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References to Freemasonry in popular culture range from the vitriolic to the innocuous. Far more often they are merely misinformed allusions from which Freemasonry faces a far more insidious threat; that of being marginalized, trivialized, and fictionalized. Most of the references noted on this site are harmless, simply pointing out that Freemasonry has played a role in our society; some are humorous, yet some are disturbing in their associations.
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Masonic references in the writings of Terry Pratchett
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The Novels of Discworld
A series of fantasy novels published throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Discworld novels rarely mention Freemasonry by name. But there are many allusions and phrases that will amuse a masonic reader. The presence of Death personified is of course neither specifically nor exclusively masonic; nor are references to the stonebuilders' art, but they all add to the fun.
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Equal Rites
Corgi Books, London: 1994. [0 13105 9]
In fact the presentation of a staff to an apprentice wizard is usually a very impressive ceremony, especially if the staff has been inherited from an elder mage; by ancient lore there is a long and frightening ordeal involving masks and hoods and swords and fearful oaths about people’s tongues being cut out and their entrails torn by wild birds and their ashes scattered to the eight winds and so on. After some hours of this sort of thing the apprentice can be admitted to the brotherhood of the Wise and Enlightened. [page 81]
"I'm ashamed of you, acting like a cowin." [page. 110.]
Feet of Clay
Corgi Books, London: 1997. [0-552-14237-9]
Ah, my dear sir, I can tell you nothing except that he is a left-handed stonemason who has spent some years in the merchant navy and has recently fallen on hard time."[page. 205.]
Reference Sherlock Holmes.
Moving Pictures
ROC/Penguin Group, New York: 1992 [0-451-45131-7]
... chosen of his own free will.... [page. 21]
"Handleman’s Guld secret, that is. Handed down from initiate to initiate," he added importantly. [page. 66]
... she'd plugged into a vast cross-species female freemasonry she hadn't suspected existed.... [page 158]
"Mystic horseman’s word," [page. 224]
Pyramids
ROC/Penguin: New York. [0-451-45044-2]
"Now, I want you to proceed at your own pace towards the Street of Book-keepers," said Mericet sternly, "obeying all signs and so forth. " [page. 14.]
It was dawning on him that this came under the heading of initiation into ancient craft secrets. [page. 103.]
"By means of certain secret signs and sigils, sire," he said, "into the origin of which it is not wise to inquire. It is the wisdom of--" he paused--"the moderns." [page. 105.]
"Would your sire still be honouring us with the capping-out ceremony?" In his nervousness he gripped the hem of his robe and began to twist it. "There’s drinks," he stuttered. "And a silver trowel that you can take away with you. Everyone shouts hurrah and throws their hats in the air." [page. 141.]
"Cephut, God of Cutlery" has his own high priest and is referred to as a "knife and fork artist." [page. 191.]
"The chap you need is Pthagonal. A very acute man with an angle." [page. 199.]
Each snake had its tail in its mouth. [page. 297.]
Witches Abroad
ROC/Penguin Group, New York: 1993 [0-451-45225-9]
There’s a certain freemasonry about grandmothers, with the added benefit that no one has to stand on one leg or recite any oaths in order to join. [page. 138]
".... Nothing was found of them except their spirit level." [page. 149]
"No. You brought yourselves here. Of your own free will. ...." [page 208]
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