Is ABC’s “Lost” a commentary on Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory?

The extremely popular ABC-TV series of mystery, spirituality and intrigue with a group of people marooned on a desert island, Lost, is now in its fourth season. And in episode two, the program is revealing remarkable clues that point to C.S. Lewis’s influence. For example, when Ben noted that Charlotte’s complete name is “Charlotte Staples Lewis,” the blogosphere utterly lit up about Lewis, with people pointing out the connections to Lewis’s books, PRINCE CASPIAN and PERELANDRA. Such suggestions have arisen before, especially in the first season.

I, however, think that “Lost” is referring to the allegory of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory in C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce. In this work, Lewis shows how what is Heaven for some is actually Hell for others and that Hell can actually be a kind of Purgatory for those of good-will.

I’m not going to go into any theological objections, but perhaps the island on “Lost” is Hell. Certain ones who “escape” the island actually go to Heaven—and so the island is for them a sort of Purgatory. This way, all the levels of the afterlife are tied together in the way that Lewis creatively portrayed them.

Hat tip to Sean Dailey.