Bodys Isek Kingelez

The kids are in bed and I had this whopper idea and I couldn't keep it to myself. Just one more proof I love you guys, I needed to share my ideas with you (that may be sad for you). Nobody else came to mind.


Bodys Isek Kingelez


For a long time I racked my brain trying to figure out why Hurley would have misspelled the word bodies in the pilot episode. He spells it b-o-d-y-s. First, Hurley doesn’t seem uneducated and second he should have known that Walt would be able to spell such an easy word. And frankly, if he is trying to protect Walt from having to think about death, that cat is already out of the bag for a kid involved in an airplane crash like flight 815’s. No, it just doesn’t make any sense! And then it hit me, there is a Congonese architect/ artist named Bodys Isek Kingelez who is famous for creating very beautiful, very colorful models of fantastical cities using materials that he recycles from urban centers (things like bottle caps and cardboard; it would seem that Bodys like his fellow countrymen in the Republic of Congo is quite “green”). More often than not he uses his own home city of Kinshasa as the inspiration for his work; he idealizes Kinshasa in his mind and then he recreates the revitalized city he sees with his models.


What brought Bodys’ work on to the world stage is the fact that after the towers came down in the financial district of NYNY on 9/11 he was one of those who contributed a model for a revitalized Manhattan skyline using the very method already described. (my guess is, this is how our writers heard of him) Of course it was very beautiful and fantastical but it was a departure for him because normally Bodys uses his recycled urban materials to depict idealized third world cities (he brings the modern city into places where there is no real hint of anything that is both urban and modern-and this is very important).


What makes this connection valuable is the fact that Hurley unwittingly spells the name of a black artist/architect to Michael a black man who is in fact, although sidetracked by injury and helping his wife through school, an artist/architect himself; and this is no coincidence. It is the clue of all clues that demonstrates that the writers new the end from the beginning. Michael was brought to the island to build a city.


We know the “others” are in the middle of a building project (Sawyer and Kate have the achy backs to prove it), and we also know from that funky “eye deceiving” reflection shot that we get of the island at the end of every show that there is going to be a city. You know the shot I’m talking about? The picture we see at the very end of the Lost broadcast each week, the one where we see the island and what we at first think is its treed reflection below but then on closer inspection we discover to be a city and not just a city but a city akin to one of Bodys’ models. Well, that one.


I am suggesting that somehow or other Michael (in Bodys fashion) is going to cannibalize the materials brought to the island from the modern world to create a city. And there are many clues that point to this.


First notice how the camera selling the allusion to Bodys focuses on all the debris that will soon be turned into make shift huts, hospitals, and pantries right before Hurley misspells his word. And looking forward these are the materials Michael will use to first create the coolest windowed hut on the beach (for he and Walt), and then even later transposing his architectural ability to a much higher key these are the materials he will use to create 2 pretty neat sea going vessels(glorified rafts). But as I say, I think this is but a foreshadowing of a greater endeavor (the building of a city). You will remember Michael telling Walt that what had first inspired him to pursue architecture was the Flat Iron building in Manhattan which is, if you have ever seen it, both beautiful and fantastical (it looks to be as flat as a pancake). It was so unusual (Bodys like) that wagering-houses in NY were taking bets on how long it would take for it to fall over (it didn’t). It was also at the time unique because of the materials used to build it. It brought New York into the modern urban era by being one of the first ever buildings constructed with a steel skeleton.


This discussion between Michael and Walt is also important to note because apparently Michael and Walt share these gifts in common. They are both architect/artists and their possible collaboration in the city building enterprise may have been foreshadowed by Walt’s participation in the building of the second raft/boat.


It would of course be fitting in terms of the redemption theme on the Island for Michael, having been emotionally emasculated by his wife’s success in both his own eyes and in the eyes of Walt, to be reinvested with the dignity that would come from being a city builder. The city of course is the very symbol of the consummation of man’s cultural endeavor. Given the Biblical themes it is interesting to note that the first city builder in the Bible, Cain, was a murderer like Michael who was exiled from his community prior to his most noted accomplishment. Cain also built his city to honor his son Enoch (in fact he named the city after him).


A city would also fit with the evolution we have seen on the island. Our islanders start on the beach, then move to the caves, next they are onto the cabins, and it would seem the next step given the inner logic of the story would be for island folks to step up to urban life. Michael like Bodys will bring the modern urban to a place that has no hint of contemporary city life. Clearly Juliette is longing for it as she comforts herself listening to Petula Clark sing Downtown when we first meet her.


With regards to the Biblical imagery in our story it has already been noted the parallels that exist between the Genesis’ creation story and Lost’s beginnings. But what is most interesting is that the Bible which starts on a paradisiacal bit of dry ground surrounded by water (just like our show), ends in Revelation with a city.


Revelation 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,


What is interesting is that the city in Revelation 21 is also a temple (run with that if you like).


So Michael’s building an urban setting is fitting with the Biblical themes of starting in a garden and ending in a city. It is also interesting that one of the precursors to the building of God’s city is a significant battle that takes place in heaven that is waged and won by the Angel Michael.


Revelation 12: 7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.





If Michael’s name is meant to evoke thoughts of Revelation’s Michael we should expect Michael to be at the forefront of some serious Ramboesque battling with something dark and spiritual; maybe he will have to go head to head with the Smoke Monster to build the city (temple?).


Finally, one last proof that Bodys Isek Kingelezis is in view when Hurley misspells the word bodies is that if you keep watching Hurley will go on to cry out bodies (Bodys) again during a rainstorm where everyone is taking the debris from the plane to fashion shelters for themselves (and interestingly Michael and Walt are featured as having the best set up), and then later when Jack and Hurley are taking seats from the plane to be recycled for some new purpose, Hurley brings up bodies (Bodys) once more.

Well, nice to see you back.

But, ah. . . are you sure? I mean, is it not more like Hurley that he could mis-spell a word than he could be cryptically drawing off an architect's name?

(And this did take place in the early episodes? When the characters probably had not been as fleshed anywhere close to how they are now. And even saying that, I still think Hurley is the type that could very easily mis-spell a word. Before he became a millionaire he did work in a fast food chicken place! (No offence to fast food chicken workers across the world, mind!))

Let it all soak in Angelo. I don't think you are the kind of guy who always likes an idea the first time you hear it. I like the fact that you have a healthy portion of incredulity when it comes to the novel, it will help when you are a parent. But read it all the way through. Think on it a while and I think you are going to start to like it. And I think we are going to have to get the writers to own up to it. I feel this one in my bones.

Todd good to see you cant stay away for long. Even if you are just a guest. I like the idea that Micheal is the saviour (or ... opposite of saviour). It seems that he definatley has some work to do. And there is some good evidence. But at the moment I am sort of leaning towards Angelo's thoughts. But Micheal definatley will be important.

TheHolyStickman

When Hurley the character says bodies or misspells bodies he is thinking dead bodies-he is not thinking Bodys the architect. What I am saying is that I don't think it fits with his character to be that off in his assessment of social situations and even the way the other characters respond suggests they can't believe the blunder -and I think it is all meant to suggest a clue has been given. You are right Angelo this was in the Pilot episode.

I can see how you could read it the other way- unfortunately I cannot edit it.

Really interesting Todd. What size city are we talking here though? There aren't that many people left on the island and getting materials there is a little tricky now. Plus, repopulating it is problamatic.

Ehrm... sorry, but Razor says "nope".

Todd...good to see you brotha! Interesting read and VERY well written. I am pondering

Thanks Tracker and Shamballa for the encouragement. I don't know how big this city will be. And frankly, like everyone else, I associate cities with large numbers of people in the modern era. And like you said Shamballa, I don't know where they are going to come from.*** I don't even know how they are going to get Michael back off the boat. Although I think my theory leaves room for Walt in some way finishing carrying out the work of his father. I just believe with my whole heart right now that all the clues point toward Michael (and perhaps maybe just Walt building some sort of city using recycled stuff). I do think it is amazing to note that the larger portion of the plane has already disappeared presumably used in all the little building projects on the island. We clearly have builders on the island who like Bodys like to recycle for good purpose what some might have just looked at as a worthless heap of junk scrap metal.

***It should be noted, if I don't forget, there is a debate among historians (of the ancient world) about what criteria should be used to establish whether or not you have a city. Some think a city is defined by numbers where others argue that what makes a city a city is its defensibility. And in the ancient world what that normally means is - does it have a well fortified wall to keep out intruders. In the case of Cain (the first Biblical city builder) he builds a city to protect himself. If it is all about defensibility that might answer the dilemma of so few people, but frankly my bet is we are going to discover that one day this city will be filled with inhabitants. That island does know how to hide people.

Interesting.... I don`t know. Glad you`re back though even if only as a guest.

I have to correct my post and my theory. I need to flip flop Michael and Walt. I think it is Walt who will be the primary city builder. I went back to the Pilot episode 1 and when Hurley spells out B-O-D-Y-S, He is clearly focused on Walt. Michael hears what Walt says but Hurley never focuses on Michael the way he does on Walt. Walt will follow in the footsteps of his Dad as Architect Artist but he will surpass him. Walt is Bodys supreme. Sorry to have mixed it up in my memory of the show.

Wow...

I may have to read that 2 or 3 more times beefore I have an opion one way or the other, but the sheer scope of the connection, and the amount of research is quite impressive.

And I may sound like a broken record of everyone else, but...

Good to see you back.

I know what you are thinking. This is a crash survivor's worst nightmare living on an I Island full of cannibals!

I thought I should possibly define cannibalize as it appears in this theory.

cannibalize 1 a: to take salvageable parts from (as a disabled machine) for use in building or repairing another machine b: to make use of (a part taken from one thing) in building, repairing, or creating something else.

Cannibalizing may be the the most prevalent theme on the show. Just think of Sayid. Give him 9 random items and a battery and he'll create anything you could ever want.