The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol

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.

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