I think literature and literary references have always been a part of Lost, whether it's an actual book in someone's hand or a character name or even an obscure philosophical reference. In that way, the show works on so many levels for different people. You can enjoy it purely for what it is as an adventure or look into deeper meanings behind it all.

Do I need every little question answered? No.

Although at times, I find myself saying, “Damn! WTF is really going on here??”

I hope/want them to give us enough answers that we can “fill in the rest” with fanboy conversation.

Much like the way The Sopranos operated. There was an arc with the Russians where they killed one in the woods and everyone (the viewers) was expecting retaliation.

It never happened. At least not in the snapshot of the characters stories that we were privy too.

This happens all the time in real life. Not everything has closure. Not every mystery of life is solved.

And that's the beauty of it.

I was reading on Sludgeweb's Lost Site (great for film caps of clues) that in the plane Desmond was carrying a copy of Salman Rushdie's book “Haroun and the Sea of Stories.” I am really fascinated as Scott says by the spiritual, mythological and comic book like aspect of Lost. Its a nice balance of cheese and philosophy. I guess that is also why I loved the Matrix series. Anyway I was trying to read a summary of the book (seemed heavy) but there are some parts that were very similar. “There, they encounter Mudra, who reveals Khattam-Shud's division of himself into two shadowy figures whereof one is an anthropomorphic shadow and the other a diminished man, states that many Chupwalas resent Khattam-Shud but are reluctant to rebel, and joins the Guppees o to Kahani's South Pole, where one of Khattam-Shud's two divisions of himself is poisoning the Ocean, while the army goes to Chup City to fight his other division and the armies it commands”

Also, another “Here, too, are revealed the methods of the Chupwala plan to destroy the Ocean. These methods, consisting of an array of complicated machines powered by electromagnetic induction, are destroyed by Mali. “

I don't know, I also love seeing these clues and saw recently that Cuse and Lindelof were saying that certain books shown in the show reveal themes. Would like to hear your take on some clues you observe. :)