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"History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books-books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, 'What is history, but a fable agreed upon?"
Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
Welcome to my blog. This is my thinking activity task which was assigned by our professor Dr. Dilip Barad. Click here to view more about this task.....
The “Da Vinci Code” is a 2003 blockbuster mystery thriller novel by best known American author Daniel Gerhard Brown widely known as Dan Brown. Though the novel is a very rich in term of symbols and clues, it remains the subject to criticism and intellectual debate. In 2005, Time Magazine’s editors, while naming him one of the 100 Most influential people in World, credited him with, amongst other thing, “keeping the publishing industry afloat; renewing interest in Leonardo da Vinci and early Christian history; and spiking tourism to Paris and Rome”. From this famous novel, under the same name in 2006 mysterious thriller film was directed by Ron Howrad and written by Akiva Goldsman. “Da Vinci Code” movie follows symbologist Robert Langdon as he investigates a murder in Paris’s Louvre Museum and discovers a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the assumptions of Jesus Christ’s marriage with Mary Magdalene.
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."
Yes, I agree with what Brown says, The book Da Vinci Code is simply “ an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate”. The fact can't be neglected that from the very beginning of the novel Dan Brown tries to give clues and symbols in order to prove that Christan god Jesus have had a relation with Mary Magdalene, but anyway it’s all about interpretation there are not certain facts.
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, definitely I am agree with Norris J.Lacy’s observation. Though whatever Brown presented in his novel is not true or accurate, it seems that it became necessary for him to get certain statements by using symbols to rise certain effect in audience’s mind as well as to get assurance from the part of audience, for this specific purpose intrigue becomes necessary part in to keep the flow of novel. And at the same time a person without having a sense of theology fiction may interpret it in wrong manner. Yah, and I am also agree with second statement that screenwriter Akiva Goldsman has retained the novel’s core.
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?
According to me the narrative of 'The Paradis lost' is better narrative than ''The Da Vinci Code' because Milton gave the voice to minor characters like Eve and Satan rather than God and Adam. So, somehow it is convince modern mind because they find the discrimination in the Bible. Whereas 'The Da vinci code' narrative look very far away from truth.
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?
By this kind of narration, people's faith in God can be lost and there is nothing like morality without God. Religion gives us a right path and teach moral lesson. So, if you narrate this kind of story then as Eliot said about spiritual degradation and sexual perversion make waste land. Some People are arguing that people keep on fighting with each other in the name of religion but it is not true because religion is innocent, problem is in humanbieng. These all hatred created by people for their benefit like relegious master and saint for power and wealth. For instance, if we see three major religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism, they all have one root but different master and saint Divergence people in different religion because of power position and jealous. So, throughout the ages this kind of books and people damage the faith on divine 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?
There is not much difference among all the female characters. All the characters have different role and different context. But if we see from the movie's perspective then we can realize that director portrayed all the female characters as brain with beauty but not active like male characters. In every works female characters as intellectual as male characters but they unable to show their talent hence directors show just as beautiful actresess who support male protagonist.
6. 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?
Ans. Yes, there are many books and movies which tried to deconstruct accepted notion. For instance, 'The Satanic Verses' by Slaman Rushdie which deconstruct and blasphemy of Islam. Salman Rushdie wrote about three goddesses before Muhammad and said that prophet Muhammad spoke satanic verses. But that is not fact according to authentic history, Quran and Hadith.
7. 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, there are many things and myths in Islam that I do not know how it happened but I will ask this all things with authentic and reliable master or books about Prophet Muhammad's journey to the sky, about prophet Isa(Jesus) that how Mariam(Marry) gave birth to Jesus though she was virgin and pure woman.
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?
From the point of view of mine, if I do atheist reading of the novel the protagonist will be professor Robert Langdon because he himself said that I can not understand the God. Throughout the novel/movie I coudn't find Langdon had any kind of faith in God, he just solves and decoded the symbols and puzzles and I don't find that atheist attacked on religion like Teabibg. Whereas Sir Leigh Teabing seems anti christian in the novel but why? According to me he is not atheist. There are many reason behind his hatred against Christianity. Jaques Saunier and Teabing were known to each other and I think Teabing want to discover Holy Grail. If he is atheist then why very curious about Holy Grail? Jealous or avenge to Priori of sion is may be a reason behind that. So, I think Teabing not atheist but a religious man who want to reveals the secrets because of revenge.
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’?
1. The very first step is to identify that what is knowable. In the novel, things begins from the symbol of pentacle and identifying the codes of Da Vinci who is famous for keeping secrets in his work of art. Each and every symbols, paintings, object which follows Vinci's design is making some secrets which need to be revealed by the protagonist.
2. The second step in the process is to identify the relationship between the knower and the known. Means who is the knower of secrets, who knows the truth behind the codes and how it get connected with the known things of Vinci. In a way Leigh Teabing knows much about the codes and knows how to decodes things. But his relationship with the secret object known in the end. Langdon at the end decodes the cryptex but keep it secret in front of Teabing. Sophie knows everything about her so called grandfather and how he used to keep secrets and make puzzles, but each things connected in the end of the novel.
3. The last thing is to understand the process of 'knowing'. That is how Sophie and Langdon reached to the final truths by decoding each and every object in between. From the symbol of pentacle on the chest of Sauniere till the end to decoding the truth behind the Holy Grail which is the sarcophagus of Mary Magdalene which provides the DNA for living descendent.
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