Thinking activity: 'The Da Vinci Code'

This task is given by Pro. Dilip Barad, to look at 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." 

Dan Brown asserts that his books are not anti-Christian, and it is right also because he wants to reveal the facts. He also says that he is on the spiritual journey as he portrays the characters who have faith in the religion. Through the murder mystery he unfolds the factual things about the Christianity.  if we look deeply then we can find that there is much serious issues on which Brown throws light. In a way he is trying to awaken the people from the blind faith.  there are several incidence which shows us that our hero has faith on the Christianity and also he don’t want to break it. We can say that Robert Langdon's journey as a pilgrimage. The search for the Spiritual Truth. Brown is just using the historical fact with his imagined story.

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? 

Yes, the observation of Norris Lacy is true. We can say Akiva Goldsman has conserved the story line and it is much like novel. The grail related material, definite aspects of Leonardo's art and many things. The screen writer is successful to keep the core content through the use of all the symbols and secrets about the novel. We can find the scenes in Louvre museum so it is much realistic. Dan Brown's major materials for the novel is taken from the book 'The holy blood and the holy grail'. The idea of feminine sacredness is much live as Sophie Nevue leads to Robert Langton. 

3. 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? 

The narrative of the da Vinci code is more convincing because its time to doubt and not believing in what is written and said. Milton's The Paradise Lost is story of god,punishment So it keep people in fear while The Da Vinci code tries to prove Jesus as man in logical way. So Da Vinci code is more convincing in this era.

4. 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? 

 Milton displays woman as downfall of a man and in many narrator there is woman who is the reason of downfall of man. In The Da Vinci code society and people were not free. Even artists also had to paint and draw what church want. Lots of people have been killing for religion. The Da Vinci code tries to deconstruct Jesus as God with the help of myths. In the novel there is description of how millions of women were killed for killing of Marie Magdalene. This work can be do harm in that way. In the end it proves that heir of Jesus is living. So for protection of power again church can do same thing. 

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? 

 The portrayal of the character its makes difference, and the perspectives towards the author or film maker is different for us, Kenneth Branagh sexually objected Kate Winset by taking liberty with Ophelia's portrayal and showed her nude which we do not find in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Ron maintained sacredness in Sophie's portrayal  in movie and thus, even if Dan's Sophie is kissed on lips, he do not show those scenes in movie. Kenneth Branagh in Frankenstein also, takes liberty with portrayal of Elizabeth on screen, whereas Ron Howard, remained faithful to the central theme of feminine sacredness in Sophie's portrayal. 

 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? 

 The DA Vinci code questions that whom we believe God, are they really God or they were humans like us? In Hindu religion also there are established gods and goddesses. Rama and Krishna are prominent gods of Hindus but they can be man. Only source of their information are books.  Most of the stories of Hindu religion tells the stories of how God punishes who do not worship them. There are lots of examples in vratkathas.  Those type of stories are conspiracies to keep people in fear.

7. Have you come across any similar book/movie, which tries to deconstruct accepted notions about Hindu religion or culture and by dismantling it, attempts to reconstruct another possible interpretation of truth? 

Yes, we can find in films like 'OMG' and 'PK', which deconstructs the idea of God and the existence of God. 

In this both movies we can find that director very effectively raise the question on existence of god and also give many interesting example to prove the point. 

8. 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? 

When novel ends protagonist Robert Langdon clearly  emerges as staunch believer of God while antagonist Leigh Teabing as atheist. Teabing's only intention is to make all humans free. Free from fear of God. He always believed that Jesus is not God and whole life tries to find secret of holy grail and prove it. He kills many people and can do anything to prove his belief. So if we read novel as atheist novel then Leigh Teabing will be protagonist. And his intention also can be consider good for humanity.

9. 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’?

 In this novel this sentence "I dont know what I dont know" is reflecting here, even character of Sophia her self don't know that she is descendant of Jesus and also Robert langdon quest for knowing is also presented, so idea of 'knowability' is play a vital role in this novel.  And after the known the truth Sophia and Robert langdon are seems to not happy, they dont take much interest to revel the truth to the worlds.

Thank You.....