Thinking Activity on 'The Da Vinci Code'

Hello Readers,
                        This Blog is a part of my  thinking activity given by Professor Dr. Dilip Barad in which students have to interpret given points. If you want to know about it, here is the blog link of worksheet click here.

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 not agree or disagree. As we all believe that Dan Brown's novel 'The Da Vinci Code' is anti Christian novel. Brown uses some symbols and characters which are not convincing. As we all know that Jesus was unmarried and Magdalene is just fictional character but in literature, we can find many such thing that are fictional and we are also ready to accept it. For example, if I talk about Hindu religion, then there were many stories which we believe it is true, without knowing the reality. So it's up to you. In the novel, we can find many points which are not true. For example, the character of Sophie Neveu. So, in the novel, Brown shows Sophie as a Magdalene descendant which is not true. But writer can present his or her fictional characters. You can read and if you find that this is not true then you can assume that writer had created this fictional character. If you wants to prove that is not real or wrong then first you have to give the proof that why are you thinking it is wrong. For that, you have to read or have to go to the expert who will tell you the reality. We also watched one Documentary in which they are also giving the proof.  So, this novel is anti Christian novel but I agree with Dan brown's statement about his books.

2.  “Although it is obvious that much of what Brown presented in his novel as absolutely true and accurate is neither of those, some of that material is of course essential to the intrigue, and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman has retained the novel's core, the Grail-related material: the sacred feminine, Mary Magdalene's marriage, the Priory of Sion, certain aspects of Leonardo's art, and so on[1].” How far do you agree with this observation of Norris J. Lacy?

I agree to the observation of Norris J. Lacy that many things in the novel is not accurate. In the novel we can not find such a think that are not true. For example, there  proofs about the existence of priory of sion and also novel has not show real opes die. In the novel, everything is connected with each other and brings the truth behind the scene in front of readers. The Grail- related material: The Sacred feminine is very much important idea which talks about the living descendant. In the Novel, there were many symbols or secretes which is reveal by Robert Landon and Sophie Neveu. The whole story Unfolding in a very interesting way. So, the screenwriter has appropriately shown what is in the novel. Yes, there were some scene which are not in the Movie but still you can see and get some ides. 

3. (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?

All text has their own advantages. 'Genesis', The paradise Lost', and 'The Da Vinci Code', in all three texts, I find different narrative techniques and all are good. It is up to you how you read. In the Genesis, we read that God creates world in six days and consecrates the seventh as a day of rest or holiday and then God creates the fisrt human Eve and Adam, other animals in the Garden of Eden but told everybody not to eat the fruit of the tree. In the paradise Lost, we can see the biblical story of the fall of the man and the temptation of Eve and Adam by the Satan. So Milton wants to justify the way of God to man in this epic poem. In 'The Da Vinci Code', Dan Brown selected different narrative technique which is very important well as interesting one. When you read at that time you may think what next. The Da Vinci Code about "symbologist" Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu. In the novel, there were other important characters as well. Dan Brown is trying to free human being from blind faith in religion. In the novel we can find logical reasons behind everything. But all are not fact. He write and represents the think in a very different way  which can divert readers mind or make readers think about what is going on.  As Dr. Dilip Barad always tell us,

      'Thinking and questioning is more important then doing nothing'

When we read 'Genesis' and 'Paradise Lost', at that time we comes to know that, both books are trying to show God as divine power. But 'The Da Vinci Code' said and show God as human being which is convenient. As it is said that, all the religion is made by human being. Why we can not change our mind with the time? So I think 'The Da Vinci Code' gives us this spec to think and is more convincing to the contemporary mind.

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

As I mentioned about, that every narrative has their own good or bad points. In 'The paradise Lost' and 'The Da Vinci Code', representation of human beings is different. In the Paradise Lost, God gives punishment to Eve and Adam just because they eaten the Apple (Knowledge). It tries to control the free will of human being. Human are not free according to God in this book. But in the 'Da vinci code' humans free and they can think or question or change their perspective according to the time and place. But some people grown up with such religion stories, so it is difficult to change. Bus as T. S Eliot mentioned in his essay 'Tradition and Individual talent' 

           'Pastness of the past and its presence, And to write something, historical sense is more important' 

You can change the think, but first you have to read and ask question to your self why you want to change. It is true that religion gives us a right path and teach moral lesson. But thinking is also necessary. 

5. 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?

Nowadays, we can find movie, in which there were item songs. You can find some movie in which there were no item songs but yes, you may find sexual intercourse. 
There are so many differences in the portrayal of female characters in different films based on novels. In the Hamlet Movie by Kenneth Branagh, the character of Ophelia is portrayed as under the dominance of male. In the novel, there were no scene of sexual intercourse. But in the movie we can find sexual intercourse. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, we can find same think in the Movie not in the novel. In Demi Moore' The scarlet letter the camera focus on body of Hester. After that the focus of camera shift from her toe to the head and focused on the body parts when she is going to take bath. In 'Harry Potter there is kiss scene between Hermione Granger amd Ron Weasley. Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code' is different one then other Movies based on novel. The presentation of the character, Sophie Neveu is very apt one. As novel in the novel, she is very intelligent and independent. His main concern is to presents Faminine sacredness. We can not find any sexual intercourse between Sophie and Robert. 

6. Do novel / film lead us into critical (deconstructive) thinking about your religion? Can we think of such conspiracy theory about Hindu religious symbols / myths?

Yes, this novel/film leads us to think about our religion in same way. The novel says that Jesus was human not divine power. Same way, in Hindu religion, there were some books in which you can read that Rama and Krishna or Shiv are human not divine power. According to Hindu mythology, Krishna is God or divine power. But, there are many conflicting theories regarding his Godhood. Same way, Jesus is God or divine power. Although Krishna's story depicts him as the ultimate Lord of the Universe, whether Krishna himself is God or man is still a contentious matter in Hinduism. Some people believe that "fully human and fully divine." 

"Krishna's dual role is as the punisher of human deeds but also as a bringer of Enlightenment."

7. Explain Ann Gray’s three propositions on ‘knowability’ with illustrations from the novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’.

a. 1) Identifying what is knowable

b. 2) identifying and acknowledging the relationship of the knower and the known

c. 3) What is the procedure for ‘knowing’?

Three proposition of Ann Gray on “Knowability” is very much present in the novel, “The Da Vinci Code”. This concept works through out the whole novel. Knowing the self is more important. 

1. Identifying what is knowable is a process to realize what we actually know. When yiu think you know everything, you have to show it when it's needed. Sophie Neveu and Robert Langdon, both are trying to decode the codes given by Sauniere. For that they have to find or to identify what they know. After that they can apply and get the code. So it is process. 

2. Identifying and acknowledging the relationship of the knower and the known. This leads to the knowledge of self. Sometimes we might feel that why you know certain things. In the character of Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu we can find this conflict. They both know so many things but they don’t know why there were knowing those things. After solving the things, they comes to know about their own self and the question why they know it. 

3. The procedure of knowing is to walk or to choose, alone on the path of quest. In the novel, Sauniere was used to laugh upon Robert Langdon, because Langdon was knowing everything but then even he was unknown to the things. To find this, Langdon has to choose on path.