Introduction
The three works chosen in regard to researching the fiction stories of Dan Brown are The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and Deception Point. The research will concentrate on the literary elements in the stories to come out with a literary analysis of the author’s works in the context of the three works as cited.
Main body
When one reminisces about Dan Brown we may think of theories of conspiracy, but the author of several best selling books is very well known for writing on religious fictions and he has primarily focused his novels on the Catholic religion in probing the secrets and conspiracies associated with the church. All his books invariably deal with plots in the nature of conspiracies in one way or the other and in this regard, his two novels, The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons are very well known in having focused on the theories of conspiracies in relation to the Catholic Church. Notably the two novels are based on one single character named Robert Langdon who works as a professor of Religious Symbology at Harvard University. By way of sheer chance circumstances and his sharp wits, Langdon is able to reveal the ancient mystery and gets access to the most revered and religious areas of the world. Dan Brown in general is thought to be patronizing anti Christian beliefs, but upon reading his books one will doubt such allegations to be truthful. His ideas may be controversial and biased with the belief that the Catholic Church is abound with hidden agendas and secrets that are kept strictly, but several Catholics will vouch for the fact that these allegations about him are not totally far fetched. Dan Brown was baptized as a Catholic but he chose to pursue a different path in following spirituality. His fiction books on religion are very interesting, and putting it from a critical point of view, the force behind his novels is intense and thought provoking.
Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code are two books that guide people with finding a place in the religious world by addressing the two very important issues of women and science. Angels and Demons deals the relationships by debating on matters relating to science and religion, and in this context Dan Brown concludes that science and God are one, and that there is need for the two to be combined together to understand life better. The Da Vinci Code is an opportunity for women in giving them a role to play in the story related to Jesus, thus giving the indication of a balance between men and women. It is well known and most people are in agreement that organized religions such as the Catholic Church have for long been having a difficult time in co existing and in coping with the developments of science and its implications. Additionally, the advancements by way of women having gained political rights and the fast changing attitudes and lifestyles in this regard in most parts of the world have enabled women to get equality and independence that has not been encouraged and accepted by the Catholic Church. In this context, it is felt that instead of criticizing Dang for his ideas as being against Christianity, more focus should be on enabling religion to be accessible and practiced by everybody. If people are able to get over the crime and conspiracies as understood to have been portrayed in the novels of Dan Brown, there will be meaning seen within his books that provide options about the modern religion that he has vouched for. No doubt that the Catholic Church needs to transform and advance with the changing times and probably not take a rigid and traditional stance in the matters of women’s rights and science.
In Deception Point which was written by Brown in 2001, the plot is entirely different as compared to the other two novels being reviewed and researched in this paper. The aim of the author is to come out with a science fiction thriller and there is strong indication of his ambitions in molding together politics, science, government conspiracies and murder mysteries into a story. In this novel, Brown has been criticized for inflating the issues of arrogance, unilateralism and blatant imperialism and militarism and relating them with the so called American pride as narrated by him. In regard to Da Vinci Code also, the author has been criticized for adding a sense of false suspense throughout the book. They say he has not been able to convincingly handle the mystery created by him nor has he created convincing characters in meeting the outcomes of the plot. Hence his critics argue that the book is just a means of pop entertainment. His writings are easy to read and there is no trouble in understanding what he wants to convey, but the novel cannot be said to have created the right cultural impact. Although the novel’s core mystery can be said to be captivating there is doubt whether it has much literary significance since all mysteries are loved by people out on a mission for getting entertainment. Brown has been accused of discrediting Christianity through the quests of Langdon and Sophie although he provides alternatives by way of another post modern religion. The characters created by him are shown as worshipping the holy feminine, as one character says in the novel, “The quest for the Holy Grail, is literally the quest to kneel before the bones of Mary Magdalene. A journey to pray at the feet of the outcast one, the lost sacred feminine.” Brown has been strongly criticized for bringing the divinity of Jesus to discredit by implying more divinity to Mary Magdalene, supposed to be the wife of Jesus. All his characters speak of the importance of the holy and sacred feminine throughout, and Brown directly advocates that people should turn away from the myth of Christianity and turn instead towards the truth that is the sacred feminine.
Angels and Demons is considered to be a well written mystery novel with a wide spectrum of complicated clues for the reader to decipher and make his conclusions. Brown’s strategy is to engage the reader into thinking about not very well known facts relating to history and religion and then go on with the fiction story that he has created around them. It is said that the three plot points made by him in the novel are in the nature of misrepresenting the teachings of the Catholic Church. His set up in the novel engages the reader into thinking that religion and science are at odds with each other because the Catholic Church literally advocates the belief in Genesis. But that is not true since the Catholics do not believe in following the concept of Creationism. It does accept the theory of evolution and is in agreement that God created the world. Essentially, the schools that advocate the role of Adam and Eve in the creation process of the world, which they say is 5000 years old, are not affected or influenced by the Catholic Church in any way.
Deception Point is in the nature of a shocking scientific discovery as also a brilliant and staggering conspiracy. A NASA satellite comes across a rare and astonishing object that is deeply buried in the Arctic region within the layers of ice. The much struggling space agency makes claims of the long awaited victory that has far reaching consequences for the policies to be pursued by NASA in view of the fast approaching presidential elections. The novel is shrouded with elements of deep rooted conspiracy and shady plots and mistrust. To be sure of the claims of NASA as being authentic, the White House uses the services of the much touted Rachel Sexton who is an intelligence analyst. Sexton teams up with some experts including Michael Tolland, a charismatic scholar, and they travel to the Arctic region where they discover the unimaginable in the form of evidence of scientific deception. The deception has immense potential for putting the entire world into controversy and before the team can take any action in informing the President, they are ambushed by attackers. While fleeing for their lives in the barren and desolate Arctic region, the only possibility for their survival is to find out the people behind this mystery and conspiracy. The truth when learnt is the most deplorable deception that can ever be imagined.
Conclusion
Brown when interviewed on different occasions, while mentioning Christianity and the Church, has primarily referred to the Catholic Church. His works are observed to have a special affinity to the Catholic Church and the Vatican and has not delved into the issues relating to the importance for non Catholic Christians like Protestants and Eastern Orthodox. He claims to be more of a post modern Christian and does not consider himself to be either a Catholic or a former Catholic. Dan Brown is immensely popular and has made a big name for himself in the literary world, but there has been much criticism against him in regard to his claims that his novels are based on facts and that all details and descriptions pertaining to secret rituals, documents, architecture and artwork as mentioned in his works are true and correct. People are not convinced of such claims made by him.
References
Carl E Olson, Cracking the Anti Catholic Code, Envoy Magazine, 2008.
Dan Brown, Angels and Demons, 2006, Washington Square Press.
Dan Brown, Deception Point, 2006, Washington Square Press.
Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code, 2006, Anchor.
Greenwatch, Deception Point, 2005, Meloseeds.
Josh Hornbeck, Living in Tension, 2006. Web.
Justene Adamec, Critique of Angels and Demons, 2004, BC Blogcritics Magazine.
Sandra Miesel, Dan’s Dreadful Sources, 2006, The Catholic World Report.
Stacie Naczelnic, Religious Fiction-Dan Brown, 2008. Web.