The Tail Section

In the preface to his new book The Myth of Lost, author Marc Oromaner makes the assertion that his book was written for all fans of Lost–casual and compulsive, newbies and know-it-alls, and even people who abandoned Lost early on. This may be one of the only major “misses” in the book. The Myth of Lost is a very interesting read, but I cannot imagine that it would be all that appealing to the casual Lost viewer or those who got frustrated by the perpetual mystery and jumped ship in the first season.  It’s a good thing for Oromaner that there are plenty of obsessive Lost fans out there and that we have a voracious appetite for all things Lost.

Oromaner is an avid student of pop culture, particularly of science fiction. In fact it is his love of the genre that inspired him to write this book.  Unsatisfied by the conclusions of several sci-fi classic TV shows and films, such as The X-Files and The Matrix Trilogy, he feared that the Lost writers could go the same route and disappoint viewers in the final reveal. He began to formulate a theory about the mysteries of Lost, trying to come up with an explanation that would be simple enough for viewers to understand and still resolve enough mysteries to satisfy.

To be perfectly honest, when I first read the basic outline of Oromaner’s theory I immediately thought “no way.”  It seemed both too simple and too “out there” to be the truth. However, as I read on I became more and more convinced. Oromaner backs up his theory with a breakdown of all the major characters and how they fit into his scenario. He even finds a way to fit a lot of the smaller mysteries—like the whispers and the pregnancy problems—into his overall thesis.  Oromaner doesn’t just speculate as many other Lost theorists do, he points to evidence in the show to back up nearly every aspect of his theory. As a result, The Myth of Lost is extremely persuasive.

Of course, Oromaner doesn’t get everything right. The Myth of Lost was written prior to Season 4, in which some of his ideas are proven wrong. And in some cases, his explanations are a bit forced, but that is to be expected since he attempts to fit nearly every Lost mystery into his theory. I am almost certain that whatever solution the Lost writers eventually come up with will leave some questions unanswered so it is commendable and impressive that he was able to come up with a story that addresses so much of the Lost myth. Oromaner admits that not everything falls into place easily and that even if his overall theory turns out to be correct, there are certainly going to be differences between his explanations and those of the Lost writers.  One example of this has to do with Kate. Oromaner correctly predicts that Kate will become a mother, but is incorrect in how that will come about. The fact that he was correct about her becoming a mom, even though he was wrong about how it happened, certainly supports his overall theory. 

There is also a spiritual element to The Myth of Lost, but it isn’t overwhelming or preachy.  Oromaner believes that one of the reasons Lost has drawn such a loyal audience is because the viewer subconsciously sees the island as a metaphor for the real world, and so the lessons of Lost can be applied to their own life. He discusses the purposes of myth throughout human history and how Lost fits into that tradition. I know that there are some Lost fans who are really into the spiritual aspects of the show and others who are not.  Those who appreciate that facet will find Oromaner’s ideas about the spiritual components of Lost fascinating.  However, those viewers who don’t buy into the idea of Lost as a metaphor for life and who aren’t interested in the mystical aspects of the show should not be frightened away.  The discussions about the spirituality of Lost are not heavy-handed and it is still possible to enjoy the book even if you are not interested in that particular part of the Lost myth.

It is possible that The Myth of Lost will prove to be completely wrong, but I hope not. I haven’t come across another explanation that is this complete. There are thousands of theories floating around about what is actually taking place on that island, but most of them are either too convoluted, have gaping holes or both. Oromaner’s theory is the best that I have read and the book itself is a lot of fun, throwing in references to everything from The Wizard of Oz to Monty Python as well as little tidbits about Lost that you may have missed, such as the fact that in nearly every episode someone uses the word “lost” (now that I am looking for it, I don’t know how I missed it the first time around).  Oromaner’s writing is intelligent and witty, yet the book retains a conversational feel and his theory is easy to follow.  And don’t worry, this book is not a spoiler.  Even if Oromaner’s theory turns out to be correct, there are an infinite number of possible outcomes for our castaways and just as many potential explanations of the Lost mysteries that still allow the scenario in the book to be correct. The Myth of Lost is a must-read for serious Lost fans (and hopefully the Lost writers). It is currently available on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com.

http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Lost-Solving-Mysteries-Understanding/dp/0595484565/

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Myth-Of-Lost/Marc-Oromaner/e/9780595484560

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