I love love love this, and I am choosing to believe this for now and forever more
Some theorists believe that the setting of Gilligan’s Island is not an island, but rather Hell, and that its sinful inhabitants all perished in the crash of the SS Minnow.
According to this theory, each character on Gilligan’s Island represents one of the Seven Deadly Sins. The millionaire Mr. Howell represents Greed, while his work-averse wife represents Sloth. Sexy movie star Ginger stands in for Lust, while innocent farm girl Mary Ann envies Ginger’s beauty and lifestyle. The smart Professor is prideful because he can’t admit that he is unable to fix the ship or get them off the island. Skipper, meanwhile, symbolizes two deadly sins: Gluttony and Wrath, because he’s always taking something out on poor Gilligan.
Not that you should feel bad for the titular dimwit; these fans believe that Gilligan represents Satan. He’s constantly screwing up the group’s plans for rescue, and what’s more, he’s always wearing red.
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OK I’m with you on this one. Tempted to go back and start analyzing episodes for further evidence. Maybe there’s a website…
Ah, yes. Several. One features this tidbit in the comments: "Sherwood Schwartz has always maintained he created a show to mirror the archetypes of society." That lends some support to the theory, IMO.
Then there’s this comment from another site: "And to make it more interesting, Leonard Cohen tweeked the song for Gilligan’s Island ( making it more singable) and played various minor roles in the show…" Now, that is a fact that lends artistic cred to GI.
Finally, "I have read a few books on the show and that’s the first I heard of [the seven deadly sins connection]. It was however my favorite show in the 60s and into the 70’s on reruns. I even now own the complete series on DVD which my 8-year old likes to watch." Couple of things here. First, there’s more than one book?! And, finally, this is where I draw the line.
OK I couldn’t stop myself.
Here you have a blog post quoting an NPR piece from 2008, in which Sherwood Schwartz largely confirms this theory:
"… Years after the show ended, its creator, Sherwood Schwartz, admitted that each of the characters represented one of the seven deadly sins Pride (the Professor), Anger (Skipper), Lust, (Ginger), and the rest. Gilligan was supposed to be Sloth…."
The author of this post, a Professor of New Testament at Ashland Theological Seminary, goes on to say, "I suppose watching Gilligan’s Island may have had a profound influence on my becoming a biblical scholar."
http://thebiblicalworld.blogspot.com/2011/12/theology-of-gilligans-island-whod-of.html
Make of that what you will.
OK now I’m done.
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