THE LOST SYMBOL
Rahimova Fakhriya Javanshir, Azerbaijan University of Languages E-mail: [email protected]
THE LOST SYMBOL
Abstract: “The Lost Symbol” raises questions about human nature such as the power of human mentality, the human capacity or imposibility of becoming God, the science integrating all this, etc. The human being is God, everyone’s God is within himself/herself. But the main problem is related to seeing Him, that is, not everyone trusts in his/her own power and seeks it somewhere else, beyond himself/herself. Whereas, if a human being has a look inside himself/herself and realizes his/her own capacity, he/she could have discovered a mystery which mankind has not been able to decipher so far. Keywords: Dan Brown, Christianity, symbol, secret, deist. If it were not for Dan Brown’s work “The Da Vin- following his ideas, logical and intuitive judgement chi Code”, most probably his novel “The Lost Sym- facilitate the reader’s task of reading which is con- bol” wouldn’t have been so successful to be sold in fusing from the informational perspective. Although 80 million copies. Given that in this work the author the main idea of the work is finding “the lost symbol” has touched upon many sciences, religions, move- and saving Peter Solomon as well as the entire world, ments, secret and open societies and so on, then the writer often deviates from the main plotline and such kind of work can’t be but interesting. Alchemy, deals with the issues not concerning the base-line Astrology, Kabbalah, Christianity, Buddhism, Rosi- which keeps the reader in extreme tension. crucianism, Masonry, Astronomy, Physics, Noetic “The Lost Symbol” raises questions about human science – all these are the themes mentioned in “The nature such as the power of human mind, the human Lost Symbol”. capacity to become God or not, the science which “In “The Lost Symbol” Dan Brown assembles brings all this together. A human being is God; ev- different traditions under the banner of “Western erybody’s God is inside him/her. The main problem mystery” or “esoteric traditions” [7, 35] Here inter- is related to seeing it, i. e. not everyone believes in mingled are both the remote past and near future, his/her power, but seeks the power in other places, both the mysterious sides of science unknown to beyond himself/herself. Whereas, if the human be- anyone and modern discoveries, both religion and ing simply looks into his/her inside and realizes his/ mysticism. Again the author has not deviated from her own potentials, he/she can discover a secret not stereotypes, and consequently, this novel has be- decoded so far by mankind. come somewhat the copy, or if it were possible to Langdon, who is invited by his friend Peter Sol- say so, the repetition of the previous ones: the same omon to read a lecture in the Capitol (Washington main character and the same plot, secret symbols, D.C), encounters unexpected incidents. His plan to coded messages, pictures, ancient communities, read a lecture fails, it turns out that he hasn’t been in- interpretation of the tricky mixture of puzzles, per- vited by Peter Solomon at all. The developments are secutions, visits to real historical places, cruel crim- managed by a cruel criminal who tries to obtain the inal… However, all these similarities do not turn main secret of the Masonic order, and Langdon is to “The Lost Symbol” into an unexciting work; on the rescue Peter Solomon and the entire world within 12 contrary, a re-encounter with the familiar character, hours. It is not difficult to guess from Dan Brown’s
37 Section 2. Literature previous works that Langdon will manage it at the fathers of America have created the capital Wash- end; however, in this journey many interesting and ington D. C. somewhat in the style of a new Rome, exciting events, confusing plotline making an impres- and that is why, each monument, each building, each sion of the hero’s stumbling are in store for the read- street, even each stone has its own special meaning. er. The puzzles follow one another, and the answer Earlier the capital of the country was called Rome is close at hand. The events are developing fast and and its river – the Tiber, and on its banks they built dynamically. The main character is being followed not temples and pantheons, and the city was decorated only by the criminal, but also security service of the with the descriptions of the Roman Gods – Appollo, CIS which is also interested in all these affairs. Minevra, Venus, Helios, Vulcan, and Yupiter. As a The choice of time, space and character pertinent sign of eternal respect to the ancient wise, the Egyp- to the Dan Brown writing style finds its reflection in tian obelisque was erected in the centre of the city “The Lost Symbol” too. like in the centre of many antique cities. Standing All the events, in accordance with the author’s five hundred fifty feet high, it is even taller than the writing manner, take place within a certain time obelisques of Cairo and Alexandria. Now after sever- span – 12 hours, in the period of highly-developed al centuries, despite the construction of considerable computer technologies and mass management of number of churches in the USA as a Christian coun- information. While reading the work one is im- try, the US Capitol Rotunda hall rich in the antique pressed as if the events did not take place within religious symbols has so far maintained its extraordi- several hours. It seems as if the deciphering of all nariness [5, 56]. “The Temple of Vesta was circular, the labyrinth-shaped mysteries requiring consid- with a gaping hole in the floor, through which the erable physical and mental labour took not a day sacred fire of enlightenment could be tended to en- but lasted for days. Its reason is associated with the sure the flame never went out” [2, 123]. journey to the past of the main and other characters, The Rotunda is also circular and once there used the lengthy explanation of the measures to be taken, to be a hole where a sacred fire was placed like in the different ideas, arguments and discussions and es- Temple of Vesta. Now Peter’s severed hand with his pecially the detailed description of everything re- two fingers pointing towards the ceiling – towards lated to the masons’ customs and mysteries, efforts “the Apotheosis of Washington” is set in the place to elucidate them. One of the curious points is the where the hole used to be. The Apotheosis – the space where the events take place. “The Lost Sym- theme of elevation of the human being to divine bol” can also be called a new vision of the American status constitutes the key element of Rotunda sym- history. Washington D. C., which is well-known to bols (“apotheosis” is the ancient Greek word derived the readers, is presented to them in quite a new and from “apo” meaning “to turn” and “theos” – “God”) distinct manner full of mysteries. The author tries to [11]. In the Capitol “the Apotheosis of Washing- reveal the mysteries of the monuments which many ton” is the hugest description which depicts George people simply pass by. However, these are not the Washington’s elevation to divine status. “The Apo- issues we’ve heard about Washington D. C. so far or theosis of Washington” was painted by the Italian encountered at accidental places. Washington D. C. artist Constantino Brumidi who was called “the Mi- turns out to conceal a secret which mankind has chelangelo of the Capitol”. Exchanging Rome, one failed to reveal for centuries. All this is revealed in of the most ancient sacred places of the world for Dan Brown’s work “The Lost Symbol”. Washing- the New World, Brumido emigrated to America in ton D. C. is the key city where the events take place 1852 and decorated the entire Capitol with ancient and has been selected not by accident. The founding religious symbols [6, 78].
38 THE LOST SYMBOL
As for the characters of the work, here again one to the US capital – Washington D. C. The professor can encounter a group of characters common to is supposed to deliver a lecture in the Capitol. Al- the manner of Brown. Certainly, the main charac- though everything seems usual at first sight, as soon ter – Professor Langdon, his antogonist – cruel man as he arrives in the Capitol, it turns out that nothing named Malakh, who tries to get the ancient secret is in order, and the unknown call increases Lang- and is scared of nothing in this process, also the hero don’s confusion more. The screams coming from who has nothing in common with the novel at the the Rotunda hall of the Capitol induce the profes- beginning, yet is being described in parallel with sor to hurry there. And here it is: a severed human the events and later joins the base-line of the work – hand in the centre of the Rotunda! The professor Katherine Solomon. has been mistaken to think that the hand is of plastic In the book Brown raises a number of quesions material. That is a genuine human hand, and it is his related to the human being, his/her place and role in close friend Peter Solomon’s hand! Hence starts the the world, his/her intellectual and physical abilities, introduction of the events. speaks of the Noetic science which is the symbiosis The severed hand not only heralds of the cruelty of Philosophy, Physics and Esoterics (the term “Eso- of the criminal, but also anticipates unusual events terics” is used to denote the idea, theory intended yet to come. Since, it is not simply a severed hand, only for the educated and to be understood only by but a mystic invitation, the invitation to decode the specialists). Its main idea is that the human intel- some ancient and secret mystery. Langdon recog- lect is capable of everything. There is also mention of nizes the mason ring round the finger of the hand: the term “Apocalypsis” in the novel, and the term is the ring with a double-headed eagle and number 33 introduced in a new sense. Owing to this sense, the inscribed on it. This is his friend Peter Solomon’s date 21 December 2012 does not seem so dreadful. hand. The thumb and point finger of the hand are The author notes that apocalypsis is not the end of open and point towards the ceiling, and the remain- the world, but means recreation, renewal. ing three fingers are clenched in his palm, and the It is no secret to anyone that the US capital enjoys hand is placed on the wooden support. And each a rich history associated with masons. George Wash- finger of the hand has tattoos on it: a crown, star, ington did lay the foundation stone of the Capitol the Sun, torch and key. All this is not just a view; building in accordance with the mason customs and it implies “The Hand of Symbols”. “The Hand of traditions, the plan of the entire city was developed Symbols” is one of the most ancient magic symbols. by three “volunteer masons” – George Washington, Though rarely encountered now, in the ancient times Benjamin Franklin and Pierre L’Enfant, the new it used to be of a very great importance and sense, capital was sufficiently decorated with the mason was accepted as an important challenge to per- symbols which turned into mysteries and were con- form some task, an invitation to reveal great secrets cealed from the public. Although in Brown’s work [7, 98]. “In ancient times, the Hand of the Myster- these symbols are openly described, there is only a ies actually served as the most coveted invitation on hint at the existence of the mason secrets which re- earth. To receive this icon was a sacred summons to main to be secrets at our present time like in all the join an elite group – those who were said to guard the periods, “our nation is overflowing with secrets and secret wisdom of all the ages” [2, 81]. The hand of hidden history. And exactly as in Europe, all of the the master is extended towards his disciple. The mas- best secrets are hidden in plain view” [2, 52]. ter passes the secret to his disciple. The honour of “The Lost Symbol” opens to a horrible scene. Be- being such a disciple is bestowed upon Robert Lang- ing deceived, Dan Brown’s hero Langdon is called don. Although “the Hand of Mysteries” is usually
39 Section 2. Literature made of stone or wood, this time a live human hand Great Seal” has two sides which is the main charac- has been chosen as a material. “Langdon had never teristic feature distinguishing it from the other seals. heard of the Hand of Mysteries being fashioned from And this is the next sign of the US masonry [7, 240]. actual flesh” [2, 81]. The criminal is well aware of all the information. “The Hand of Mysteries” is a talisman reflect- That is why, at the sight of Peter’s severed hand, ing the symbols of apotheosis or the elevation of Langdon says, “It seems the man we are dealing with, the human being to divine status. “The Hand of in addition to being mentally unstable, is also highly Mysteries” is engulfed in symbols. It is also used as educated. This hand is proof that he is well versed in “The Hand of the Philosopher” or “The Hand of the the Mysteries as well as their code of secrecy… the Master Mason”. This “Hand” implies the revelation Hand of the Mysteries is a sacred invitation” [2, 26]. of different aspects of the human being’s existence In the novel Malakh believes that the masons are by himself. This symbolic hand maintains the key protecting some very ancient secret and if he learns to becoming divine, a person with a special skill can it, this mystic secret will then turn him into a very open its secret. It is a challenge to wisdom [10, 150]. strong, all-mighty creature – God. No matter how The Hand of the Mysteries is a formal invitation to strange it seems, the masons are also of this opinion. pass through a mystical gateway and acquire ancient That is, almost all of the US founding fathers includ- secret knowledge – powerful wisdom known as the ing Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Ancient Mysteries… or the lost wisdom of all the Washington, John Adams were deists. And the ma- ages” [2, 116]. sons resort to the doctrine of deism. Further, there The Ancient Mysteries are the sum of mysterious arise curious questions: can the USA be a Christian knowledge coming through long times. The point is country once the founders of the USA were masons, that this knowledge is of divine power, and thus, it is and as deists, the masons accept neither Judaism, dangerous, and is kept in secret from people. Since, nor Islam or Christianity? Despite being an official this power can be used both for good and evil deeds. Christian country, which religion does the USA This knowledge is like a match: in skillful hands it serve? What is their goal? produces light, in unskillful hands it causes a fire. The masons reassure that masonry is not against The reason for the protection of the Ancient Myster- religion. In order to become “a volunteer mason” one ies for centuries in a very confidential manner by all should believe in the great Supreme Creator, oth- means is associated with the disasters it can inflict erwise, one cannot become a mason. According to on mankind. Any mystic cult is based on the idea of Brown, masonry displays respect and tolerance to the existence of some mysterious wisdom capable of different religious traditions and religious diversity. giving the human being a divine force and exalting (No doubt, Brown has over-idealized it” [3, 7]. The him to the level of a deity [9, 150]. difference between masonry and religion is that the It is also pointed out that the Hand of Myster- masons do not give a precise definition and name ies also has had a part in the formation of the USA. to the Supreme Creator like Deity, Allah, Buddha, As, “the Great Seal” is said to have been formed on Jesus. There is one name for them – the Supreme the basis of the symbols of “the Hand of Mysteries”. Creator. “The Masons use more general terms like The Great Seal of the United States proves the truth Supreme Being or Great Architect of the Universe. of the documents adopted by the United States of This enables Masons of different faiths to gather to- America. The main side of the Seal is most often gether” [2, 56]. This is Dan Brown’s opinion about called “the US coat of arms”. Despite the importance masonry. Not everyone admits the positive attit- of the existence of only one side of the seals, “the ide of the masons to religion. One can encounter
40 THE LOST SYMBOL a number of interesting ideas about it in the writer napped by the criminal named Malakh. Solomon is Harun Yahya’s book “Kabbalah and Masonry”, “Like the head of the Smithsonian Institution. He is also the in all other issues, in order to eliminate the trust in mason of 33 degree of the Scottish Rite. Like the other God, the masons make use of the degree system and masons, he also follows all the masonic customs. implement it slowly. When reviewing the masonic The main goal of the criminal Malakh is to possess books one can see the expression “The Great Archi- the divine power and become a deity through the tal- tect of the Universe” instead of God. This expression isman which is in the sealed box he once gave to Peter is actually the initial stage of the transfer to atheism. Langdon. Jesus also has been both the human being “The Old Architect of the Universe will further be and God. Once George Washington can be divine, assessed as “energy” [21, 80]. why should Malakh not be? Peter’s severed hand is For the Masons, the Supreme Creator is mani- supposed to guide Langdon who is to find the ancient fested in the example of real persons. Although the portal and open it with the talisman given to him by masons do not openly admit it, their theory, the ritu- Peter and inform Malakh on the secret. als they perform, the confidentiality they are main- The novel introduces the mystery of the masonic taining by all means and indirectly Dan Brown’s “The pyramid. The pyramid symbolizes the ability of the Lost Symbol” hint at the human being’s revelation human being to rise from the Earth to the skies and to divine status. the golden Sun, and reach the genuine source of wis- And this turns out to be almost what Dan Brown dom in the end. meant. The Apotheosis of Washington describing The gold caption of the pyramid is heated at 33 George Washington as the deity proves the above- degrees by the Newton scale, and new letters are re- stated. Another proof is the semi-naked sculpture of vealed: Franklin Square Eight. When these words George Washington preserved in the National Mu- are taken together with the words in the upper part seum of the American history and described as the of the pyramid, it results in the address “The secret Greek God Zeus. The term “The Great Architect of is concealed in Franklin Square Eight”. Although the the Universe” turns slowly into an unknown concept. professor considers his task to be accomplished, the Its goal becomes clear from the following expression reverse is the case, the most horrible is yet to come. given in the mason journal, “If we study our temple, Langdon is taken a hostage by the criminal. Faced we go into ourselves, and if we study ourselves, we’ll with death, Langdon deciphers the 64 mixed sym- go to “The Great Architect of the Universe, and we’ll bols in the bottom part of the pyramid. Franklin see that “The Great Architect of the Universe is in- Square Eight turns out to be not an address. Here side us” (Mason Dergisi, number 27–28, p.40). As it the word “square” is introduced in its original sense, is known, the expression “the Great Architect of the which means a quadrangle. And the word “Franklin” Universe” is aimed to ring the changes. The religious implies the 8x8 quadrangle developed by Benjamin beliefs gradually disappear and in the end the human Franklin. Owing to the Franklin quadrangle, the 64 being – mason turns into the Great Architect of the symbols are put in order and the place of the lost Universe [21, 80]. symbol becomes known. Well aware of all this, for that reason the criminal Finally, the lost symbol is found. The lost symbol has brought the hand of the mason Peter Solomon to is the lost “word” which is maintained by our wise in the Capitol, the centre of Rotunda hall symbollically. the books. And it turns out that the lost symbol is the These events induce Langdon to set on a dangerous Bible. Although all through the work there are ideas journey. And the severed hand is the hand of Lang- such as the great ancient mysteries, wisdom, the loss don’s old friend Peter Solomon, who has been kid- of wisdom, the regain of wisdom, etc., the outcome
41 Section 2. Literature obtained from the book remains to be rather mys- of the deity and understand the reason for the ex- terious. istence of the creatures in the world including the Taking all this into consideration we can say that human being. This doctrine has tried to penetrate the Bible and the Ancient Mysteries much spoken into the depth of the divine essence. Kabbalah has of in “The Lost Symbol” contradict each other in all attached great importance to the names of the deity the cases. The Mysteries try to convince that God is and angels and made attempts to decode the mys- within us. The human being is his own God, whereas tery of the creation and divine orders. That is why, the Bible leaves the human being as the guilty and this doctrine has treated the words and letters of the raises God to the skies. Nevertheless, stating that Gospel as a mystic code bearing some secret mean- these two distinct views are identical, but simply ing. Kabbalah has offered the ways of understanding possess different ways of expression, Brown intro- the deity through sacred names, divine numbers and duces his following ideas, “The moment mankind ardent prayers [11]. Such statements can be encoun- separated himself from God, the true meaning of tered in Azerbaijani literature as well. The baseline of the Word was lost. The voices of the ancient masters our great poet Nasimi’s literary works passes through have now been drowned out, lost in the chaotic din the idea of identification of the human being with of self-proclaimed practitioners shouting that they Allah and the divine nature of the human being. Na- alone understand the Word… that the Word is writ- simi also said, “I’m the Truth”. The Bible presents ten in their language and none other” [2, 646]. Thus, these statements similarly, “The power of God is in- Brown wants to emphasize that the Bible has a more side you” [2, 590]. “Newton who tried to study the important implicit meaning along with its explicit codes of the Bible, was convinced that the prophecy meaning. However, the human beings do not under- of the human being constitutes the essence of the stand the former meaning. The human being does Bible” [4, 189]. not know his own potentials. This secret is known At present time, in the period of highly-developed only to the masons, and they protect this secret by science and technology, human beings have lost their all means, because as soon as the human being is trust in everything which leads mankind to destruc- aware of his physical and intellectual potentials, this tion. We mentioned the development of science and will lead to something devastating rather than ben- technology not in vain. On the one side, the great sci- efitting mankind (as in the case of Malakh), because entists’ invention of the weapons, a-bombs capable of devastating is easier than creating, and the human destroying thousands of people at the wink of an eye being is always inclined towards the easy. rather than targeting their intellect and knowledge at It is clear that Dan Brown’s work deals with not benefitting the society and on the other, the ordinary a simple love, but a global problem concerning the people’s attachment to the internet as a malady, no entire world, and the writer presents the idea of sav- doubt, mean a clear-cut destruction. Certainly, the ing the world by attaining wisdom as the baseline of advantages of modern technology are many, we are his work. Here the author hints at the possible disas- far from criticizing new discoveries and inventions, ters and the processes that can end mankind. And simply, in our opinion, the misled modern technol- the secret Biblical code – “the Lost Symbol” is “the ogy will be more harmful than good as if manipulating Lost Trust”. The trust in God begins with self-trust. the human brain. Most probably Nitsche was aware God is inside of everyone, and this, i. e. the elevation of what might happen when he said back in the previ- of the human being to divine status constitutes the ous century, “God is dead”. When treating this famous main idea of the book. Kabbalah is a mystic Jewish expression of Nitsche with attention, it turns out that tradition, doctrine trying to understand the essence this expression somewhat formulated the entire Eu-
42 THE LOST SYMBOL ropean Renaissance culture. (If something is dead, it ing our trust in God, it might be possible to prevent means it has existed earlier). If not the destruction of our destruction. Hope dies last; we have some hope at the most supreme truth, what does then the alienation least. The English poet and playwright Thomas Elliot of Him, i. e. God from the thoughts, shutting the doors points out in his play “The Family Reunion”, “You do to the house of soul at Him mean? [11] The novel not know what hope is until You have lost it”. And we manifests a desire and hope to return this trust, the have no other choice but hope. We hope that our lost trust in God. It must be because of this that the author faith and trust will return and our world will survive ends his work with the word “hope”. That is, by return- and prosper. References: 1. Qorxmaz Q. XX əsr Amerikan ədəbiyyatşünaslığında aparıcı cərəyanlar. – Bakı, 2011, – 207s. – Guliyev G., The Leading Movements in the XX-century American Literary Studies, Baku, 2011, – 207 p. 2. Brown D. Lost Symbol. – London: Corgi Books, – 670 p. 3. Burstein D., and Keijzer A. Secrets of The Lost Symbol: The Unauthorized Guide to Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. – New York: HarperCollins, 2009, – 452 p. 4. Drossin M. The Bible Code Touchstone. London, 1998, – 268 p. 5. Ovason D. The Secret Architecture of Our Nation’s Capital: The Masons and the Building of Washington, D.C. 2002, – 528 p. 6. Hodapp C. Deciphering the Lost Symbol: Freemasons, Myths and the Mysteries of Washington, D. C. Ulysses Press, 2010, – 190 p. 7. Hall M. P. The Lost Keys of Freemasonry. Tarcher, 2006, – 352 p. 8. Harun Yehya. Kabala ve Masonluk. Kelebek Matbaacılık. Topkapı-İstanbul. 2007. 9. Collins T. Behind the Lost Symbol. Berkley Trade, 2010, – 224 p. 10. Manly P. Hall. The Secret Destiny of America. Philosophical Research Society, 2010, – 207 p. 11. URL: http://www.wikipedia.org/ 12. URL: http://kayzen.az/
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