Student Essay on Facts in the Code

Facts in the Code

Summary:   Though Brown's style of writing in The Da Vinci Code has been said to have minor flaws because of the way he presents his "facts", in reality it makes the story stronger.

Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, a fictional novel, was written in a factual manner. Brown took a controversial topic and created a written work of art. He used real organizations, real places, and even some real names. He also created fictional characters and places, but made no attempt to allow them to appear as such. Although the evidence used in this book was misconstrued, it played a key role in diverting the reader's attention away from his own thoughts and onto those of the author. Many Christians questioned their beliefs as they read; the faithful came out stronger than ever.

Brown took two strangers, brought them together and created the best mystery novel ever written. Robert Langdon, Harvard symbologist, and Sophie Neveu, an agent from DCPJ's cryptology department, were introduced by Sophie's murdered grandfather, Jacques Sauniere, through a code left for both of them to decipher. The fact that Jacques was killed in his own art gallery, and, in his death, left a message uniting two people, created intrigue. The dynamic duo stuck together throughout the entire novel, breaking code after code in the hope of unraveling the mystery behind the message. Eventually needing some assistance, they made their way to Sir Leigh Teabing's home, a friend of Langdon. Oddly enough, this was the one man from whom they should have stayed the farthest. Unfortunately, they realized this only after confronted by him in the depths of Westminster Abby. "Sir Leigh Teabing felt rueful as he gazed out over the barrel of his Medusa revolver at Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu. 'My friends,' he said, 'since the moment you walked into my home last night, I have done everything in my power to keep you out of harm's way. But your persistence has now put me in a difficult position'" (Brown 406). The twists in the novel make the reader want to read long into the night. They require further reading, and more explanation. The more you read, the more captivating it becomes.

If anything had been set up differently in The Da Vinci Code, the impact would not have been as great. The partial truth in this novel was what made it so fascinating. Without it, it would have been a book left on the shelf. The reason it was a top seller was not because Dan Brown knew the whole truth about the secret in Mona Lisa's smile. It was because he knew how to make his readers think. He is a great manipulator of the truth. Setting up the book with interesting facts, Brown pushes you to believe everything that this book says.

"The Priory of Sion - a European secret society founded in 1099 - is a real organization. In 1975 Paris's Bibliotheque Nationale discovered parchments known as Les Diossiers Secrets, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including... Leonardo da Vinci...

The Vatican prelature known as Opus Dei is a deeply devout Catholic sect that has been the topic of recent controversy due to reports of brainwashing, coercion, and a dangerous practice known as 'corporal mortification.'...

All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate" (Brown 1).

One must be careful when reading this. Da Vinci may have been part of the Priory, Opus Dei might have been topic of controversy, and the architecture might be accurate, but Brown does not tell you what might not be correct. Although the majority of the architecture is correct, there are minute errs. For instance, in the Louvre, where the murder of Jaques took place, there is actually no bathroom in that hall, as this book would lead you to believe. Many forgot that this was not a work of nonfiction and accepted everything that was told in the novel. If, when beginning this novel, the reader knew nothing about Da Vinci, then he might believe that this author was alive during the time of Christ and even present at the last supper with Him. In reality Da Vinci was not alive and so definitely not there. Dan Brown purposely left out part of the truth in an attempt to make the audience believe the same way that he believes. This technique, although it was very manipulating, was quite amazing as well. He knew how he wanted people to view the book and he did an awesome job of doing it. He took The Mona Lisa, for example, and made it seem like all that there was to know about the painting was already known to historians. There is no way of knowing exactly what Da Vinci meant by the slight smile in this painting because he did not leave the answer anywhere in writing, but Brown presents it as if he knows for certain. "'Da Vinci was a prankster, and computerized analysis of the Mona Lisa and Da Vinci's self-portraits confirm some startling points of congruency in their faces. Whatever Da Vinci was up to,' Langdon said, 'his Mona Lisa is neither male nor female. It carries a subtle message of androgyny. It is a fusing of both'" (Brown 120). You must realize that even though there are truths in this novel, the fictional aspect still remains. Brown does not need to make an attempt to clear up these lies, because he did not have them published as truth.

Though Brown's style of writing in The Da Vinci Code has been said to have minor flaws because of the way he presents his "facts", in reality it makes the story stronger. If Brown would have been unbiased in his writing, and given you the complete truth, both sides of it, then it would have made you lose your interest. The fact that this novel does not contradict itself and stays true to form is what makes it interesting. Brown created a story that mystifies as well as elucidates, and so he became a master of writing and a top seller.