Da Vinci code:-
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."
In the Novel the one who is atheist is portrayed as Villain. Sophie was not believing in all these myths of holy grail, priory of Sion, etc but in the end after proving that Frist was man and not God, Robert Langdon still believes him God saying that when he was in well he prayed Jesus and he was always with him. That way the novel by its protagonist presents idea of introspection and exploration of our faith.
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 ". How far do you agree with this observation of Norris J. Lacy,?
Yes, Most of the elements are true and accurate. To create some effects, intrigue becomes necessary. Which makes this novel more interesting. Same way Akiva Goldsman plays his role wisely by screenwriting. This thing we can find through the mysterious elements. Moreover, they have shown factual information related to Mary Magdalene and Holy Grail.
3. You have studied , Genesis' (The Bible), 'The paradise Lost' (John Milton) and 'The Da Vinci code'(Da Vinci Code' (Dan Brown). Which of the narrative seem to be truthful? Whose narrative is convincing to the contemporary young mind?
In Da Vinci Code is narrative more convincing because The Da Vinci code tries to prove Jeasus as man .In Milton's Paradise Lost is story God , punishment so people in fear.
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?
In The Da Vinci Code society and people were not free. Even artists also had to paint and draw what Church want. Lost of people have been killing for religion. Milton displays woman as downfall of a man and in many narrator there is woman who is the reason of downfall of man.
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 Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or 'Hester' Prynne' (Demi Moore) in Roland Joffes 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?
If you see Da Vinci Code movie in then you can find that are not a single kissing scenes of some of the new DP is not receive present just because in this full movie we can find that how the intellectuality of women is represent not the woman's body is important as we can see it or we can feel it or it's our interpretation, Sophie was very intellectual more than doctor London.
If you see in Hamlet and Frankenstein and Scarlet Letter director has move camera all over the woman's body parts which is not important but still camera has roll over to the women's body part that is not good sign if we see the original work there is not a single dimensional what we see in the movie that is the differentiate between the original work and which we see in the movie and one more thing was that it not a camera which moves on the women's body but it's a representation of Mens eyes which move on the women's body that is the very bad thing. So we can say that whole movie based on the intellectual it not based on the women's figure or woman body so in this whole movie we find that the women represent as a intellectual but not as a thing.
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 lead us into critical thinking about your religion in novel said Jesus was human not divine. Same way we can find Ram and Krishna were portrayed as a human only in Frist time Ramayana and Mahabharata but after that became God . Talk about symbols then the Shocking , has been interpreted by Wendy Doniger as male and female phallic symbols and people worship it, but then people denied this theory. So Hindu religious also have conspiracy theories.
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?
When Doniger has written many books which are challenging the accepted notions about Hindu religion. 'The Purpose' by T. P. Kailasam also tries to break the accepted notion about Pandav and especially about Arjuna.
8. When we do traditional reading of the novel 'The Da Vinci Code' Robert Langdon , professor of Religious Symbology, Harvad University emerges as protagonist and Sir Leigh Teabing, a British Historian as antagonist if we do atheist reading of the novel?
If we do atheist reading on the novel, Sir Leigh Teabing will claim the position of protagonist. Because if he knows the secret of Holy Grail, he will reveal it to the world and will show the real face of Church to the world. Some may find Sophie as a atheist protagonist but then she is not knowing much about religion, she just knows what is popular. Sir Leigh Teabing will be better as protagonist as atheist.
9. Explain Ann Gray's three proposition on 'Knowability' with illustrations from the novel 'The Da Vinci Code' .
1 Ideantifying what is knowable.
2 Identifying and acknowledging the relationship of the knower and the know.
3 What is the procedure for 'knowing'?
