Unstuck in Time/Vonnegut reference

[skatertsol]

OK so I just watched ep 5 and missed out on all the fun last nite...I know this was brought up in another thread and I had brought up similarities to "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut before this episode-but wow! I wrote my thesis on the theory of becoming "Unstuck In Time" (I'm a geek English major) and when Faraday said that about the mouse, "unstick in time" I about croaked. So I thought of some other similarities, minor but hey, everyone else gets there say. Vonnegut wrote this story as metafiction, or writing about writing. he's telling his story of his experience at the bombing of Dresden. Dresden-Desmond hmm. Ok...And Desmond was a solider in 1996...hmm...Ok. So this other character keeps becoming "Unstuck in Time"-one minute he's in the war-the next he is back home before the war with his wife, the next he is an elderly man with grown children. Now there was no electromagnetic energy at work, no island with polar bears, no smoke monster, but to Desmond at this point-there's not either. (In S5, however, there are aliens known as Tramalfodorians) I just think it's really interesting how similar Desmond is to Billy Pilgrim, the anti-hero flying thru time. Also, if anyone is familiar with the book, the character Roland Weary reminds me of the opposite of Charlie (ya know how everything is kinda backwards on the island?) Roland tries to save Billy's life several times, despite Billy's protests and when Roland eventually dies, he blames Billy. Now Desmond tries to save Charlie several times from what we thought was his "psychic visions" (but now seems like there could be more) but then Charlie sees it as an opportunity to save Desmond and his friends, and dies to protect them rather than blaming Desmond. I don't know my favorite book and my favorite show all tied in....yea! Wikipedia's Slaughterhouse Five already has listed under "allusions" this episode!!! There's my plug for Slaughterhouse Five. Go buy it, check it out from the library, whatever you gotta do and tell me what you think!!

[bunnydixon]

i am not familiar with it at all but there does seem to be similarities there.

[skatertsol]

Bunny I've given you your homework for this weekend lol :)

[bunnydixon]

i'll need longer than that, it will probably take me a day to get a copy lol!

[jacksnurse]

OK so I just watched ep 5 and missed out on all the fun last nite...I know this was brought up in another thread and I had brought up similarities to "Slaughterhouse Five" before this episode-but wow! I wrote my thesis on the theory of becoming "Unstuck In Time" (I'm a geek English major) and when Faraday said that about the mouse, "unstick in time" I about croaked. So I thought of some other similarities, minor but hey, everyone else gets there say. Vonnegut wrote this story as metafiction, or writing about writing. he's telling his story of his experience at the bombing of Dresden. Dresden-Desmond hmm. Ok...And Desmond was a solider in 1996...hmm...Ok. So this other character keeps becoming "Unstuck in Time"-one minute he's in the war-the next he is back home before the war with his wife, the next he is an elderly man with grown children. Now there was no electromagnetic energy at work, no island with polar bears, no smoke monster, but to Desmond at this point-there's not either. (In S5, however, there are aliens known as Tramalfodorians) I just think it's really interesting how similar Desmond is to Billy Pilgrim, the anti-hero flying thru time. Also, if anyone is familiar with the book, the character Roland Weary reminds me of the opposite of Charlie (ya know how everything is kinda backwards on the island?) Roland tries to save Billy's life several times, despite Billy's protests and when Roland eventually dies, he blames Billy. Now Desmond tries to save Charlie several times from what we thought was his "psychic visions" (but now seems like there could be more) but then Charlie sees it as an opportunity to save Desmond and his friends, and dies to protect them rather than blaming Desmond. I don't know my favorite book and my favorite show all tied in....yea! Wikipedia's Slaughterhouse Five already has listed under "allusions" this episode!!! There's my plug for Slaughterhouse Five. Go buy it, check it out from the library, whatever you gotta do and tell me what you think!!


cool skater...i checked out the lostpedia reference but I have not read that book ...unbelievably so....i read alot....i will def want to check it out now....thanks

[skatertsol]

Well they used to have spots where you can download books for free...no longer of course. i found this website though you can download it for 7 bucks http://www.ebooks.com/ebooks/book_display.asp?IID=120632

[samanthaleonore]

YES, I just finished that book for the second time.
I was actually finishing the last few pages right before I played the episode, and jokingly, I brought up to my friend that Desmond was stuck in time like Billy Pilgrim. Then lo and behold, Daniel Faraday comes on and uses the exact term!

[Robo42]

It's been awhile since I've read it, but I don't think the comparisons are that close. I always thought that he was in heaven and just having flashbacks of his life. how off am I? LOL

[skatertsol]

Heaven? really. Interesting...I never got that. But isn't the Lost comparison more fun robo!?!?!

[Robo42]

Maybe I'm confusing the book with the movie. In the last chapter isn't he in heaven with the porn star? Seriously. The lost comparison is more fun. I guess i need to reread that book to. I'll add it to the list. LOL

[samanthaleonore]

Maybe I'm confusing the book with the movie. In the last chapter isn't he in heaven with the porn star? Seriously. The lost comparison is more fun. I guess i need to reread that book to. I'll add it to the list. LOL
LOL, in the book, he's on Tramfladore (not sure how to spell it off the top of my head) with the movie star. They're in a zoo made to simulate a human habitat.

Haha, the LOST comparison is way more fun! =]

[jackchick]

Lost has so many books featured. The last one Sawyer was reading, the book chosen by Locke for Ben and now this similarity. The writers alot of books as clues or literature in general. The smoke moster being Cerberus etc. I think we're seeing all these different writers favorite books!!LOL

[skatertsol]

Just had to bring this one up after "meet kevin johnson"....the answer to the question on the quiz show Michael's watching in his apartment-Kurt Vonnegut. I love this show.

[skatertsol]

ok and it keeps going on....even more this season because the characters have literally become unstuck in time. and back to the book references, has anyone ever read any of Ram Dass' books? I mean, it doesn't sound like the real Richard Alpert's books are going to have much connection w/ Lost's Richard Alpert from the synopsis I read on amazon, but you never know. I'll keep you updated though...I'm a sucker for anything that has potential for clues....they should be arriving in the mail in 4-5 business days :) Remember, Be Here Now is the name of the book check it out....and doesn't the chair on the cover look oddly familiar to anyone else?
http://www.amazon.com/Remember-Here-Now-Ram-Dass/dp/0517543052/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233456320&sr=8-1