The Lost Symbol Approach Paper

   I.  The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, had Robert Langdon, the main protagonist of the story, as a Harvard Symbologist on a quest for human enlightenment. His mentor, Peter Solomon, entrusted him in a small, concealed case, and to open it "when the time is right." Mal'akh, kidnaps Peter Solomon, and the encased box was an invitation from the assailant. Mal'akh is then later revealed to be Peter Solomon's washed up, cast-away son. This kind of knowledge was created by the Masons, a hidden message, a message of human enlightenment and powerful knowledge. Questing for this message brought Dr. Katherine Solomon to aid Robert Langdon, with her great Noetic Science research. They had revealed that the secret message was metaphorically buried, it will arise when the time is right, and will manifest a new human era of human thinking.


II.
Characters:
Robert Langdon: Harvard University symbologist who is skeptical, sarcastic, and investigative.

Katherine Solomon: A Noetic scientist who is haste, smart, and gracious, also the sister of Peter Solomon.

Peter Solomon: A Freemason, billionaire philanthropist, Smithsonian secretary who is humble, loyal, and proud.

Mal'akh: A Mason covered in tattoos, later revealed as Peter's long estranged son, main antagonist of this story who is complex, mischievous, and radical.

III.
Discussion Questions:


1.What are some examples of symbolism in this story? How do these symbols help the novel progress?

2. Is this book "The Lost Symbol", like any other Dan Brown books? If so, in what ways?

3. What advice would you give to readers learning this book? Is there any necessary prior knowledge needed before reading this novel?

IV.
Key Passage:


"America’s intended destiny has been lost to history.
The forefathers who founded this capital city first named her “Rome.” They had named her river the Tiber and erected a classical capital of pantheons and temples, all adorned with images of history’s great gods and goddesses — Apollo, Minerva, Venus, Helios, Vulcan, Jupiter. In her center, as in many of the great classical cities, the founders had erected an enduring tribute to the ancients — the Egyptian obelisk"- Chapter 20


The forefathers who founded Washington wanting it to be great, to be the most amazing and complex city in the world. By naming the city "Rome", shows that this city was built to be a major super power, as was Rome a thousand years ago. This obelisk is larger than Cairo's and Alexandria's, rising 555 feet.  This is proclaiming thanks and honor to the demigod to whom this capital bore the name, Washington.