means or whether it's just a parellel or something unintentional, but i'll be looking out for more signs of 'daddy island' over the weeks and months to come.

[charlierocks]

I read this when you first posted, and completely agreed, yet it just came to me that if the island won't let people die, then whoever was in the coffin mustn't adhere to the rules. As I understand it you mean that they can die as long as it's a sort of redemption thing, is that what you mean??? If not SORRY. Anyway whoever is in the coffin must have redeemed themselves so how come no one cared enough to turn up at the funeral??? Maybe we can work out who it could be with a bit of discussion and logic!!! If not we should be able to rule out the definate no no's.
This isn't a critisism of your post, far from it, but as it seems such good reasoning, it's another line of questioning that we could use with your idea.

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted by charlierocks

I read this when you first posted, and completely agreed, yet it just came to me that if the island won't let people die, then whoever was in the coffin mustn't adhere to the rules. As I understand it you mean that they can die as long as it's a sort of redemption thing, is that what you mean??? If not SORRY. Anyway whoever is in the coffin must have redeemed themselves so how come no one cared enough to turn up at the funeral??? Maybe we can work out who it could be with a bit of discussion and logic!!! If not we should be able to rule out the definate no no's.
This isn't a critisism of your post, far from it, but as it seems such good reasoning, it's another line of questioning that we could use with your idea.

Yeah very true, I mentioned this in another thread but you're right to raise it here as it's an interesting aspect to consider.

It's interesting that you mention the word 'rules' as this is exactly what the island seems to have over these people - a governing set of rules..rules which adhere to their individual and collective 'tasks'. It would appear that there's at least two ways of looking at this in relation to the guy who's in the coffin.

Either the island picks and chooses who it has a hold over - that is, it doesn't place a blanket of 'protection' over 'all' of the people who leave the island...only those who have a specific task still to complete - those like Locke, Michael, Jack perhaps..

This would seem to make sense, as we already know that the island (well, if smokey and the island are one in the same thing) can discriminate..it can consciously 'select' who to kill, who to protect and who to sacrifice (Eko, Locke, Boone respectively). Perhaps coffin man had no further part to play or no further 'importance' to the island it's objectives?

OR, perhaps, as you say, this person had redeemed themselves? Perhaps they completed whatever mission they still had to complete, and so the island released it's hold over their fate..and placed fate back into the hands of that particular beholder?

With both of these alternatives (i'm sure there are also others) in mind, it further establishes the island as a character..as a parent, almost. An all powerful being who sets rules and objectives for it's children. Perhaps all of these people are vital cogs in a big wheel..a wheel which represents the 'bigger picture'? Perhaps the variables that they each bring into the game is needed to effect the 'probability' of island survival? But if so, this again reiterates the idea that the island may be in control of their destinies, but not it's own..

Back to the coffin..thanks for raising the point as it's certainly worth considering in this light. i've touched on it a bit above, but hope to give it even further thought