"Benjamin Linus"? Hmm . . .

I'll post something proper tomorrow regarding last night's episode ("The Glass Ballerina"), but for now here are a few initial thoughts on Ben's (alleged) real-name: "Benjamin Linus".

"BENJAMIN"

Given LOST's trend of referencing the names of philosophers (e.g. Locke, Hume, Rousseau), "Benjamin" might be a nod to German literary critic and philosopher Walter Benjamin.

Check out this quote from Benjamin's Theses on the Philosophy of History, and see what you think:

"The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the 'state of emergency' in which we live is not the exception but the rule. We must attain to a conception of history that is in keeping with this insight. Then we shall clearly realize that it is our task to bring about a real state of emergency, and this will improve our position in the struggle against Fascism."

Now, on the face of it, doesn't that sound a lot like what Ben and his community have been up to?  Ben's people have been "bringing about a real state of emergency" in the castaways by wearing disguises and attacking them, teaching the castaways that the "state of emergency is not the exception but the rule".  Why?  Probably because Ben needs the castaways to join his community's "struggle against Fascism".  If our assumptions have been correct, these "fascists" will be a new set of so-called "Others", one group of which will led by the tyrant that Tom has been impersonating: The real Bearded Man.

And just to touch on the underlying political subtext for a moment, doesn't that Walter Benjamin quote also sound a lot like the philosophy of the Project for a New American Century, the group to which Cheney and Rumsfeld (i.e. "Ben" and "Tom") belong?

[See this previous post for more on how PNAC might connect to LOST.]

It's still early - and I may well have unknowingly taken the above quote completely out of context - but I have a strong suspicion that this "Ben/Walter Benjamin" connection will offer us some useful clues in understanding this new camp's agenda.

"LINUS"

The following "Linus" connection isn't as self-explanatory as the "Benjamin" one, but nevertheless it seems pretty relevant.  Watch how it starts at LOST and loops right back round to it again.

In Greek mythology, "Linus" was a music teacher killed by a student he had reprimanded.  The student's name?  Hercules.  And what many-headed monster did Hercules later kill?  The one whose picture is on Ben's Station: The HYDRA.

Coincidence?  Hmm . . .

***

Please feel free to use the comments section below to offer your own ideas or to chat about last night's episode.  In the meantime, I'll be putting my thoughts down about "The Glass Ballerina" and have them on the site by tomorrow morning.

Take care!

Comments

[Beth]

Wow! Thank you for mentioning Ben's name. I was thinking of a more literal meaning to his name as in "Linus": Ben is Lying-to-us. Just a thought to make you laugh.

Honestly, the Hercules connection makes a lot of sense. So, that leads me to question which student. I assume since it would relate to Hydra. Sawyer, Jack, Kate, Juliette, or maybe "Chachi" or Alex. What is Alex's significance and her statement to Kate "you aren't supposed to be at this spot"?

I'm interested in reading your synopsis of last nights episode.

And, Stef, you should have thrown the fish biscuit!

[Stef]

Beth - if only!!! :-)

I like the Hydra connection, too. I think I need to do some reading up on these Greek myths, because my guess is that the writers are going to keep making references to this one in particular.

[Brian Wittenwyler]

Have you considered working Linus Pauling into your Ben name theory?

[Carly Adams]

Jeremy Bentham is also a famous philosopher.

[Sean Dunleavy]

Thanks for that, Carly. It looks like this is the first time you've commented - welcome to the conversation!

[Oso]

How about this?

Though young, Linus is unusually smart,[3] and he acts as the strip's philosopher and theologian,[4][5] often quoting the Gospels.[6] He also invented his own quasi-religious being, The Great Pumpkin who (like Santa Claus) mysteriously appears every year, bringing presents. The Great Pumpkin, however, appears on Halloween and only at the most sincere pumpkin patch, which Linus invariably believes is his own. Linus is the only one who believes in the Great Pumpkin. Though he occasionally convinces other characters the Great Pumpkin is real, they always lose faith, while Linus keeps his.