VALIS
From Lostpedia
VALIS is a 1981 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick. The title is an acronym for Vast Active Living Intelligence System, Dick's gnostic vision of one aspect of God.
VALIS is a story of a man, Philip, and his journey with his alter-ego, Horselover Fat, to find God. Most of the story is a narrative that disguises a theological set of ideals established by Dick. The major subject of the dialogue of this narrative is spirituality, as Dick/Fat is/are ostensibly obsessed with several religions and philosophies, including Christianity, Taoism, Gnosticism and even Jungian psychoanalysis, in the search for a cure for what he believes is simultaneously a personal and a cosmic wound.
On Lost
John Locke selects VALIS from Ben Linus's bookshelf to give Ben something to read to pass the time while Ben is a prisoner in the basement of his house in the Barracks. Upon receiving the book, Ben says "I've already read it." Locke responds by saying, "You might catch something you missed the second time around." ("Eggtown") Ben later takes Locke up on his suggestion. ("The Other Woman")
Shared themes
- Both VALIS and Lost discuss the possible human ability to "mentally" travel through time, with the subject's body not ever physically leaving. In the book, Horeselover Fat states that this is accomplished through "remembering" the past and the future. According to the book, this is achievable, as all humans are born through a compilation of DNA from their ancestors, which would include a compilation of memories from ancestors as well. This being the case, time travel merely becomes the ability to access this information regarding the past in one's brain.
- Both VALIS and Lost incorporate many religions and theological ideas in their varying themes. These include references to the Bible, Taoism, and Buddhism.
- Cancer is a major theme in VALIS, as following his first love interest's spectacular suicide, Fat finds himself desperate to aid Sherri, a woman who he believes to have willed herself to have cancer. The original cause, remission, and relapse of the cancer-- as self-willed, acts of God, or medical anomalies-- serve allegorically as a main query of the book. Also, Fat's pets both die of cancer, which he relates to the radiation caused by VALIS' communication with him in March, 1974. Ben, Rose, Rachel (Juliet's sister), and Kate's mother Diane Janssen suffer from the disease in Lost. Ben suggests that the island made him ill on purpose, as the passing of his role to John Locke.("Cabin Fever")
- VALIS discusses many studies that are done with the brain and telepathy. Telepathy is one of the many studies that the DHARMA Initiative was involved in.
- In the book, VALIS is the name of a movie that the protagonist, Philip, goes to see. In this movie, there are many Easter eggs and subliminal messages, as well as hidden acronyms. Lost also uses many of these techniques in the show.
See also
