Sorry, that should be the
first link that the paragraph on Lancelot (#6) below is from. BTW, Flannery O’Connor is #32…
Karey
From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Karey Perkins
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:53 PM
To: 'Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion'
Subject: Re: [percy-l] Any LOST lovers out there?
http://fieldingonfilm.com/wp/?p=781
http://weheartthis.com/2010/01/28/lost-required-reading/
For interested Lost lovers, above are two links which go
through the books seen/read on the show, and possible meanings. Note #6 in the second link – another possible
meaning for Lancelot being on the show, though I like your suppositions Bob –
the triangle is big in Lancelot, and Kate, Sawyer and Jack form a triangle
throughout. BTW, “Watership Down” was on
the latest episode – with pundits guessing various meanings based on
content. I think sometimes think it’s
more simple than that. Sawyer went on a submarine
– a watership down – in this last episode...
Here’s the other speculation as to why Sawyer is reading
Lost, from the second link above:
6. Lancelot by Walker Percy
Like most of the books seen on Lost, this one is
being read by Sawyer. On Wikipedia: The 1977 novel “tells the story of the
dejected lawyer Lancelot Lamar, who murders his wife after discovering that he
is not the father of her youngest daughter. He ends up in a mental institution,
where his story is told through his reflections on his disturbing past. The
novel compares the protagonist unfavorably to his namesake, Sir Lancelot, as he
experiences a vision of an empty modern American culture which invokes the
symbolism of the mythical Wasteland. Lamar’s quest to expose this moral
emptiness is a transposition of the quest for the Holy Grail; as he witnesses and
records the increasing moral depravity of his wife and daughter during the
filming of a Hollywood movie, he becomes obsessed with and corrupted by the
immorality he seeks to condemn. The novel is replete with Arthurian references
and references, including characters based on Merlin and Percival.” Maybe this
book has some connections to Sawyer’s parents. You know the fact that Locke’s
dad conned Sawyer’s mom, took the family money, and then abandoned her. In
retribution, Sawyer’s dad killed his mom and then himself, leaving a
revenge-seeking Sawyer behind.
Karey
From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Robert OConnor
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:26 PM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: Re: [percy-l] Any LOST lovers out there?
Well,just an anecdote, and, unfortunately, I can't answer
your question, but when I spotted this photo I was roped into
Lost. That was sometime in season 4 and I've been watching the series
since but never have seen the episode which showed Sawyer reading Lancelot.
If I had to hazard a guess I would say the writers cited Percy because of his
overall themes of good, evil, existentialism and generous helpings of
symbolism rather then the specific novel. Sawyer's character is a rascally
con man with a way with the ladies which wouldn't fit the character in the
novel. Hurley's character has logged time in a mental institute but his
traits wouldn't fit either. A long shot is the competition between Jack and
Sawyer for the hand of Kate mirroring Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere and the
writers plucked the book for the title not the content. As an aside, the only
book the show has revealed to me so far is The Invention of Morel by Adolfo
Bioy Casares which centers on a remote island with strange goings-on and a
murky sense of reality.Bob
--- On Thu, 3/18/10, Karey Perkins <karey1 AT charter.net>
wrote:
From: Karey Perkins <karey1 AT charter.net>
Subject: [percy-l] Any LOST lovers out there?
To: "'Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion'"
<percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 10:36 AM
Why
is Sawyer reading Walker Percy’s Lancelot? Deeper symbolic meaning
anyone?
Lost
often puts significant books in the scenes, having characters read
them. There are others – think this is the only Percy book.
Karey
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