A Couple of Bandaids, A Bottle of Peroxide

[luhks]

Lost Theories: A Couple of Bandaids, A Bottle of Peroxide by Luhks
A Couple of Bandaids, A Bottle of Peroxide: An essay that searches for the meaning underlying the Sawyer-Kate-Jack love triangle. This analysis explores the different arguments in favor of Sawyer and Jack as Kate's love interest.

I have chosen to address this topic even though it has generated supreme controversy for some, and has generated extreme boredom for others. I speak, of course, of the infamous Sawyer-Kate-Jack love triangle, one of the recurring plotlines throughout all three seasons. Within my other posts on the Theories section, I have always approached Lost as a work of art that functions not only to entertain but also to enlighten. Our interpretations of, preferences for, and reactions to the drama onscreen reflect our own values. Some readers have even been offended and called me out for extending judgments beyond the show and onto the audience members. I stand by my assertion that Lost does not represent pure entertainment, but instead serves as a looking glass with which we can learn about ourselves and others. The dramatization of moral conflict allows us to explore the depths of human decision making. To me, the show’s love triangle does not carry any intrinsic value on its own, but remains important because it helps reveal our concepts of love and life in general.

As a medium, Internet message boards might not provide the ideal forum for discussing some of the show’s more complex and ambiguous issues such as this one. More often than not, people need to resort to unfair labeling, insults, exaggerations, over-simplifications, and other tactics in order to try to ‘win’ an argument in the space of a short paragraph. A common strategy is to try to phrase your conclusions in absolute terms, in order to overstate both the merits of your case and the flaws of the opposing view. Even in longer works such as recaps, bloggers tend to ignore possible counterarguments and focus upon offering only a one-sided view of complex issues. The adversarial system may work well in courtrooms, but, most often, this cycle tends to make all of us look like obsessed fools here.

Here are a few ground rules for my discussion, and I would recommend that all subsequent posters follow the same. I will not use any phony words (such as ‘Sawkat,’ ‘Jater,’ or ‘shipper’) intended to put a label on any group of people or point of view. I will try not to insult the intelligence, morality, or psychological underpinnings of any particular perspective. I will also not make any appeals regarding the relative quality of the actors and writers, nor will I treat any comments by the producers as evidence. Indeed, the debate in its current form seems rather ill-defined and needs clarification. I will attempt to analyze the discussion in terms of three general questions. First, whom will Kate choose by the end of the series? Second, which man would represent the better choice for Kate? Third, whom does Kate truly love? Each of these questions has three possible answers worth considering: Sawyer, Jack, or neither.

For the full article, click here: Lost Theories: A Couple of Bandaids, A Bottle of Peroxide by Luhks


For more theories, criticism, and analysis by Luhks, visit the following links.

Lost Theories: Man of Science, Man of Faith Theory by Luhks

Lost Forum: Supporting Actor Showdown: Michael Emerson vs. Terry O'Quinn by Luhks

Lost Theories: Good Men vs. Great Men by Luhks

[DickieCrickitts]

Interesting post. As for the show being a foil for our own perceptions of love and relationships, I think you are probably right. What I have noticed more than anything, especially on message boards, is that people make extreme judgments about how these relationships play out, as if to collectively say 'this is wrong!'

My point of view is that no matter how you feel about what goes on in these dynamics played out before us, there is no right or wrong, rather there are compulsions that are being acted upon...maybe if we stop judging and begin to have empathy for people around us and their actions, we can finally arrive at a greater understanding about what motivates people to do the things they do, including ourselves, which would lead to a more peaceful planet, imho.

I certainly have expressed all kinds of drama on message boards, and have to stop and remind myself 'what is it that is really going on and why is this pushing my buttons?' And then, 'do I really need to express myself in this manner?' When I think about what is causing me to behave in such a silly manner, I always arrive at a better understanding of myself and try to move forward.

Anyway, Kate and Sawyer, imho. She loves him, always will. Even if they don't end up together, she loves him to pieces. xxx

[Angel07]

what does imho mean?

[Michelle]

imho= in my honest opinion or at least thats wot i think it means :/

[cassiel]

I think Sawyer is the instinctual reaction target for Kate whose attraction for unattainable men is hardwired into her being as witness her background. She actually loves Jack, who is more akin to the Nathan Fillion character which she married in the flashback - righteous, good men.

Then again maybe she just loves the both of them. It's not uncomon for a person to be torn between two loves.

[DickieCrickitts]

Yeah, I see your point Cassiel, and I agree. Except I would add to that that Sawyer is not unattainable to Kate. He loves her. As for Jack, he is very much like the Nathan Fillion character, but remember she left him. She was bored and didn't like the life and also seemed to feel a lot of shame that she was a fugitive and lying about who she was.

Who knows. Maybe she will end up with someone entirely different. It seemed in the flashforward in the season finale she was no longer on the run.

D

[Michelle]

ah yes, but she left the policeman cos she couldnt lie to him anymore, jack knows who she really is so i think he has a better chance, what goes against jack is his controlling tendancies

the problem with sawyer is hes a bad boy he reminds kate of the guy her mom was with who she killed

i do think she will end up with someone else entirely or maybe on her own, and the "he" was a child