The Lost Symbol; American Dream

Dan Brown’s book, The Lost Symbol, the main character Robert Langdon is a college professor with a passion for symbols, secret societies, and history. His American Dream of solving mysteries and uncovering secrets becomes too real when he is forced to solve an ancient Masonic secret in order to save the life of one of his dearest friends. Langdon’s friend, Peter Solomon, a high ranking Mason, is kidnapped by a somewhat deranged but brilliant man; who demands that Langdon to solve a puzzle on an ancient Masonic pyramid and capstone in order to find the location of what he believes is an ancient portal. The kidnapper thought it was, “a mystical gateway that led to secret knowledge-powerful wisdom known as the Ancient Mysteries…or the lost wisdom of all the ages.” (Brown, 78). He’s forced to solve the secrets of the Masonic pyramid and capstone and find the location of the portal. Langdon has a passion for historical mysteries and symbols, which is why solving them is his American Dream. Langdon is at first confused and panicked when Solomon’s kidnapper phones him, but then begins to understand the clues the kidnapper left because of his extensive historical and symbolic knowledge. His American Dream is imperative to achieve, because he needs to save Solomon’s life. When the CIA becomes involved, Langdon uses his knowledge to help them as well, explaining one of the first clues left by the kidnapper, a severed hand. “The image of a human hand, marked in this way on the fingertips, is a very old icon. It’s known as ‘The Hand of Mysteries’…the Hand of Mysteries served as a mystical summons. It’s an invitation to receive secret knowledge” (Brown, 69). Langdon is able to start piecing together the clues with the help of his friends to find the location of what the kidnapper believes is the ancient Masonic portal. With the help of some of Langdon’s friends, he is able to assemble the pyramid and capstone and start deciphering the various layers of inscription on