The Expression of Orientations in Time and Space With
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The Expression of Orientations in Time and Space with Flashbacks and Flash-forwards in the Series "Lost" Promotor: Auteur: Prof. Dr. S. Slembrouck Olga Berendeeva Master in de Taal- en Letterkunde Afstudeerrichting: Master Engels Academiejaar 2008-2009 2e examenperiode For My Parents Who are so far But always so close to me Мои родителям, Которые так далеко, Но всегда рядом ii Acknowledgments First of all, I would like to thank Professor Dr. Stefaan Slembrouck for his interest in my work. I am grateful for all the encouragement, help and ideas he gave me throughout the writing. He was the one who helped me to figure out the subject of my work which I am especially thankful for as it has been such a pleasure working on it! Secondly, I want to thank my boyfriend Patrick who shared enthusiasm for my subject, inspired me, and always encouraged me to keep up even when my mood was down. Also my friend Sarah who gave me a feedback on my thesis was a very big help and I am grateful. A special thank you goes to my parents who always believed in me and supported me. Thanks to all the teachers and professors who provided me with the necessary baggage of knowledge which I will now proudly carry through life. iii Foreword In my previous research paper I wrote about film discourse, thus, this time I wanted to continue with it but have something new, some kind of challenge which would interest me. After a conversation with my thesis guide, Professor Slembrouck, we decided to stick on to film discourse but to expand it. I chose to analyze my favourite series Lost, to see how flashbacks and flash-forwards are organized there. Next to that, we noticed that time and space play a significant role in this series, in connection to flashbacks and flash-forwards and in general. Lost is a perfect series to research in this area, as it has very complicated relationships between time and space, flashbacks and flash-forwards. iv Contents Foreword………………………………………………………………………………………….iv Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………..1 1. Philosophy of Time and Space………………………………………………………………..2 1.1. Ancient Times and Middle Ages…………………………………………………………2 1.2. Modern views……………………………………………………………………………..4 1.3. The Theory of Relativity………………………………………………………………...10 1.4. Concluding remarks……………………………………………………………………..12 2. Spatio-temporal problems in sociology……………………………………………………...13 2.1. Humanistic frame of time and space................................................................................13 2.2. Social anthropological aspects..........................................................................................15 2.3. Psychological aspects of time...........................................................................................17 2.4. Variations in time experience...........................................................................................18 2.5. The colonization of time...................................................................................................19 2.6. Absolute and relative views on time and space in sociology...........................................22 2.7. Concluding remarks..........................................................................................................24 3. Time and Space in Linguistics.................................................................................................25 3.1. Language and space..........................................................................................................25 3.2. Spatial representation in linguistics..................................................................................31 3.3. Time and language............................................................................................................32 3.3.1. Verbal tenses and time...........................................................................................35 3.3.2. Temporal modifiers................................................................................................36 v 3.4. Concluding remarks..........................................................................................................37 4. Time and Space in Lost: flashbacks and flash-forwards..........................................................39 4.1. The role of space in Lost. The Island................................................................................39 4.1.1. The location of the island.......................................................................................40 4.1.2. The island as a peril...............................................................................................43 4.1.3. The island as nowhere............................................................................................47 4.1.4. The island as destiny..............................................................................................55 4.1.5. The personification of the island............................................................................60 4.2. The role of time in Lost....................................................................................................64 4.3. Formal realization of flashbacks and flash-forwards........................................................70 4.3.1. Visual realization of flashbacks and flash-forwards..............................................70 4.3.1.1. Place...........................................................................................................70 4.3.1.2. The characters‟ appearance........................................................................71 4.3.1.3. Other visual devices...................................................................................72 4.3.1.4. Characters‟ meetings..................................................................................73 4.3.2. Plot structure..........................................................................................................74 4.3.3. Verbal realization of flashbacks and flash-forwards.............................................75 4.4. Functions of flashbacks and flash-forwards.....................................................................85 4.4.1. Jack Shephard........................................................................................................86 4.4.2. Kate Austen............................................................................................................89 4.4.3. James “Sawyer” Ford.............................................................................................91 4.4.4. Hugo “Hurley” Reyes............................................................................................96 4.4.5. John Locke...........................................................................................................100 4.4.6. General view on flashbacks and flash-forwards in Lost......................................105 vi 4.5. Concluding remarks........................................................................................................111 References....................................................................................................................................113 Referred episodes.........................................................................................................................118 vii Introduction In the first chapter we will look at different philosophical approaches concerning time and space, beginning from Aristotle up to Einstein. The second chapter is dedicated to sociological approaches to time and space, how human time is organized, variations in time experience, etc. The third chapter delves into about linguistic approaches to time and space, how people talk about it and express different spatial relations in their speech. We made this kind of research in order to learn more about the nature of time and space. If the first three chapters are purely theoretical, the fourth and the last chapter is completely practical, dedicated to the analysis of the series Lost. It begins with a general characterization of space in the series: the island, a complicated subject that thus deserves extra attention. The island can be represented from several points of view: the ways in which the characters see it - as a location, as a peril, as nowhere, as destiny, and some even consider it to be a living creature. Further on, we focus on time in the series, a significant subject as some personages manage to time travel. Next, we look at flashbacks and flash-forwards, researching their formal realization, namely how they are shown through setting, characters, other visual devices, plot, and verbal devices. Finally, the functions of flashbacks and flash-forwards are explained in connection with five personages and in general. 1 1. Philosophy of Time and Space 1.1 Ancient Times and Middle Ages Originally, time has always been one of the major concepts to reflect on; perhaps its ambiguous nature makes it so difficult to grasp. In philosophy, religion, and physics many different ideas appeared from Ancient Time up to present-day, explaining the essence of time. It seems logical to examine the main philosophical theories in order to have a better understanding of time. One of the first concepts belongs to Christianity wherein, according to the Bible, time is strictly linear. It begins with God‟s creation of the universe and then slowly moves forward, when Christ returns to the Earth for the second time. Nevertheless, God himself is considered to be eternal and therefore beyond time. Some ancient cultures such