Author & Secondary Sources

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

(Above) Dan Brown posing beside The Lost Symbol, his

newest book and our newest adventure starring Robert Langdon.

The author for The Lost Symbol as you know is Dan Brown, an extremely reputable author best known for his best selling novels, The Da Vinci Code, and Angels and Demons. Those books just so happen to be the preludes to The Lost Symbol, which I am currently blogging about now.

(Above) Angels & Demons, the first
book in the Langdon series that actually
takes place before the Da Vinci code, contrary
to the movie, where the events take place after
The Da vinci Code. In this novel, Langdon finds
himself in the middle of a scandal at the Vatican. 

(Above) The Da Vinci Code, the second book
in the Langdon series where Robert finds
himself in a race with the Illuminati to 
find the "Holy Grail" and discovers many 
conspiracies on the way. 

A Brief Background on Dan Brown

Digital Fortress by Dan Brown

Dan Brown is the author of four bestselling mystery-thriller novels, all of which combine realistic scenarios, intense story lines and possible answers to the questions we hold so dearly. His best-selling book, The Da Vinci Code challenged real life issues and the most popular church in the world, creating a lot of controversy. "I am fascinated with the gray area between right and wrong and good and evil," Brown told Bookpage interviewer Edward Morris; "Every novel I've written so far has explored that gray area." (Allen). Brown was born June 22, 1964, in Exeter, New Hampshire. His father was a math professor and his mother a musician specializing in sacred music. Evidently, Brown grew up in an intelligent environment filled with science and religion. Brown always showed an interest in conspiracies and secret societies. New England has a long tradition of elite private clubs, fraternities, and secrecy. Brown attended Phillips Exeter Academy, a private school located in his hometown. He graduated with a B.A. from Amherst College in 1986 and studied art history at the University of Seville in Spain. In 1993 Brown returned to New Hampshire and began teaching English at Phillips Exeter; in 1996 he turned to full-time writing. Brown got the idea for his novel, The Digital Fortress while teaching.One of his students had been detained by the U.S. Secret Service agency, who knew that the teenager had made hostile political comments via e-mail to a friend. These crazy events led to him writing his debut novel. This best-seller was soon followed by Angels & Demons, Deception Point, and The Da Vinci Code, all of which spent months at the top of best-seller lists. Dan Brown clearly has a knack for writing mystery-thriller novels and sending his readers on an adventure that they will remember. It amazes me that someone has so many interesting ideas like Dan Brown does. If you like Dan Brown you may also like authors such as Tom Clancy or Douglas Preston.

Tom Clancy's Clear and Present Danger,
the bestselling novel of the 1980s.

Reoccurring Themes


“Science and religion are not at odds. Science is simply too young to understand.”
― Dan Brown, Angels & Demons

Secrecy: In The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol, Brown analyzes the secrets that the church and the government keep from society. This is not only true in the book, but in the real world as well. 


Conspiracy: In the Langdon series and Digital Fortress, there are groups that conspire against society usually in a secretive way. In Robert Langdon series, the Illuminati are the antagonistic group and in Digital Fortress, it is the government who conspire by keeping surveillance of the population. 


Religion: Religion is an important theme in most of Brown's books. It is also the most controversial. Dan Brown has been in lawsuits, criticized by the newspapers and the pope saying that he is preaching nonsense because people took his books too seriously. He has stated over and over again that his books are fiction and not true. The church however does not condole the reading of Brown's novels and encouraging people to not read them. Then again this is also true with the Harry Potter series. 


Faith vs. Reality: In The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown usually contrasts Langdon, who acts on fact and rarely on impulse or faith, with someone who will sacrifice their life for something they believe in. In The Da Vinci Code it was the Illuminati and in The Lost Symbol it is Mal'akh


Good vs. Evil: Finally, good vs. evil is always an important and classic theme present in all books; however, in Brown's books the line is much more vague. Where the antagonists usually have a different view of what is good and evil. It is usually just a different perception of the world. In The Da Vinci Code the Illuminati and Silas who are hunting down the Last Templars believe that the holy grail needs to be kept a secret in order for society to remain peaceful and loyal to Christianity and are willing to do anything to keep it that way. 


Critical Literature Resources

http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/GLD/hits?r=d&origSearch=true&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&c=1&locID=stc23378&secondary=false&u=CLC&t=KW&s=3&NA=dan+brown

MLA:

Allen, Bruce, "Decoding Dan Brown's Success." InContemporary Literary Criticism 209, edited by Jeffrey        W. Hunter. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale, 2005. Reproduced in Contemporary Literary Criticism- Select <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/GLD/hitsr=d&origSearch=true&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&c=2      &locID=stc23378&secondary=false&u=CLC&t=KW&s=3&NA=dan+brown>

http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/GLD/hits?r=d&origSearch=true&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&c=2&locID=stc23378&secondary=false&u=CLC&t=KW&s=3&NA=dan+brown

MLA:

"Dan Brown," in Contemporary Literary Criticism-Select. (A brief review of the author's life, works, and          criticalreception<http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/GLD/hitsr=d&origSearch=true&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&c=1&locID=stc23378&secondary=false&u=CLC&t=KW&s=3&NA=dan+brown>

An interesting book review worth reading: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2c9171%2c1924489%2c00.html


It breaks down Brown's attempt to revitalize the way people view Washington D.C and provide a sense of tourist attraction within The States. I would totally agree, Brown makes this message painfully obvious in many sections of the book. I didn't read the whole thing in fear of a spoiler alert, but it seemed to be accurate.