LOST Without a Father: A Glimpse into LOST as a Reflection of Kinship

TOPIC: #6 Family Relations, Stresses, and Functions

TITLE: Lost Without a Father: A Glimpse into LOST as a Reflection of Kinship

SOURCE: LOST. American Broadcasting Company: ABC, Television.

RELATION: Robbins- finding important ethnographic relations by watching soap operas (P109-110)

In chapter 5 of Cultural Anthro, Robbins asserts that a good way to learn about family life in a society is to become familiar with their soap operas. I have chosen to look at LOST as a representation of American family values and tensions of religion. According to Robbins, “…though the behaviors of these characters may not really represent the daily lives of Americans, they represent enough of reality to allow viewers to identify with the characters and the situations...they can reveal something about the dynamics of American lives” (109).

Throughout the show each character is revealed to have a deep issue with their father; related to abandonment, manipulation, or abuse of some sort. This has caused great repercussions to each of their identities, either by reproducing their fathers’ fallacies, or affecting their mental persona, turning them against society’s acceptance. For example, Jack’s character is the son of a spinal surgeon, and is highly influenced into becoming one as well. His father, who should be perfect in Jack’s eyes, and a being to look up to, however, he is an alcoholic, which not only causes tension within their relationship, but has deeply engrained a drinking problem for Jack.

The relationship between Jack and his father (as well as the relationships with other characters- some of whom make a transformation into father figures themselves) embodies the contradiction of what the American Father should be, and shows the importance and reliance of the father figure as a guide and influence.

Religion is another aspect which parallels the relationship. Many Religions revolve around a paternal monotheistic creator, who is supposed to bring guidance. When this guidance is not received, trust is lost in the relationship, which often leads to a refusal to follow. This is very much like Jack’s lack of trust in his own father, which leads him to disown him.

The paternal relationship between Jack and his father are only a small portion of what can be learned about our society from LOST. There is also plenty of data on our ideas of marriage, culture (other than our own), identity, and reality just to name a few. There is much we can learn about ourselves as a culture, and as individuals from fictional stories such as LOST.