posted
Last night I watched an episode of LOST. As you who follow this show know in each episode a little more is revealed about one character in connection to some events on the mysterious island. I find this arrangement to be extremely well thought because it reflects reality and how we never know the whole story of people with whom we are in contact.
So in this episode we learnt a little more about the handsome Iraqi Sayid.
After having seen the first series Sayid appeared to me as an intelligent, compassionate, humane, techincally skilled, athletic, passionate and in some ways the deepest and most sophisticated character of the bunch. He was my favorite by far.
Before I discuss how this new twist in Sayid's character evolved in this episode I would also like to discuss briefly the other people on the island who represent the non-western population.
First there are the Korean couple Sun & Jin. They are very ethically strict and depicted as in incredible harmony with nature, even though they are from the big cosmopolitan Seoul. They grow plants and know about herbs, they manage to catch the fish etc. In other words they are stereotypical of what Westerners think "Asian" is.
Secondly is the interesting ECO from Nigeria. He didnt appear in the first series and I have a sneaking suspiscion that he was placed in the second one as a case of "political correctness". But they didn't do a very good job in my opinion because Eco is a classic instance of the "cultural racism" the West has towards Africa. Eco is a man who is able to stop strange inexplicable black smokey beasts in the jungle, hence linking him and Africa to the classic image of barbarism. He is also shown as a deeplyu religious man, citing biblical verses to explain something, and interpreting events only in light of some possibly godly meanings. To me this makes him seem less rational then the other people. And this reflects the image of Africa as passive, and of categorizing "us" as rational thinking beings whereas "they" are moved by other logic (cultureal practices, religion etc.).
And then there is Sayid...
Edward Said described the tension between the West and the Middle East as understandable as these regions are competitors in culture, and civilization. And to me Sayid has cristallized this attitude. He has been the beacon of human value in this show but in this last episode I saw he is made a torturer.
I find it really pathetic of the producers to make him, this Iraqi man, to be a torturer. He is the one who does disgusting things, not the American soldiers. He cuts off people's fingers. He becomes the embodiment of Evil.
So people what do you think of Sayid? And what does his presence say about the Middle East in this show or in the media at large?
Posts: 2184 | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
i watched invasion ,that im not able to follow one min i got it then it twists again .but hes gorgeouse aint he ..the main charector....never seem to have the time to watch LOST ,BUTfew of me mates do will ask there comments on this ..kool
Posts: 1602 | From: the banana island shake me tweeeeeeee | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
hey anthropos, i think we might be a bit behind in australia, because i haven't really seen any episodes of that nature about sayid. i really like the way you analayzed each character though. you are very observant.
so who did sayid torture?
Posts: 4446 | From: Egyptian in Sydney | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Sayid was a soldier. He was a republican guard in Iraq. In the first war he is taken by Americans who want him to do some translating for them. He is asked to interrogate his own superior officer and this is difficult for him, because of loyality to his own country. To persuade him the Amercians appeal to his emotions which he later is controlled by (is this not stereotypical? All Arabs are so hot blooded?).
And when verbal technique doesn't rend results the Americans hand him a box of "tools" - and turn Sayid into a torturer but since Sayid is acting on feelings (the officer supposedly killed some of Sayid's family) it is all justifiable.
Then the Americans leave. And it is implied that Sayid continued as a torturer for the Iraqi army.
Even though the Americans don't come off as completely innocent I find it important to note that it is Sayid that commits these terrible acts, it is the Arab, the Iraqi who is seen with blood on his hands...
Posts: 2184 | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
how did the people react to that episode? were there any objections in the media?
Posts: 4446 | From: Egyptian in Sydney | Registered: Mar 2005
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Hmmm....I don't know. This episode was probably shown some time ago in America. We are a bit late here also...I haven't heard anything.
Posts: 2184 | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
IMO Sayid was doing his duty as a republican guard although he wasn't happy with it and he showed sympathy to Nadia and helped her to escape.
There is a story for each main character and people like kate and sawyer were murderers for certain reasons. Even charlie killed ethan for his own reasons after ethan was captured.
It's just a story and i don't think there was stereotyping. in many episodes Sayid was helping and using his skills to establish a communication center , finding the source of power on the island , communicating with daniel , making a radar to be used on the raft. He decided to quit his past and was going to the states to find nadia.
Posts: 184 | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
Oh no! I haven't seen yet that episode but no...Sayid a torturer?! Is too much. Posts: 1414 | From: far away | Registered: Sep 2004
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Yes I agree with you Ichigo that in the first series Sayid was wonderful and no stereotyping. I even was amazed that no body on the island seemed to care about him being a republican guard.
But I find this new twist really disappointing. Of course it is only fiction but it can reflect a wider discourse.
Posts: 2184 | Registered: Oct 2005
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