Jacob's cabin
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The cabin was a structure on the Island, built by Horace Goodspeed, where Jacob was said to have resided. Ilana stated that "someone else" had been using it, and that Jacob hadn't been there in a long time, prompting her group to burn it down. ("The Incident, Parts 1 & 2")
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Exterior
The cabin exterior appears marred by age and only harbors a lantern for light. Ben, when visiting Jacob, explained that there were no lights, because Jacob hates technology. It is also noted that, unlike the more modern houses in the Barracks, Jacob's house appears to be built in the style of a cabin from the 1800s. The cabin is about a day's hike from the temporary camp the Others had set up. It is in the middle of dense jungle, isolated from anyone else. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
Before approaching the house on his visit, Locke noticed there was a line of what appeared to be gray ash. He inspected the substance, but was hurried by Ben. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
According to commentary for "The Man Behind the Curtain" on the Season 3 DVD by producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, the circle of ash is "a bit of a kind of protection or magic or kind of containment. Ben is afraid to touch it. In a certain way, part of the idea here is that Ben has some powers over Jacob, and Jacob has some powers over Ben, and there is a bit of a stasis."
Later when Hurley also visited the cabin, a porch structure was visible on the exterior. ("The Beginning of the End")
In 2007, Ilana, Bram, and Frank visit the cabin. They see that a portion of the ash circle has been disturbed, leaving an opening. Ilana inspects the cabin and finds it empty, declaring that Jacob has not been there for "some time" but that "someone else" has been using it. She takes a parchment that has been affixed to the wall with a knife and then has Bram and the other men burn the entire cabin. ("The Incident, Parts 1 & 2")
Interior
Inside the dimly lit house there are several typical objects that appear old and unused including:
- A rocking chair
- Painting supplies
- Six jars of colored liquid
- A painting of a dog.
- An empty table
- A chair, sitting at the table, with a circular pattern of debris on the seat
- What looks like a wood-burning stove
- An old sink
- Several ropes and chains hanging on the wall
- A foot stool, under the table
- A chair, on its side
- A chest
- A ladder on the wall, or if it hangs from the ceiling, a bed or chairs.
Visitors
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| Picture | Name | First visit | Last visit | Reason for Visit | ||||||
 | Horace Goodspeed | Not on screen, revealed in "Cabin Fever" | Not on screen, revealed in "Cabin Fever" | Mathematician in the DHARMA Initiative who originally built the cabin for himself and his wife for relaxation away from the Initiative; he appeared to Locke in a dream, and his message guided Locke to a map showing the cabin's location. | ||||||
 | Locke | "The Man Behind the Curtain" | "Cabin Fever" | Locke went to Jacob's cabin along with Ben. He visits a second time to figure out what he needs to do next. Christian tells him that in order to save the Island, he must move it. | ||||||
 | Ben | "The Man Behind the Curtain" | "Cabin Fever" | Ben has visited Jacob's cabin before, and brought Locke there. | ||||||
 | Hurley | "The Beginning of the End" | "Cabin Fever" | Hurley stumbled upon it when leaving the beach to meet up with the group at the radio tower. | ||||||
 | Christian Shephard | "The Beginning of the End" | "Cabin Fever" | Christian Shephard was seen by Hurley sitting inside Jacob's cabin. Christian claimed to represent Jacob when Locke entered the cabin a second time and told Locke that he must "move the Island". | ||||||
 | Claire | "Cabin Fever" | "Cabin Fever" | Claire accompanied Christian to Jacob's cabin, where she is "safe". | ||||||
 | Ilana | "The Incident, Parts 1 & 2" | "The Incident, Parts 1 & 2" | Travelled to the cabin in order to contact Jacob. The cabin was burnt down under her orders. | ||||||
 | Bram | "The Incident, Parts 1 & 2" | "The Incident, Parts 1 & 2" | Travelled to the cabin in order to contact Jacob. Assisted in burning down the cabin. | ||||||
 | Frank Lapidus | "The Incident, Parts 1 & 2" | "The Incident, Parts 1 & 2" | Travelled to the cabin with Bram and Ilana. | ||||||
Notable visits
Locke's first visit
Ben and Locke traveled on foot to a location somewhere in the northeast quadrant of the Island (north of the Barracks and east of the front section wreckage). After crossing over a line of ash, they reached the cabin and entered.
Ben told Locke that Jacob was sitting in the empty chair in the middle of the room, but Locke saw no one there. After Ben began to talk to the apparently empty chair, Locke became outraged at Ben, convinced that Ben was either trying to deceive him or was truly crazy. But as Locke proceeded to the door, he heard a low voice utter, "Help me." Locke asked Ben to repeat himself, but Ben denied he ever spoke. Locke turned the flashlight on and pointed it at Ben, beginning to insist that Ben had indeed said something. The room suddenly began to rumble and objects shook violently throughout the house. The lamp fell to the floor, starting a fire, and the rocking chair began to move back and forth seemingly on its own. A window smashed as jars flew across the room. Ben grabbed Jacob's chair, telling him he'd "had his fun", but Ben was thrown against the far wall. Locke looked back to the chair, and for a split second he could see a man, presumably Jacob, sitting there. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
Hurley's visit
On a trek to warn the survivors about the freighter crew, Hurley fell behind Jin, Bernard, and Sawyer. After wandering in the jungle for just a few brief moments, Jacob's cabin appeared in front of him. Walking up to a broken window and looking inside, Hurley saw Christian Shephard sitting in Jacob's rocking chair. An eye suddenly appeared in front of the hole into which he was looking. Hurley screamed, turned, and ran, but found himself a few steps later again in front of the cabin, as the door opened. He closed his eyes and shouted for it to go away, and when he opened them, Jacob's cabin had disappeared, much as his vision of Charlie would disappear during his flashforward outdoors at the mental hospital. ("The Beginning of the End")
Interestingly, Hurley did not see the gray, powdery substance that Locke saw on his visit with Ben. Also, as he came upon the cabin in a small field, neither did he encounter the surrounding trees that Locke saw adjacent to the cabin. When Locke later mentioned that they were going to the cabin, Hurley indicated that he saw the cabin in an entirely different area than the one to which they were heading. ("Confirmed Dead")
Locke's attempted second visit
Locke led his group and Charlotte Lewis back to the location in the northeast quadrant of the Island where he had been taken previously by Ben. While he managed to locate the line of ash, he found no cabin at that place. ("The Economist")
Locke's actual second visit
Responding to a message relayed through Horace Goodspeed in a dream, Locke located a blueprint of the cabin in the jumpsuit pocket of Horace's corpse in the Dharma mass grave. Using the map on the blueprint as his guide, Locke was able to locate the cabin with Ben and Hurley in tow. Both men declined entering the cabin with him and waited outside while Locke entered.
Inside, he found the familiar dusty ramshackle interior, and saw Christian Shepherd sitting in the shadows. Locke asked, "Are you Jacob?" Christian leaned forward to introduce himself, saying that he merely spoke on Jacob's behalf. Locke was then perplexed to notice Claire sitting in the shadows, seeming peacefully amused with the circumstances. Christian brought Locke's attention back to the problem at hand—Keamy's men flying in from the freighter. Locke emerged from the cabin moments later, telling Hurley and Ben that Jacob wanted them to "move the Island." ("Cabin Fever")
316 faction's visit
Ilana, Bram and other passengers from Ajira 316 as well as Frank visited the cabin while carrying a box containing Locke's corpse. After Bram noticed a break in the ash circle, Ilana entered the cabin cautiously and found a mysterious cloth that contained an image of the Statue. Ilana informed Bram that whoever they were seeking was not in the cabin and that someone else had been using it. She then ordered the others to set fire to the cabin and it was left to burn.("The Incident, Parts 1 & 2")
Production notes
- The filming location for the cabin in "The Man Behind the Curtain" was the same filming location for Eko's grave in "I Do" and for when Eko was attacked by the Monster in "The Cost of Living".[1]
- The painting of the dog is actually of Jack Bender's dog Lulu and was created by artist Thomas Hannsz, who also is among the Others background cast. (Jacob's painting)
Trivia
- According to the DVD commentary for "The Man Behind the Curtain", when Ben is talking to the "empty chair", there was no officially written dialogue for what Jacob was supposed to be saying. Instead, actor Michael Emerson prepared to play the scene properly by writing notes in his own script to reflect Jacob's unspoken lines.
- All of the cabin's appearances thus far have been accompanied by a unique sound effect playing quietly in the background, a repeated rising tone not unlike a bird call.
See also
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Jacob's cabin/Theories
The Cabin
- How was the cabin able change locations?
- What was the purpose of the circle of ash surrounding the cabin?
- What is the significance that the circle was broken?
- Who broke it?
- Did the material seen on the chair have any significance?
- What were the liquids in the jars?
- Why did Ilana order the burning of the cabin?
Inhabitants
- When did Jacob inhabit the cabin?
- Why did he stop using it?
- Who else has been using it?
- Who was the shadowy figure seen in "The Man Behind the Curtain"?
- Who asked Locke for help?
- Why did objects start flying around the room?
- Who did Hurley see in the cabin in "The Beginning of the End"?
- Why were Christian and Claire present in the cabin in "Cabin Fever"?
- What is Christian's connection, if any, to Jacob?
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