The Monster in the Jungle: Lost and the 21st Century American Gothic

Laura Dickinson considers Lost as a 21st century reemergence of the  American gothic, which derived from the British gothic by  adapting its sense of mystery, foreboding, and menace to the lush wilderness of the frontier instead of the ruins of a castle or manor house. The gothic elements of the island present a physical manifestation of the psychic/psychological disarray of the characters’ lives.  And, importantly, as was the case for the 19th century anxieties about the future, Lost could very well reflect the disquiet experienced by many Americans today in the face of concerns about swiftly changing technology, a war that has no end in sight, and a potentially disastrous climate change, where polar bears may start to inhabit tropical islands.