Jacks Tats
We all know that doctors aren’t generally covered in tats (of course, he did drink a lot). Now we’re towards the end, been thinkin’ about them again.
‘Main’ one has the number ‘5’ and some Chinese symbols (given to him in Thailand … ).
Why a 5? [Number of O6 that returned?]
He’s told the symbols mean “He walks amongst us, but he is not one of us.” [Flocke?]
Jack says “That’s what they say. That’s not what they mean,” and according to Wiki he’s 1/2 right … it’s not what they mean (so it’s not what they say).
These four characters are taken from a famous poem written by Chairman Mao Tse-tung (Mao Zedong). It may be roughly translated as “Eagles high, cleaving sky”, or more simply, “the Eagles fly up on the sky”. But the poem itself has a deeper meaning. In the end of the first stanza, the poet asks, “who masters fate’s rise and descent?”
And, don’t we EACH master our own fate’s rise and descent? [Mommilie: Nobody can make you do anything, you do it yourself. Chinese poster I acquired after Tiananmen Square: Freedom, of your own accord one thinks and acts. Jacob: “Benjamin… Whatever he’s told you I want you to understand one thing. You have a choice.” “You can do what he asks, or you can go. Leave us to discuss our…. issues.” “What about you?” ]
Hi waycurious, I do happen to believe that the meaning of Jack’s tattoo does have some significance.
I like the quote from the poem about ‘who masters fate’s rise and descent’.
If you are truly living your life as the master of your own destiny/fate, nobody can make you do anything. You absolutely do it for yourself. It’s what makes you free…
Nice!
correct me if i am wrong. i thought matthew fox (guy who plays jack) has that tattoo in real life… and therefore its real life meaning doesnt matter. just the meaning the show gives it.
have i been given faulty information or suffer from a less than perfect memory? let me know…
ekolocation, Matthew Fox does have the tattoos in real life. So your memory serves you well on this one.
Have you considered that its real life meaning may have significance to the writers, and therefore served their writing purposes and is why they put it on the show?
Waycurious, the poem you quoted really jumped out at me. It appears we are on the same wavelength. If you haven’t yet, check out my post about saying ‘no.’
Achalli, my thoughts precisely! Sorry I forgot to add that thought.
Waycurious, please check out Achalli’s post if you haven’t already. One is a reaffirmation of the other.
it might indeed dabs… i was just trying to sort through my jumbled brain. the poems meaning might bring it together.
although I completely agree a lot of fuss has been made about his tattoos, i am pretty sure the “5” is because he stared in “party of 5” (not that i can recall it airing in the UK).
So perhaps eko is right! they are just weaving this into the show…..as they did with Kieffer Sutherland in 24!
Could be a little ‘in’ joke, then when Jack’s reply is “that’s what it says but that’s not what it means” … if so for the show’s purposes it means “He walks amongst us, but he is not one of us.” Which could be Flock … or perhaps another Lostie who’s a walking dead but we don’t know that, yet … (I was thinking Michael before. Maybe he died in the car crash and was ‘resurrected’ for the boat … maybe many of those we recognize that work for ‘Ben’ are that way … )