My Victorian Lost Episode

I wrote an episode of Lost featuring characters from classic Victorian literature for my lit class.  It might make zero sense if you haven't read Middlemarch or Jude the Obscure; my apologies. 

Previously on Lost:  While en route to Australia, a ship crashes onto a seemingly deserted tropical island during a violent storm.  There are nine survivors: the recently widowed DOROTHEA, her acquaintance WILL, the physician LYDGATE, Lydgate’s wife ROSAMOND, the wealthy banker BULSTRODE, his wife MRS. BULSTRODE, the stonemason JUDE, Jude’s lover SUE, and Jude’s young son FATHER TIME.  Some survivors quickly sort through the wreckage of the ship and make plans for survival as they are unsure when or if they will be rescued.  Others have difficulty becoming acclimated to their new environment.  LYDGATE and JUDE emerge as de facto leaders of the group, promptly putting their respective medical and physical labor skills to good use.  As the survivors begin to explore their surroundings, it becomes clear that they are not alone on the island; there is a SMOKE MONSTER, too.  It attacks them on their first night on the island, but no one is seriously injured. 

[Shot of JUDE gathering boulders inland from the beach.]

JUDE:  Lydgate, Will, Bulstrode!  May I request some help moving these stones?

WILL: [Grabs a large boulder.] Certainly.  Pardon my asking, Jude, but what was your occupation before we found ourselves in this unfortunate situation?  You are very good at constructing makeshift shelters on tropical islands, especially for someone of such high intellect!

JUDE: Well, I was a stonemason.  [Pauses.  Looks at Will.]  Though, to be honest, I once desired to be a learned man, a scholar of great renown.  But I gave up that dream.  I found I didn’t care for social success any more at all.  I feel, with out current condition, I should like to do some good thing for the others here (1).  And how about yourself, Will?

WILL: I was something of a wonderer before coming here.  I had little family to speak of, so I learned to work my own way and depend on nobody else than myself (11). 

[LYDGATE approaches JUDE and WILL]

LYDGATE: Bulstrode won’t be joining us; he says he has a pain in his head (2). Personally, I am of the opinion that he does not want to dirty his hands with us; I think he dislikes physical labor.

JUDE: What a strange fellow.  Earlier when I spoke with him, he gave me the impression that such work was not fit for him.  What was his occupation in Middlemarch?  You both know him well, do you not?

LYDGATE: Indeed, yes.  [Places boulder on pile.]  Bulstrode is a banker, a very powerful man in our town.  However, he is not popular in the least.  Personally, I look upon him quite impartially, as he has aided me financially in my medical efforts.  But he has a reputation for being masterful and rather unsociable, and he is concerned with trade (3).

WILL: He’s primarily concerned with his own interests, as far as I can tell.  He seems to enjoy the company of members of his own class above all others, which may explain why he is unwilling to haul stones with the rest of us.

LYDGATE: Unfortunately, in this stupid world most people never consider that a thing is good to be done unless it is done by their own set (3).

[Shot of BULSTRODE and MRS. BULSTRODE sitting under a palm tree, at a distance from the others.]

WILL: Which means we most likely will not have this shelter completed by nightfall . . .

JUDE: [With a frightened expression] . . . and then who knows if we will be safe from that . . . that thing.

DOROTHEA: [Approaches the group.]  Hello, Will, Mr. Lydgate.  Jude, is it?  [Jude nods, regaining his composure.]  I shall be quite grateful to you if you will tell me how I can help to make things a little better around here.  Of course, I shouldn’t like to haul stones, and my notions of usefulness must be narrow, but I should like to be of some help (4).

WILL: You are too good, Dorothea!  Here, I’ve found a trunk you can sort through. 

LYDGATE: It would be good if you were to find some plates.  Rosamond . . . was rather fond of a collection of plates which were unfortunately shattered in the accident.

[Cut to ROSAMOND, who is resting in the shade.  SUE sits nearby with FATHER TIME.] 

SUE: [Motioning to Rosamond.]  Rosamond, is it?

ROSAMOND: Yes.  [Looking at Sue.] You’re the stonemason’s wife, aren’t you?

SUE: Well . . . yes.  Sue.  And you are the doctor’s wife.  He was very kind to me yesterday, you know.  I was having difficulties with my pregnancy after the crash, and he helped me.  He has been most helpful to everyone here.

ROSAMOND: Yes, he has been rather friendly to everyone, even those below his position (12).

SUE: [Confused.]  Whatever do you - [Changes her mind.]  You know, Rosamond, I find that the social molds civilization fits us into have no more relation to our actual shapes than the conventional shapes of the constellations have to the real star-patterns (13).

ROSAMOND: [Appears more interested in Sue.]

[Cut to BULSTRODE and MRS. BULSTRODE under the palm tree.]

BULSTRODE: [To Mrs. Bulstrode.]  My dear, I cannot possibly go over there and toss boulders around.  We must wait here and pray for rescue.  It is unwise for those fools to exert all their energy on building a shelter when rescue is surely on its way.  [Pauses.]  I do not expect them to understand my grounds of action, in any case (5).

MRS. BULSTRODE: ‘Tis for the better.  I don’t believe those two - oh, what are their names?  Jude? And Susan? - I don’t think they are entirely respectable (6).  I heard Jude is only a stonemason.  And their son is rather odd, don’t you think?  In fact, there is something rather . . . off about the three of them.  It would be best for us to keep to ourselves.

BULSTRODE: Yes, dear.  I agree.  Surely God will provide for us.

[Cut to JUDE and SUE, eating fish on the beach while FATHER TIME sleeps.]

SUE: Jude, I daresay you think me eccentric, but I must say, I rather like this!  Being on this island, away from society, outside all laws except gravitation and germination (7). 

JUDE: Indeed?  You are quite unconventional, my dear (8).

SUE: I’m serious, Jude! 

JUDE: No, of course, you are!  I am of a similar opinion.  Do you remember, my dear Sue, when I told you that if we were to get away to a place where we were unknown, we would be lighter hearted, and have a better chance (9)?

SUE: Yes.  You were speaking of Australia, were you not?

JUDE: Well, yes, my dear, but I believe this . . . this island we are on will be just as good an environment in which to meet that goal, at least for the time being.  I anticipate we will be rescued, of course, but no one can tell when.  [Pauses.]  Actually, dear Sue, I overheard something slightly vexing coming from the Bulstrodes earlier - you know, the man with the sickly aspect, and his wife?  They said we were not respectable.

SUE: Respectable?  I don’t want to be respectable! (10) 

JUDE: Oh, I guessed as much.  All the same, I hope they do not find out our true situation.

[Cut to JUDE, LYDGATE, and WILL working on the shelter.  They notice a rustling in the woods.  A shadowy figure is headed towards them.  Startled, LYDGATE raises his hunting rifle.  RICHARD ALPERT, an island inhabitant, emerges from the jungle with his hands held high.]

RICHARD:I mean you no harm.  [Looks at Lydgate’s rifle.]  So you can lower that.  I’m here to help you. 

LYDGATE: [Accusingly.]  Where did you come from?

RICHARD: I live here on the island.  I crashed here, just like you.

JUDE: How long have you been here?

RICHARD: A few months.  I came here on a . . . a slave ship.  I was the only survivor of the shipwreck.  I’ve been here long enough to know about that smoke thing that attacked you last night.  And I am certain that that shelter you’re building won’t protect you from it.  Come with me, and I’ll keep you and the others safe from harm. 

WILL: [Apprehensively.]  But how do we know we can trust you?

RICHARD: Who else have you got to trust?  I can protect you from the smoke menace, and I promise you nothing but good will. 

[JUDE, LYDGATE, and WILL hold a brief consultation away from Richard’s earshot.  LYDGATE has a doubtful expression on his face.]

JUDE: We have decided to accept your offer of help.

[The group heads to the beach, where the women, BULSTRODE, and FATHER TIME are gathered.  It is getting darker.]

LYDGATE: [Nodding at Richard.]  This man lives here on the island.  His name is Richard Alpert and he has been here for some time, ever since the slave ship he was on crashed.  He has offered to protect us from the . . . thing we saw last night.  If we all want to remain safe, we must go with him, quickly, as the sun is setting.

[ROSAMOND and DOROTHEA appear hesitant.  After a few seconds, they join RICHARD.  BULSTRODE and MRS. BULSTRODE are defiant.]

BULSTRODE: Lydgate, you talk unreasonably (14).  This is a slave?  And we are to trust him?  What does he know about anything?  I refuse to submit to the wills of a slave, as God is my witness!  [A thundering noise crashes through the jungle.  It sounds just like the SMOKE MONSTER.  Bulstrode and Mrs. Bulstrode panic.]  O-on second thought, please lead the way, Mr. Alpert!

[END.  Cut to LOST.]