The Da Vinci Code By Dan Brown

The Purpose of the paintings of the “Last Supper,” by Ugolino di Nerio and Leonardo da Vinci, were to portray the betrayal of Jesus Christ by of one the twelve apostles, as they are having the last meal. Jesus Christ mentions to his apostles that there is going to be a betrayal amongst them. All twelve apostles had mixed feelings of anger, fear, and surprised. Later on, it turns out that Judas, one of the twelve apostles, had told the authorities about Jesus so he can be arrested then later crucified. The paintings show a dramatic scene after the claim by Jesus Christ. The paintings give us insight to get the reader interested in the painting of “The Last Supper,” how the cultures that produced those paintings change the way we paint today, and how both paintings influenced the Renaissance era.

The documentary “Merchants of Doubt” directed by Robert Keener describes the unethical practices of manipulating scientific data to market unsafe products. It explains the use of public relations and media to divert the health risk involved in smoking in order to protect the industry. The documentary exposes how companies hire a third party, presented as credible scientific expert, to mislead people about the company’s unsafe products. Those people selling lies to cover for the company’s wrongdoing are called “merchants of doubt”. They create a sense of doubt in the veracity of the scientific data and results collected by the scientist. This strategy of creating doubt and confusion causes delay in government regulation. The documentary shows

When writing the introduction to Fahrenheit 451, author Neil Gaiman stated that “ideas--written ideas--are special. They are the way we transmit our stories and our thoughts from one generation to the next. If we lose them, we lose our shared history”. Gaiman is absolutely correct; especially because what he is saying heavily applies to books. Books are a critical aspect in shaping humanity as a whole, they create and share a network of creative ideas, history, and overall entertainment; to lose books would be like losing patches of humankind’s history. Creativity, history, feelings and thoughts: all of the aspects that make us human...gone. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury illustrates the story of a man named Guy Montag, who struggles to live in a futuristic dystopian society where censorship through book burning is prominent. Throughout Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses multiple motifs to emphasize a certain idea or convey a message to the reader better. A motif is a recurring subject, theme, idea, or even a physical object that appears in literature. Ray Bradbury’s hostile tone towards technology gives meaning to the reader by depicting the message that technology has the power to completely detach people from their genuine emotions, as well as urge readers to not get too attached to technology because it separates them from relationships in real life.

In the novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Montag’s view on life reverses. Two characters the influence the main character Guy Montag are the old lady whose house and books were burnt down and Mildred. The old lady was caught preserving books in her home. Firemen including Montag were ordered to burn the books. The old lady refused to leave her books, so she too was burned. She bravely gave an allusion as her last words, “Play the man,’ she said, ‘Master Ridley.’ Something, something, something” (F451 37). Beatty the fire chief who ordered to burn the books replied, ”We shall this day light such a candle, by God`s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out” (F451 37). Montag gave this incident a lot of thought. The more thought he gave it; the more he questioned why the old lady loved those books so much she would die for them. Montag, like most of his society has never read an illegal book, so he is unable to relate to the old woman. But, he feels the urge to find out why these books are so sacred. After reading he begins to realize society is a twisted lie do to the controlling government. Montag’s wife influenced him to stop and question their way of living. Mildred’s common life style shows unhappiness to Montag. In her corrupted mind her family is the television, not Montag. Montag sees this depression and emptiness in Mildred and begins to question the way society has made her. After Mildred attempts suicide Montag tries to prevent him from

The wheat and grates represent the wine and bread of the Eucharist. The toga was used as symbol of high social status.

Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” was painted during his time in Milan, which was from about 1495 to 1498. “The Last Supper” is a tempera and oil mural on plaster. He created this painting for the refectory of the city’s Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Also known as “The Cenacle,” this painting is about fifteen by twenty nine feet and is the artist’s only surviving fresco. The painting depicts the Passover dinner, in which Jesus Christ addresses the Apostles and says, “One of you shall betray me.” One of the painting’s most vivid features in the painting is each Apostle’s distinct emotive expression and body language. When the French in 1499 (invaded Milan) and the Sforza family fled, da Vinci also escaped. He was possibly the first to Venice and then to Florence.

In order for an individual to effectively rebel against an established society, he or she must maintain some degree of power. If leaders or majority groups intend to revolt against an aspect of society, they simply speak or act against their issue. A member of marginalized group does not have the liberty of rebelling so directly, as he or she would be immediately isolated. In addition, taking a stand through an unappreciated aspect of one’s status in society would be futile. Therefore, an individual must find his or her value to society and utilize it as their method for rebellion. This is exemplified in both Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, as women rebel against society without using their voices. The main characters, Janie and Hester, defy gender roles through external appearances, maintaining silence, and accepting sexuality. Both Hawthorne and Hurston reveal society’s value of women’s external persona through female characters’ nonverbal rebellion.

“People need quality information, the leisure to digest it, and the freedom to act on what has been learned.”(Bradbury 85) When these aspects are removed from a society, human beings lose every right to freedom and individualism. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 and the short story Harrison Bergeron, this proves to be more than true. These pieces of literature each display similar values of society, technological advancements, rebellious acts, and a human desire for fulfillment of equality.

Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code is one of the most successful and controversial novels of our time. Other authors have jumped on the bandwagon writing novels on Christian topics or treasure hunts or simply discussing The Da Vinci Code. Even the film industry has profited by using Brown’s strategies (and topics) in the successful movie National Treasure and by taking advantage of the Grail publicity in TV productions like The Blood of the (Knights) Templar. But which strategies does Brown use to make the reader enjoy reading The Da Vinci Code? In my essay, I would like to focus on his use of narrative techniques.

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the stunning craftsmen back in the 1500's. He was a painter, stone carver, planner, builder, and a researcher. Amid the Renaissance, the depictions that he drew were colossal. He drew works of art like the Mona Lisa and the Last Dinner. He went to different spots to influence his fantasy to work out as expected. Leonardo began off as a collaborator, yet transformed into a pioneer and a craftsman later in his life. After Leonardo turned 15, his dad chose to take him to a renowned craftsman named Andrea del Verrocchio. A significant number of the painted assembling of Verrocchio's workshop wound up noticeably executed by method for his faculty. Concurring with Vasari, Leonardo cooperated with Verrocchio on his sanctification of Christ, demonstrating the more youthful holy messenger holding Jesus' robe in a way that was to date better than his lord's that Verrocchio put down his brush and not the slightest bit painted once more. This is most likely an exaggeration. On close exam, the show tells about a decent arrangement that has been painted or touched up finished the gum based paint the utilization of the new strategy for oil paint, the wide perspective of a nature scene, the stones that might be seen through the dark colored mountain stream and a significant part of the observing of Jesus demonstrating the veracity of the hand of Leonardo. Leonardo himself can likewise have been the form for 2 works by Verrocchio, which incorporate the bronze statue of David inside the Bargello and the Most elevated amount holy messenger Michael in Tobias and the Heavenly attendant. By the age of twenty, Leonardo confirmed as an ace inside the association of individuals of St Luke, the craftsmen and specialists of prescription, yet even after his dad set him up in his own workshop, his connection to Verrocchio turned out to be to such an extent that he kept on cooperating with him. Leonardo's soonest perceived dated depictions is an attracting pen and ink of the Arno valley, drawn on August 5,1473. Leonardo da Vinci is altogether different from alternate figures in World History. Leonardo da Vinci was an exclusive tyke until the point that he was mature enough to work for Andrea del Verrocchio. He

More than simple geometric composition style and use of linear perspective, The Last Supper reflects Da Vinci’s skills in conveying emotions through gestures

Leonardo’s scientific studies resulted in the paintings of rocks, plants, light and atmosphere. We can see hills, fields and the sky in the tree windows behind Christ. This is in a classical style, shown by the coffered ceiling which was introduced by ancient Greek and Romans and re-introduced again by Alberti. The orthogonals run from the coffered ceiling, the table and windows and from the disciples and their gestures which all then centres on Christ. The use of foreshortening in this painting is to emphasize the drama of the scene and to keep the figures in harmonious groups. As we can see on the third figure on the right, St Philip tries to deny that he would be the betrayer and to show this, his arm is foreshortened. While St Matthew, the fourth figure on the right, has his arms outflung which was made by foreshortening. This gesture was to help portray his horror, as well as his mouth opened talking to the 3 men to the left of him. There are other gestures that helped depict the idea of betrayal, as we can see on the left side of the painting where St Peter whispers to St. John’s ear while pushing Judas forward. All these gestures lead the viewers’ attention to the centre, where Christ is positioned. Behind Jesus, we can see the window where the natural light comes in which frames Christ’s head, like a halo. Christ’s position in the centre allowed him to be in front of the three windows, which symbolizes the Trinity. As well as that, we can see that he

Leonardo’s painting actually represents the different reactions of the Apostles when Jesus told them that they would be the reason for his death and that someone among them is a betrayer. We can see from the expressions on their faces as well as their postures that they all feel various degrees of anger and surprise. Bartholomew, James and Andrew, who are at the very left corner of the table, look shocked, while Matthew, Jude and Simon, which are at the opposite corner seem to discuss what had just happened. Actually, Matthew and Jude are turned toward Simon and it appears like they are trying to find out if he has any answer to their primary questions. Really interesting is the posture of Judas who is the only person with his right elbow on the table. He looks rather reserved and stunned by the sudden revelation of his plan. Judas is wearing blue and green clothes and is clutching a small bag, which is recognized by many to be the silver given to him as payment to betray Jesus. The most important part of his representation is that he is in shadow, which somehow reveals that he is responsible for the future death of Christ. Next to Judas are Peter, who is visibly furious, and John who looks like is going to fade away. And here is again one of the many questions that this work raise- is it John on the painting or is it Mary Magdalene? Some art analyzers claim that the person to Jesus is not the Apostle John but Mary Magdalene. In fact, this

The Scarlet Letter (Figure 1) painted by Hugues Merle in 1861 depicts the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne. Hester Prynne, an adulteress forced to wear the letter “A” upon her bosom forever, becomes an outcast from the community with her daughter, Pearl. Merle was often known for painting scenes of mothers and children. He illustrates the scene of Hester and Pearl sitting in the town square as part of her punishment. The townspeople walk by, pointing fingers and making shrewd remarks. Merle’s painting, his biography, and other renditions of the novel and painting will be later discussed.

While members of the church have dismissed The Da Vinci Code as fiction and lies, Dan Brown claims otherwise. In defense of his novel, Brown starts out the book by stating, “All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate” (Brown 3). By making this statement in the beginning of his book, Brown is setting himself up to be questioned by skeptics. Many critics of the novel are quick to point out every flaw they can find in the novel and quote it as misinformation. The article, “Masterplots II: Christian Literature” by Suzanne Araas Vesely, explains, “It is important to be aware that The Da Vinci Code is literary fiction; the appearance of historical accuracy is only superficial. Brown’s book is a minefield of disinformation for the unwary reader.” Vesely doubts the accuracy in The Da Vinci Code and depicts the readers who take it as fact as ignorant, ill-informed people. While Vesely points out the disinformation given by Brown, in