Jack a cut above his father

[Sam G]

CHRISTIAN SHEPHARD: (sighs) I had a boy on my table today -- I don't know,
maybe a year younger than you -- he had a bad heart. (He stands up and refills
his drink.) It got real hairy real fast, and everybody's looking to your old
man to make decisions, and I was able to make those decisions because ... at the
end of the day, after the boy died, I was able to wash my hands and ... (sighs)
... come home to dinner, you know, watch a little Carol Burnett, laugh till my
sides hurt, and how can I do that? hmm? I mean, even when I fail, how do I do
that, Jack? Because I have what it takes. Don't choose, Jack. Don't decide.

(He sits down.)

CHRISTIAN SHEPHARD: You don't want to be a hero. You don't want to try and
save everyone. Because when you fail ... you just don't have what it takes.

Jack's father is the type of doctor you hope you never have,

[Ruffian]

He's also the type of father you hope never to have

[Krystal]

Jack has definitely shown strength above his father, but has so many insecurities which were caused by his father growing up. I'd like to know what really happened with his father in Sydney.

[Sam G]

I;m sure we will find out what happened in Sydney.

[The_Sheppardess]

I've mentioned this before, but in some ways I wished that Jack's father hadn't died. I just think that it would be really cool, after everything is said and done, to see how Jack would interact with him after his years on the island. (I know Jack wouldn't be on the island if his father hadn't died, and he wouldn't be going through the same things, but you know what I mean.)

I think he'd be so much more powerful and confident. He'd be able to stand up to his father like he never could before and he could confront him about all the abuse he took growing up. That would be one scene I would love to be able to see!

Anyways, just a little something I was daydreaming about!

Shep

[LostWord]

Sheppardess, I know what you mean. I often think that as well. If Jack comes out of this island thing a stronger person, a true leader, having lived up to his potential--I'd love to see his father's face when Jack showed up like that.

Jack's father abused him as surely as if he'd hit him physically, that sort of emotional abuse can be so devastating. There is something so incredibly awful about saying that to a child. Because indirectly he's even associating Jack with the boy who died on his table, basically saying it didn't matter and then saying Jack didn't have what it took, would never be as good himself. It's as much as saying he didn't really care if Jack lived or died on top saying Jack was a weakling and a failure.

And when we hear what he says to Jack in the next flashback as an adult and talks about molding "soft metal into steel" and how he'd "sacrificed certain aspects of their relationship"--in essense he's admitting to his abuse and then blaming it on Jack, because he did it to make Jack strong, "steel", as opposed to weak soft metal. He's essentially saying he wasn't a father to him at all. He's taking credit for Jack's accomplishments while leaving Jack with credit only for his weaknesses. He's treated Jack as a rival instead of encouraging and loving him as he should a son. Jack was never going to be in a position to please his father because his father both wanted to purge Jack of his own projected weaknesses AND never allow Jack to be better or even equal to him. Jack could never win, he'd be constantly pushed and pulled in different directions. His father emotionally manipulated him(is it any wonder he tends to be rather sensitive to being manipulated like that now-see Whatever the Case May Be"? And yet he still is basically a forgiving, kind hearted person, just someone who has walls built up to try and protect himself from further abuse and hurt.

[The_Sheppardess]

I think you're right, LostWord, he learned early on in life that he needed to protect himself emotionally, putting up barriers and closing himself off. It's sort of interesting though: he can care for other people as a doctor, showing compassion for them and calming their fears, but he still finds it difficult to go that little bit extra and express his deeper feelings (like with Kate). I guess deep down he's still that little boy on the playground who tried to protect the kid getting beat-up, just now he has a thick shell protecting him from being hurt.

When you really think about all the abuse he's taken, it's really amazing that he's turned out to be not only a decent person, but someone that others can really trust. Most of them have really accepted him as a leader, and as some people have mentioned before, it will be interesting to see their reactions if he ever tells anyone about his past.

[banshee]

this is a simple thing to add but I think it says a lot...As Cat pointed out in this past ep HC-we saw Jack place his hand on Charlie's shoulder & warmly & reassuringly say "nothing's going to happen to her". I think this was a subtle but telling juxtapostion that Jack psychoanalysists such as ourselves* appreciate the most. It was completely contradictiory to the false gesture of a hand on the shoulder Jack's father gave to him when he was trying to get him to sign the statement, & to the man who lost his wife. The point is that Jack does have what it takes & more. He is sincere in his caring. Whereas being a doctor is an egotistical self affirming venue for Jack's father "it's all about the greater good", for Jack it really is about helping ppl.

[The_Sheppardess]

The point is that Jack does have what it takes & more.

Exactly! It reminds me of what Rose said to him in Walkabout (I think). I can't exactly remember the quote, but is was just about him being a caring and thoughtful person and how that's probably why he became a doctor. She could see that in him after only a few days of knowing him.

Of course then he said that it was the 'family business', but that's another thing I find interesting. It wasn't really Jack's choice to go into medicine, and yet it suits him perfectly and he seems to be really good at it (I'm going based on the fact that he's a spinal surgeon and what his father said about being 'one of the most talented young surgeons').

~Shep~

[The_Sheppardess]

When Jack's father was talking about him, I was getting teary -eyed. My opinion about Christian didn't really change, but it was nice to hear that he thought his son was such a good man (because we all know he is!).
I just wish Sawyer had told Jack what he knew.



Shep