Powell's Books post: Catch-22
There's a great discussion developing on my Powell's Books Lost blog about the latest episode, "Catch-22." I dig Heller's book; it's creepy and funny, and the writers did a fine job of incorporating elements of its narrative into this episode -- nothing overt, it's all worked into the story. Which is something Lost is proving all the time -- showing is always better than telling. What's interesting is the ways they developed their various catch-22's in the episode; the basic one is that the only way to not have to sacrifice a person is to accept that you have to sacrifice a person. I'm starting to think every time Des saves Charlie, he's changing the past, present and future.
Two other references that were there, but seemed to take a bit to hit the internets, was Lord of the Flies (Naomi the parachutist at the end, but instead of a dead man, it's a live woman hung up in the trees -- goddess from the machine), and the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher George Campbell, who had a real beef with David Hume and his take on miracles.
