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ENG 379
Prof. David Arndt
12/15/10
What are the conventions of a well-told crime story or thriller?
To answer the question of what makes a well-told crime story or thriller, I will use a literary
work that explores the idea of a crime thriller and that captivates me. The literary work that I
have chosen to do a narratalogical analysis is on The Lost Symbol.
The Lost Symbol is a novel written by Dan Brown that is similar to the writer’s previous
mystery thrillers, which involve murder, historical significance, deadly secrets and a race against
time. In the Peter Huhn article, “The Detective as Reader: Narrativity and Reading Concepts in
Detective Fiction”, he comments on the similarities of detective fiction when he says, “the
arrangement of narrative elements is fundamentally the same in the majority of classical
detective novels.”(2). Of course, The Lost Symbol is not considered a detective thriller. The novel
is more similar to a mystery thriller. The novel is a great example of every popular mystery
thriller that follows the conventions of structure for a storyline. The Lost Symbol is the fifth novel
by Dan Brown and it’s the third story that features the recurring character of Professor Robert
Langdon. He is a professor of religious symbology at Harvard University and the protagonist of
the story. The theme at the center of the thriller is freemasonry and the story deals with a secret
of freemasonry that puts the characters lives in jeopardy.
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To explain the Dan Brown thriller The Lost Symbol I will take a narratalogical analysis to the
story by examining how this literary work is put together. A mystery thriller follows a CharacterArc Story that consists of elements that organize the story so that the audience is able to be
captivated and entertained. The Lost Symbol begins with the convention of the Character
Exposition. The protagonist of the story is Robert Langdon. He is a symbologist from Harvard
University. Prof. Langdon’s expertise in the field of symbology has been helpful to him in
previous life and death situations involving ancient conspiracies. The problem that Robert
Langdon has is that despite living a simple life as a university professor in Massachusetts, he
tends to find himself in dangerous situations that require his knowledge of ancient symbols to
solve the problem.
The next convention of the Character-Arc Story is the Inciting Incident. The incident is an
event that forces the character out of his usual life. The event that begins the story of The Lost
Symbol is when Robert Langdon is invited to give a lecture at the U.S. Capitol Building in
Washington D.C. Langdon is invited to give the lecture by Peter Solomon, the head of the
Smithsonian Institution. Solomon is Robert’s former colleague and mentor. Robert Langdon is
also asked to bring a package that Solomon entrusted to him years ago. He does not know what
is in the package or why he has to deliver it now. The mentioning of a mysterious package is one
of the first signs of mystery that is revealed in The Lost Symbol. Robert Langdon arrives in
Washington D.C. At the Capitol building Robert is surprised to learn that Peter Solomon did not
invite him to give a lecture. He is surprised even more to discover that there is no lecture. It turns
out that Langdon was contacted by someone who has kidnapped Peter Solomon. The mysterious
kidnapper has left a disturbing object in the middle of the Capitol Rotunda for Robert to find: the
severed hand of Peter Solomon. This disturbing moment in the story is exciting for the reader
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because it creates a feeling of suspense and fear within the first half of the story. Robert is soon
contacted by Peter’s kidnapper who instructs him to find the Masonic Pyramid and the Lost
Word within a certain time frame or he will kill Peter Solomon.
The start of the story The Lost Symbol has begun with the arrival of a severed hand and the
terrible threat of the protagonist’s close friend. Robert Langdon is once again in a difficult spot
that will require his knowledge and bravery to keep him alive and prevent any more terrible
incidents.
The knowledge of Solomon’s potential death is troubling for Langdon. It is also the Inciting
Incident that takes Langdon out of his comfort zone and into a dangerous situation that he does
not want to be part of again. What’s excited about this moment is that in almost every
mystery/crime thriller there is a missing person or a dead body that begins the character’s
journey.
The severed hand of Peter Solomon is left on the floor by the kidnapper as a symbolic
representation of the Hand of Mysteries. The hand is a legend of freemasonry. The severed hand
that is left behind by the kidnapper is considered a clue. In the article “The Detective as Reader”,
Peter Huhn mentions that “From the perspective of the detective, the traces left by the criminal
appear as “clues,”’ (4). Peter Solomon is kidnapped because he is a freemason. The Freemasons
are an ancient brotherhood with a reputation for mystery and conspiracy. The theme of
freemasonry is captivating for the readers because the brotherhood is filled with history that they
find fascinating. The kidnapper has taken Peter Solomon and lured Prof. Langdon to Washington
because they are both experts in freemasonry and close friends with each other. The mysterious
kidnapper uses the two men’s friendship to coerce them into obeying his demands.
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Soon after being contacted by the kidnapper, Robert Langdon is approached by two authority
figures. The first authority figure is the head of the Capitol police, Trent Anderson. The second
authority figure that Langdon meets is Inoue Sato. She is a government agent in charge of the
CIA’s Office of Security. Sato’s presence quickly troubles Prof. Langdon. I believe this is
common in conspiracy thrillers when government officials have the ability to make people
uncomfortable in the pursuit of upholding the law. The character of Director Sato appears so
negative that it is unknown whether she is an ally or an enemy. The skepticism of the character
of Sato is what makes the readers start to suspect if her true intentions go much further than
professional. The three people begin to examine the severed hand. With the assistance and
knowledge of Prof. Langdon they discover symbols on the finger tips of the hand that are part of
freemason legends. The clues on the severed hand lead them down into the sub-basement level of
the Capitol building. They enter a room that has a Masonic altar. That is a secret room for
American freemasons in Washington D.C. to gather and practice whatever rituals they participate
in. The mystery and intrigue begin to go deeper as the story continues. In the same room they
find a miniature pyramid that I missing the top capstone. There is an inscription on the pyramid
that Langdon is somewhat familiar with. The mystery of the missing capstone is soon revealed
when Director Sato starts to confront Robert for some reason. She had received security x-rays of
Robert as soon as he entered the Capitol. A small pyramid was shown through the bag that he
was carrying the whole time. This discovery is a surprise to Langdon because he had no idea of
the capstone being in his possession. Due to Sato’s suspicious nature, she is not convinced of
Langdon’s coincidental discovery. So she then decides to take Robert Langdon into custody.
The third convention of the Character-Arc story is known as the Flawed Response. This is the
moment in the mystery/crime thriller where the character’s flaw leads him or her to respond to
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the events in a bad way. Within the sub-basement of the Capitol, Langdon has put himself in a
compromising situation. The CIA Director Sato and Chief Anderson discover the missing
pyramid capstone in Langdon’s bag. It is bad news for Robert because this connects him with the
disappearance of Peter Solomon. Robert is not the kidnapper; he is just unlucky that he was
unaware of the capstone that Peter Solomon had him keep for all these years. Robert feels panic
for himself and for Peter’s life. If he is taken into custody, Robert will not be able to find the
Masonic Pyramid or the Lost Word for Peter’s kidnapper. The situation that Robert Langdon
finds himself in is an example of a theory from Aristotle’s Poetics. It is the idea of Reversal. A
reversal is when the apparent sense of an action or situation changes to its opposite. The journey
began when Langdon was helping chief Anderson and Director Sato find clues to the
whereabouts of Peter Solomon and his unknown kidnapper. The journey has taken an unexpected
turn when Langdon is being mistakenly accused by Director Sato for having an involvement with
Peter Solomon’s kidnapping. The situation ha changed for Landon in the worst way. As Sato
attempts to take Langdon into custody, both she and Chief Anderson are attacked by the Capitol
architect Warren Bellamy. Robert Langdon has a difficult choice to make at this point in the
story. If he stays with Anderson and Sato, he will be put into custody for a crime he did not
commit and will lose the time to save Peter’s life. Since Bellamy is a good friend to Peter
Solomon, a freemason and offers to help Robert escape, he decides to escape with him. The
action that Langdon has taken reveals a serious flaw about his character because he is still not
sure about Warren Bellamy, and is not sure who is involved with Peter’ kidnapping. Langdon
makes the quick decision to follow his savior in a moment of panic.
As the mystery thriller of The Lost Symbol continues it is later revealed that the mysterious
kidnapper is known as Malakh. He is a disturbing and frightening individual. Malakh is a man
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who has tattooed his whole body with ancient symbols that have Masonic significance to him.
There’s not much known about Malakh other than he is a freemason who has taken upon himself
to infiltrate the ancient brotherhood. His intentions are to gain a mysterious power that only high
level Masons are aware of. The kidnapper Malakh also has a tragic history with Peter Solomon
and his family. Malakh was involved with the sudden demise of Peter’s son Zachary Solomon
while he was held in a European prison. Malakh was also responsible for the tragic murder of
Peter Solomon’s mother, Isabel. He has been a constant tormentor in the lives of the Solomon
family. Now he has gone so far to kidnap and kill Peter unless he receives the knowledge that
Robert Langdon can provide him. The details of Malakh’s past have certainly brought contempt
to the character. The kidnapper’s evil deeds have made him so inhuman that the readers begin to
feel distaste for Malakh and sadness for Peter Solomon’s family. Including Peter’s sister, Dr.
Katherine Solomon, a noetic scientist. Katherine has become involuntarily thrust into the deadly
search for Peter when Malakh attacks her at her laboratory. She is soon abducted by the
terrifying, tattooed menace. The man who has brought so much tragedy to the Solomon family
has returned to bring more suffering to their lives in the pursuit of power. This could be
considered a suspenseful turn for the story that keeps the reader curious to what will happen next
for the complex characters.
As Robert Langdon and Warren Bellamy work together to examine the capstone in an effort
to locate the Masonic Pyramid, the situation begins to go from bad to worse. Langdon is being
pursued by Director Sato for fleeing from authority figures and now he has been attacked and
captured by Malakh. At a secret location, Robert is held captive along with Katherine Solomon.
Malakh threatens Robert and Katherine for information on The Lost Word and the Masonic
Pyramid. This moment in the novel is the Character-Arc Story convention known as the
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Suffering >Crisis. This is when the flawed response brings suffering on the character. Robert
Langdon’ decision to leave Sato may have been desperate but the decision has also led him into
the clutches of the madman who has placed him in the terrible situation that he is in. Robert
cooperates as much as he can but it’s not satisfying for Malakh. So the kidnapper traps Robert in
a tank of breathable water in an attempt to have him solve a puzzle that can lead Malakh to The
Lost Word and the Masonic Pyramid. Robert Langdon has to solve the puzzle from the tank or
else he will drown to death. His own life hangs in the balance and the lives of everyone close to
him depend on him finding the answers to the location of the Lost Word. Once Langdon has
solved the puzzle for his captor, Malakh escapes with Peter Solomon and leaves Robert and
Katherine with themselves. Eventually they are rescued by Director Sato. She knew their
location because Sato and her team have been monitoring the man known as Malakh and Sato
had no intention of putting the blame on Langdon.
It is at this point in the story that the readers idea of Sato has changed. Director Sato is no
longer considered a potential threat to Langdon or Solomon. She is considered now as a
relentless government agent dedicated to saving lives in the service of security. The realization
that Langdon and Sato are now on better terms is a relief for Langdon because he is no longer
considered a fugitive.
The danger still exists when Malakh takes Peter Solomon to the Masonic temple room of the
Scottish Rites House of the Temple. It is in this part of the story that the plot thickens. Malakh
reveals his sinister plan to release recorded videos of American politicians and government
officials performing Masonic rituals. That was the potential threat that Sato was trying to prevent
Malakh from unleashing. Back at the Scottish Rites House, Malakh is holding Peter Solomon
hostage for information on the Lost Word and is prepared to reveal U.S. politicians Masonic
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activities over the Internet. At the time, Malakh also reveals a terrible secret to Peter Solomon
that will shatter his world.
The final convention of the Character-Arc Story is the Change of Character. At this point in
the mystery thriller a revelation/decision/choice has occurred that will change the characters in a
profound way. The moment is an example of an Aristotelean Recognition. The menacing
individual known as Malakh has just revealed to Peter Solomon that he is Zachary Solomon,
Peter’s long dead son! This revelation is both shocking and unexpected to both Peter Solomon
and to the readers of the story. This moment in the novel The Lost Symbol is the climactic twist
that shakes the readers’ imagination and stimulates the readers’ attention. The awful truth has
been told that Malakh did not kill Zachary Solomon, but that they were the same person. Zachary
had bribed his way out of prison. He faked his death and sent himself on a quest for knowledge
and revenge against his father Peter for leaving him to suffer in prison. Peter’s realization of
Zachary’s existence is more devastating then satisfying because his own son was responsible for
his grandmother’s murder. The revelation of Malakh’s true identity is an example of the two
devices Recognition and Reversal found in Aristotle’s Poetic’s. The realization of Malakh as
Zachary Solomon is considered a recognition because it is a change from ignorance to
knowledge. The truth about the mysterious figure Malakh is finally revealed. Malakh’s true
identity is also a reversal because the situation has changed to an opposite situation. The evil,
tattooed menace is revealed to be a man’s troubled son back from the dead. I think that it would
be a terrible truth for any parent to discover that their own child has become a monster in pursuit
of an ancient myth. The idea seems heartbreaking to the readers’.
The story comes to an end with Zachary being killed in a rescue attempt made by Sato and
Langdon. At the same time they prevent Zachary from releasing the controversial footage of
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freemasons all over the Internet. Unfortunately, it is at the cost of Peter Solomon losing his
troubled son Zachary for a second time. After the crisis has been averted and the tragic villain
has been stopped, Peter decides to reveal the true Masonic Lost Word to Robert Langdon in
secret. Solomon takes Robert atop the Washington Monument and tells him that the true
cornerstone is the capstone atop the Washington Monument is the Masonic Pyramid. Peter also
reveals that the Lost Word is located on the cornerstone. The word is Laus Deo, meaning “Praise
God.” The discovery of the mysterious word and the Masonic pyramid is similar to a literary
device known as the MacGuffin. It is a metaphor to describe anything in a story that possesses
great importance or desire. The object that is coveted in the novel The Lost Symbol is The Lost
Word. It is something that holds great importance to whoever is aware of its existence and to
whoever realizes its true meaning.
In conclusion, the mystery novel The Lost Symbol contains many conventions of the
traditional Character-Arc Story that many thriller novels posses. The readers of the story can
probably imagine that the conclusion to The Lost Symbol is disappointing because the most
memorable twist does not arrive at the revealing of the lost Masonic word. Some readers would
argue that the most memorable twist arrives at the revealing of Malakh’s true identity as Zachary
Solomon. I believe that the real point of the mystery thriller is that it contains not only
mysterious figures and breath taking twists. The story contains important elements that are
important for every thriller. The story contains an important question at the beginning and the
answer is revealed at the end of the story. The novel also contains Aristotle’s theory on plot. The
two examples of Reversal and Recognition appear in important moments in the text. The Dan
Brown novel The Lost Symbol is a combination of the mystery/crime thriller and the literary
theory of Questioning Truth.
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