This is the fifth part of our LOST homeschool curriculum – focusing on history, literature, mythology, religion etc. (PART I – THEMES is here.)
NOTE: If you watch the series, this will all make sense to you. If you don’t watch the series, I highly recommend it, but you have to watch it from the beginning – we purchased the first 4 seasons on DVD. You can’t just watch a couple episodes and have any understanding at all. My series here includes only the simplest of the discussion points. For in depth LOST analysis, please visit the message boards or Lostpedia.

MYTHOLOGY/LITERATURE

Egyptian Mythology - The statue in later seasons has been identified as Taweret, and the hieroglyphics seen throughout the temple and on Jacob’s tapestry have kept LOST lovers busy translating for months.

Greek Mythology – much has been discussed about the many Greek characters and how their influence could connect with LOST, particularly Apollo, Persephone, and Cerberus . The stories of Atlantis and Pandora’s Box also offer many parallels to the storylines in LOST.

The Odyssey - This epic story was said to have been written in a way that each chapter (episode) would include flashbacks, etc. In theory, you could start at any point in the book and read it in it’s entirety – like a loop. One could possibly do the same thing with LOST.

Paradise Lost – this poem by Milton tells the story of Adam and Eve’s fall from grace, and the ways Satan pushed them into sin. The battle between God (good) and Satan (evil) is central to Paradise Lost, and some say the same theme exists in LOST.

In addition, numerous other books are referenced in the show, and may or may not have meaning in the plot. For instance, here’s just a list of what Sawyer is reading during the show:
* Watership Down
* Lord of the Flies
* A Wrinkle in Time
* Lancelot
* Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret
* Bad Twin
* Of Mice and Men
* The Fountainhead
* Evil Under the Sun
* The Invention of Morel
* Grimm’s Fairy Tales

Visit Lostpedia for a complete listing of books featured on LOST.

HISTORY/RELIGION

Whether you see the religious references as “religion” or “history”, they certainly exist in LOST> Possible plot lines that follow the lines of purgatory, reincarnation, heaven/hell and redemption. Themes seem to touch on history of numerous religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islaam, and Buddism.

Most major religions are used in some way in the series, and names are one of the strongest references. While this is certainly not a comprehensive list of all the meaningful names in the series, it does give you an idea about the complex discussions potentially generated by them. One of the reasons LOST is such an amazing show, is that the writing is so intelligent, weaving references to history, literature and religion into every episode.

Adam and Eve are mentioned when the skeletons are found in the cave in Season 1. Their descendents are Abraham (Bram) Jacob, Jacob’s son Benjamin, and his descendent AARON (Moses’ brother.) Ben jokingly refers to Locke as “Moses” in season five. Jacob’s descendants carry the line of David and this is the family tree that includes Jesus Christ, the Good Shepard (Christian Shepard.) Who knows how any of this will play in the final season, but it all offers lots of opportunity for discussion. SOURCE: ABC LOST MESSAGE BOARDS

LOST Homeschool Lessons Series:
Themes
Character Arc
Symbols
Games!
History/Literature