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Free Will ("Don't tell me what I can't do") & Choices
In some ways, the flip side of Fate/Destiny.
Most notably, John Locke is named after the political philosopher who was best known for his writings on the importance of Man's free will. Locke on many occasions, in both flashbacks & on the island, says "Don't tell me what I can't do." (to Randy, Kate, and the Australian walkabout agent in "Walkabout" and to Boone in "Deus ex Machina"). He tells Jack in "The Hunting Party," "Who are we to tell anyone what they can or can't do?" (in reference to Michael running off on his own). In flashbacks of "Orientation", Helen pleads with Locke that he must make a choice between her or his abandoning father. Locke chose her the first time, but after Anthony Cooper returns to con him again, Helen says "You made your choice, John. You need his love more than mine."
Jack echos "Don't tell me what I can't do!" when Sun asks him to stop the amputation of Boone's leg in "Do No Harm" and later again to Desmond in "Man of Science, Man of Faith." He also tells Michael that the leg is dead and "There's no other choice." but to amputate it; though Boone upon wakening, chooses to die instead. In "White Rabbit," a young Jack is beaten up by bullies for his heroic attempts to save another boy (after the bully gives him the choice to walk away), and his father tells him, "Don't choose, Jack, don't decide. You don't want to be a hero, you don't try and save everyone because when you fail... you just don't have what it takes." Margo pushes Jack to go find his father in later in this episode and Jack refuses; Margo replies, "I can't? You don't get to say 'I can't.' Not after what you did." Locke in this episode later says that Jack should take the role of leader because the other survivors "need someone to tell them what to do." In "Exodus," Jack takes away Kate's free will decision to take on the risk of carrying dynamite, by hiding it in his own pack instead.
Charlie struggles with his heroin habit in "House of the Rising Sun," and Locke tries to convince him to give it up by his own free will, saying, "Give it up now at least it will be your choice." When he asks Locke in "The Moth" why he tortures him with the choice and doesn't just keep it from him, Locke explains "If I did that you wouldn't have a choice, Charlie. And having choices, making decisions based on more than instinct, is the only thing that separates you from him [indicating the boar]." The priest that Charlie sees for confession in a flashback of that episode says "Well, we all have our temptations, but giving in to them, that's your choice. As we live our lives, it's really nothing but a series of choices, isn't it?" Later, in "Fire + Water," Locke says to a Charlie sliding back into addiction, "There was a time when I let you choose whether or not you were going to do this to yourself. Now I'm making that choice for you."
Walt repeatedly has his choices limited by Michael, his father. Michael tells him when they meet in "Special" that "[Brian] wants you to stay with him, but it's not his choice. It's mine. I'm your legal guardian. "
Sayid, in "The Greater Good," struggles with deciding between getting information on Nadia, or giving up working with the CIA to manipulate Essam. He makes a decision which results in Essam's suicide. Later, he keeps Shannon from killing Locke, essentially ending their relationship. Kate says, "You couldn't let her kill Locke. You had no choice." Sayid responds, "There's always a choice."
Claire echos "Don't tell me what to do, okay!" in "Exodus," after Danielle kidnaps her baby, and she wants to join Charlie & Sayid to get him back. Claire was presented many times with the choice of what to do with the baby after it was born, from back when she was still pregnant. In "Maternity Leave," Ethan even tells her, "Hey, nobody's going to take him from you unless that's what you want. You have a choice."
In "The Hunting Party," Jin wants to join the search party for Michael, and Sun refuses to let him. He says "I don't like to be told what to do." She replies, "Being told what to do was my life for four years... I didn't like it much either." Jin comes to an understanding, and does not leave after that.
In "Maternity Leave," Ethan tells Claire "Hey, nobody's going to take him from you unless that's what you want. You have a choice. We're good people, Claire."
In "Dave," Hurley says to Dr. Brooks, "It's not like -- I mean, I can't really do anything about it, right?" refering to his weight. On the island, he struggles with the choice of whether or not he will give up stashing food.
In "S.O.S.," Bernard tells Rose he has to find a way to help get them rescued because "I can't just do nothing, Rose. That's not me. That's not who I am. I have to try."
In "?," Eko and Locke are once again confronted with the choice of choosing to push or not push the button.
In "Live Together, Die Alone," Locke tells Eko that he is a slave to the button, just like he was once. Mr. Eko tells him, "Do not tell me what I can do."
In "A Tale of Two Cities," Juliet (in response to criticism by Adam on her choice of books, and how Ben wouldn't approve), says, "So much for free will."
In "Further Instructions," Charlie says to Locke, "You don't get to tell me what I can't do."
Item Last Updated: April 21, 2006, 06:18:24 PM by Pandora
