There’s been plenty of controversy about what has been dubbed “The Dan Brown Effect;” caused when readers are misinformed about the actual intent or history of an organization when it is placed in the fictional plot of one of Mr. Brown’s novels. But, consider the alternative. If Batman weren’t a gadget-toting millionaire and the effects of a radioactive spider didn’t give Spiderman his amazing abilities, something would be lost. Perhaps it is even worse today, where Dan Brown’s novels have to compete with the re-imagined characters of a boxing Sherlock Holmes and an Iron Man that both have the rugged good looks of Robert Downey Jr. But just as these superheroes are given amazing abilities and sex appeal, there is a natural necessity to use the artistic license that every author of fictional has, to ignite our imaginations and encourage us to turn page after page of his novels.

The Lost Symbol is no different. Mr. Brown uses a mixture of history and imagination to talk about the Masonic organization and while doing so, he is speaking to a massive audience that includes Masons and non-Masons. Admittedly, most of his exaggerations are to enhance the seriousness of the plot. However, Mr. Brown also sneaks in some very valid points about the Fraternity that could be easily glossed over while being engaged in his page-turning novel.  While I mentioned in a previous article that I would never refute Mr. Brown’s work, I would like to examine some of the information that is presented in the Lost Symbol and provide my own commentary.

For the sake of not revealing any spoilers I will not cover any specifically fictional points that related to the “Lost Symbol” and (with one intentional placement to help the reader), I have ordered the information below differently than as it appears in the novel. Footnotes will indicate the location of each quote, should you wish to see it in the full context. Finally, in several points of the book, Mr. Brown dispels the common myths (for example, how the Masons supposedly concealed secrets in the layout of Washington DC) and, for the sake of space, I will not cover those in this article, since he already addresses them directly.

1. “It was no secret that D.C. had a rich Masonic history.”
I would like to suggest that many US cities have a rich Masonic history. In fact, as civilization moved westward, Masons brought lodges with them. In the early days, Masonic lodge buildings sometimes also served as a church, post office or general store(a). In fact, one of my favorite quotes relating to the expansion of Masonry is from the Grand Lodge where I’m a member:
“As towns were established along the railroad in Oklahoma, Masonry went there, too. Often the trains had lodges on board, meeting in boxcars as the engines steamed through the Oklahoma night.” (b).

2. “Masons are among the most trustworthy men you could ever hope to meet.” One of the most commonly used mottos for Masonry is that takes “good men and makes them better.” So, while I appreciate the compliment that Mr. Brown pays to all Masons, my personal belief is that this is also partially due to the fact that men, whom are good at their very foundation, join Masonry. (The next quote also touches on this.)

3. “Many of these men [Freemasons] held powerful stations in life…”
This is only one of many references Mr. Brown makes in The Lost Symbol to Masons being prominent men. But even within our own organization, each person assigns his own weight to the validity that some of the greatest men of all times have been drawn to seek membership in Freemasonry. When put into context with the earlier quote, it is my personal belief that famous or successful men do not need Masonry, but it is that men who thrive in live find that Masonry suits them.

4. “Langdon was now sure how powerful the Masons really were anymore, and he was not going to go down that road; perceptions of the modern Mason ranged from their being a group of harmless old men who liked to play dress up . . . all the way to an underground cabal of power brokers who ran the world. The truth, no doubt, was somewhere in the middle.”
Like the prior quote, this is subject to personal opinion. But there’s an old joke amongst Masons in response to the people who suggest we are trying to run the world; “How would we ever control the world when we can’t even agree on what to eat before lodge?” While I do not like to use the term “powerful,” Masons around the world are working very hard to contribute millions of dollars, and countless hours of manpower to improve the quality of life for everyone. I do not believe that is “power” in the influential sense, but it is my sincere hope that our organization has a positive effect on the society in which we live.

Chances are, if you read The Lost Symbol, you might have glossed over some or even all of these quotes. But from these simple statements, the characters (and thus, the readers) are presented with some rather juicy facts about Freemasons. But there’s plenty more to uncover (especially related to the plot of the book) and my next article will discuss the Masonic locations that are explored in The Lost Symbol, giving you a virtual tour of the places you can (and cannot) visit in real life!

Daniel

Footnotes:
1. Chapter 6 - Page 26
A. Fact from: Correspondence Course  II – The M.W. Grand Lodge of Oklahoma
B. Quote from: Supplemental Reading for Correspondence Course  #2 – The M.W. Grand Lodge of Oklahoma

2. Chapter 22 – Page 99

3. Prologue - Page 3

4. Chapter 6 - Page 31