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Thursday 16 January 2020

Thinking activity: The Da Vinci Code

Dan Brown

Daniel Gerhard Brown came into the world on 22nd June 1964 in Exeter, New Hampshire, U.S. he is an American author best known for his thriller novels.

The son of a mathematics teacher and a church organist, Brown was raised on a prep school campus where he developed a fascination with the paradoxical interplay between science and religion. These themes eventually formed the backdrop for his books. He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he later returned to teach English before focusing his attention full time to writing. 


Dan Brown is the author of numerous #1 bestselling novels, including The Da Vinci Code, which has become one of the best selling novels of all time as well as the subject of intellectual debate among readers and scholars. Brown’s novels are published in 56 languages around the world with over 200 million copies in print.


Brown’s latest novel, Origin, explores two of the fundamental questions of humankind: Where do we come from? Where are we going?





For more information about the task

"The Da Vinci Code" is American mystery thriller film released in 2006 and was directed by ROn Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman, based on Dan Brown's 2003 best selling novel of the same name. 

1.Brown states on his website that his books are not anti-Christian, though he is on a 'constant spiritual journey' himself, and says that his book The Da Vinci Code is simply "an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate" and suggests that the book may be used "as a positive catalyst for introspection and exploration of our faith."

I am agree with Brown’s statement that “Da Vinci Code” is simply an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate”. Because what Dan Brown was done in his novel is necessary. We simply can’t trust religion because it is problematic. There are many wrong things, which are followed by people on the name of religion. Here Dan Brown tries to present them as it is. In the novel also we can see that Robert Langdon is in search of find out truth and at last he finds out the secret about Sarcophagus. So it also represents the search of an individual or it supports the idea of exploration of our faith. From this I can say that I am agree with both statements.

2. (If)You have studied ‘Genesis’ (The Bible), ‘The Paradise Lost’ (John Milton) and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (Dan Brown). Which of the narrative/s seem/s to be truthful? Whose narrative is convincing to the contemporary young mind?

I have studied the some parts of The Bible and The Paradise Lost. Both are the religious book that deals with theology. But we can find that John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” gives some rational idea than Genesis. In Bible there are several lies about born of  Eve out of rib and on fall of man because of woman. This type of narrative is not convincing to the young mind. In “Da Vinci Code” from the Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting they try to find the truth of Jesus and Marry Magdalena’s relationship. I find that this is good than Genesis narration because here we can interpret image as per understanding and critical thinking.



3. What harm has been done to humanity by the biblical narration or that of Milton’s in The Paradise Lose? What sort of damage does narrative like ‘The Vinci Code’ do to humanity?

In the Paradise Lost we can find rational arguments through the character of Eve, but Genesis and Paradise Lost were wrote on the base of theology. There are no scientific evidences about whatever written in them like a heaven is created by god in six days. I think that religious book spreads wrong belief in society if people do not have enough knowledge or this ideas fall wrong without having logical arguments. I don’t  think that narration like “Da Vinci” creates any harm to society because it tries to give logical reasons and symbols to prove their point about Sarcophagus of  Madgalene.



4. What difference do you see in the portrayal of 'Ophelia' (Kate Winslet) in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, 'Elizabeth' (Helena Bonham Carter) in Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or 'Hester Prynne' (Demi Moore) in Roland Joffé's The Scarlet Letter' or David Yates's 'Harmione Granger' (Emma Watson) in last four Harry Potter films and 'Sophie Neuve' (Audrey Tautau) in Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code? How would justify your answer



Representation of women in literary text and in film says a lot about hidden perception behind it. Ophelia, Elizabeth and Hester Pryne are portrayed as at some level they are dominated by male or they are supporter of male characters. Ophelia was ruled by her father, brother and Hamlet. She couldn’y do anything without the permission of male characters in her life.  Elizabeth is portrayed as same like Ophelia who was inferior to male. Hester Pryne  also did not reveal Dimmedale’s identity as the father of her child but she decided to live alone and fight against society. But the one factor is common that director used women body as a tool or took some close up to catch the attention of audience. From this I can say that they intentionally to satisfy male gaze attitude done this. Character of Sopie was presented in different than all of these. She is presented as rational thinker and knowledgeable also and director not used her body to get the attention from others.



5. When we do traditional reading of the novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’, Robert Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology, Harvard University emerges as protagonist and Sir Leigh Teabing, a British Historian as antagonist. Who will claim the position of protagonist if we do atheist reading of the novel?

If we do atheist reading of the novel than we can find a Sir Leigh Teabling as protagonist character and Robert Langdon as a antagonist of the novel. Sir Leigh Teabling his historian and he was also searching a proof to prove his point and he also works in very systematic way to prove his point with logical arguments by using scientific evidence also. To prove his point of relation between Jesus and Marry he found DNA, for this he did not believe in religion. And the Robert Langdon knew everything about Sarcophagus but he did not reveal anything about it. Lea Teabling broke all the rule of Christianity to prove his views to the world.

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