Thinking activity on The Da Vinci Code

   

Thinking activity on The Da Vincy Code 

                                

                                     

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."  

Ans. I disagree to the point of Dan Brown because the novel has anti religion elements like Mary Magdalene. As we all know that Jesus was unmarried and Magdalene is just fictional character why writers like Brown explore his own thought. It is all about nonsense kind of thing. The code and painting is only a piece of art it has nothing like any religious code and symbols. If people are saying that Council of Nicea created whole the thing about Jesus then somewhat they are right because Jesus was only a messenger of God not God himself and Jesus neither married nor had any kind of relation and children. So, here Writer shows Sophie the character in the book as a Magdalene descendant is not true. So, according to me it is anti Christian novel and writers keep on writing about anti religions for limelight and popularity.

 “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?

Ans. I agree to the observation of Norris J. Lacy that many things in the novel is not accurate and fact like there is no any autheniticity and reliable proofs about the existence of priory of sion and also novel has not show real opes die. Furthermore, there is no such proof about marry Magdalene and so on. And absolutely the screen writer beautiful presented the core of novel to use appropriate materials about secrets and sybmols. And also choose very wonderful places and scenes. I can say that movie is worth watching than books because movie use very wonderful materials.

• (If)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?

Ans. 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.

• 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?

Ans. 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.

• 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?

Ans. 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.

• 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.

• Do novel / film lead us into critical (deconstructive) thinking about your religion? Can we think of such conspiracy theory about Hindu religious symbols / myths?

Ans. 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.

• 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?

Ans. 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.

• 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.

Workshop task on Cultural Studies By Kalyani Vallath

Workshop task on Cultural Studies By Kalyani Vallat


About Kalyani Vallath

                               
                                     

                Kalyani Vallath is an educational entrepreneur, editor and teacher of English literature from India. Vallath compiled A Contemporary Encyclopedia of British Literature and runs Total English Solutions in Thiruvananthapuram to help teach English to people living in rural parts of India.

What is your understanding about the concept of Cultural Studies?

Cultural studies is a field of theoretically, politically, and empirically engaged cultural analysis that concentrates upon the political dynamics of contemporary culture, its historical foundations, defining traits, conflicts, and contingencies.

                           

Here I write some of the concept of cultural studies but it is not enough because cultural studies called slade of bowl.

• Interdisciplinary study
• Relates to the large society
• Political dynamic of mass media and everyday cultural practice
•  Cultural transforms individual experience, social realities and power relations 

How many examples from the sessions were so catchy that you will never forget it? Write about it.

Encoding and decoding culture explain with example of advertisement of Trakam power it most popular in Kerala.
Materialism - it is artifact everything for example mineral water in the bottle.
This kind Ma'am explain with various kind of examples.

At the end of this session we kept a group photo with Ma'am

                                 

Thinking activity on The White Tiger

Thinking activity on The White Tiger

Task given by Sir,

1) How far do you agree with the India represented in the novel The White Tiger?

Ans.  Somewhat I agree with the representation of India in the novel because somehow Adiga presented reality of India like corruption, poverty, cheats and illiteracy. Although, when novel was written that time India also has bright side and development but here Adiga shows us the dark side of India. These kind of thing somehow we can see in all the countries of the world. So, Adiga presented the reality of India and we see this kind of India in the present day also.

2) Do you believe  that Balram's story is the archetype of all stories of ''Rags to riches?

Ans. We an see that the stories which portrays poor as central character at the end of the  story the poor becomes rich. We can see many people who are same as Balaram. Same like who belongs to poor and wide family, who did not complete their studies, who goes to work from early childhood, and who has bearing insults from those who are rich. These types of stories shows the struggle of poor to achieve their dream and for that becoming rich. The ways of reaching to the destination of wealth might differs of each stories but the suffering always remain same. So, this way we can say that Balram's story is archetype of all stories of 'Raga to Riches'.

3. " Language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique, reconstructive criticism aims to show that any text inevitably undermines its own claims to have a determinate meaning, and licences the reader to produce his own meaning out of it by an activity of semantic 'free play' (Derrida, 1978, in Lodge, 1988,p. 108) Is it possible to do deconstruction reading of The White Tiger? How?

Yes, it is possible to deconstruct "The white Tiger". We can deconstruct it with the help of Derrida's concept of free play of meanings. To break the language we need to find the loose stone of it. The loose stone of "The White Tiger" is that Balram himself says that he is "Half-backed. This word breaks all the philosophy and all the ideals which Balram is presenting by giving his own example. Because he is not fully educated. He understand things with his limited power of analysis. He appropriate the deep philosophies with his shallow ideas and thinking. For example, he compares his idea of killing his master and get freedom with the enlightenment of Buddha. This proves his shallow knowledge about Buddha and his idea of enlightenment. So, this way we can deconstruct "The White Tiger"

Similarities between "The White Tiger" and "Slumdog Millionaire": 

1. Narrative structure : wanted poster / KBC show

The white tiger is an epistolary novel , dark comedy and satire. Balram Halwai is protagonist in the novel. Flashback technique used here. Balram writes letters to Wen Jiabao , the premier of China.

In film ' Slumdog millionaire ' protagonist Jmal mlik , whose story represented by flashback technique. In the film setting is KBC show as medium of  narration. Balram Halwai and Jmal mlik both achieve their goals by their own style. By being honest , corrupt , moral or immoral or by desire. Both were also presented as  " Chai wala ". Jmal mlik became famous by show and Balram by Wanted poster. Both have money idea in mind and they make it also. In both poverty , corruption , family , struggle all are presented.  Thus narration of novel and film are much similar.

2. Indianness

In both narration there is a satire on India , that no basic necessities even fulfilled like , water , electricity , public transportation , discipline or punctuality. Cricket , voting patterns , intuition all reflects Indianness.

Family structure : In both film and novel narration of family life. Balram ' s father and grandmother , cousins all binds him. He have to sacrifice his study for family support. But he breaks the tradition and get freedom by  loss of family. Jmal ' s brother slim also departed from him have choose bad  way to survive.

Railway station : train and station narration in both reflects indianness. Balram ' s wanted poster and run away after crime all at the station. Jmal 's quest , love and ending all at the station . Thus station reflects indianness.

Two brothers : two brothers lost and found is archytype also reflects Indianness in both narration. Slim ' s departure and meeting shows that thing.

Police system : In The White Tiger Balram bribes police and start New business . In Slumdog millionaire also police is corrupted. Thus it reflects Indianness.

Education : Balram and Jmal both were uneducated but still have intelligence and talent to understand the world. They have enough knowledge how  to survive in world.

 3. List  of the questions asked in the ' Slumdog millionaire'.

 1. Who was the star in the 1973 hit film "Zanzeer"

ans. Amitabh Bacchan

  2. A picture of three lions is seen in the national emblem of India. What is written underneath it?

Ans.  The Truth alone triumphs

    

3. In depiction of God Rama, he is famously holding what in his right hand?

 Ans. A bow and arrow

    

4. The song " Darshan Do Ghanshyam" was written by which famous Indian poet?

  Ans. Surdas

    

5. On the American One Hundred Dollar Bill, there is portrait of which American Statesman?

 Ans. Benjamin Franklin

    

6. Who invented the revolver?

Ans.  Samuel Colt

    

7. Cambridge Circus is in which UK City?

 Ans . London

8. Which cricketer has scored the most first class centuries in history?

 Ans.  Jack Hobbs

9. In Alexander Dumas' book, "The Three Musketeers", two of the musketeers are called Athos and Porthos. What was the name of the third Musketeer?

  Ans .Aramis

   

4. Deconstruction of film from post colonial perspective.

In narration of  the novel we find they treated Indian as very inferior people comparing to them. By showing slim as bad boy , and as chitter with them , then  good reaction of  Americans towards them. That shows their mentality towards India. They visited Indian place it also part of it. By portraying Indian as poor and corrupted they make themselves superior.

5. Compare with Texture and treatment of subject content in film and novel.

Texture in both narration is about India as corrupt and poor country. Villages , landlords , education all represents the darkness of  India. Slum area and poverty is also reflects it. Rich heritage and spirituality , family / orphans all are texture of both . Both have own ways to achieve goals by good or bad things . So treatment is light , humorous and sometimes comic and dark.

Thinking Activity : Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Thinking Activity : Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Task given by Sir,

                                            



            Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian writer whose works range from novels to short stories to nonfiction. She is novelist, short story writer, non- fiction writer.

Notable works :-

1. Purple Hibiscus (2003)
2. Half Of a Yellow Sun (2006)
3. Americanah (2013)
4. We Should All Be Feminists (2014)

She also won MacArthur Fellowship award in 2008.

1. Talk on importance of story / Literature :-
=> In this video she talks identity. She talks about that how identity is connected with our culture, colour of skin. Through this identity markers everybody judges our character. She also refers Chinua Achebe and Camara Laye. Skin colour alos has a part of literature. Through the literature peoples knew the another story. In single story everybody focus on one purseption. And through the writing the another door of vision is opens, and gives a new way.

2. We Should All be Feminist :-
=> She tells that without husband, woman is happy woman. At her time class monitor is big deal. And higher marks is important for the position of monitor. And then she get high marks. But she is girl. That's why she does not get the position of monitor. And one boy who get second, higher marks who became a monitor. And because he is boy. So that's type of difference she faces in childhood. And she also tells that man get more opportunities in comparison of women. Both are equally powerful in work, and skills but man get more benefits in comparison of woman character. Because physical strength is becomes one reason. Those who have strength, who become leader. Leadership connected with strength. But there is change in today's time. Today who became leader who have creative, innovative and intelligent. So time changes everything. That change happens slowly, but it's effect in larger era.

3. Talk on importance of Youth in post - truth Era :-
=> In today's time truth is layered with many false things. Because false is becomes the one part of everyone's life. Everyone speaks, false because of some situations. Some situations, shows it like real. But it's not there. Because in this reality is less, and falsehood is more. Matter of intent and matter of context is necessary.

Thinking Activity :- Thiongo and Tharoor on postcolonial Studies

 Thiongo and Tharoor on postcolonial Studies

                             

About Shashi Tharoor:-

Shashi Tharoor is  Indian politician, writer and a formet career international diplomat. He is  currently serving as member of Parliament, Loksabha from Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala 2009. He also servies as Chaian of the Parliamentry standing committee on external affairs and all India professional Congress.

•  An Era of Drakness :-

                                       


             Tharoor further adds that .... people like Lawrence Jemse  and more -  the bunch about the British writers who actually acquired a fair amount of visibility & even has a best sellers in which they had conducted self justifying, excersises, glorifying empire or of the very least portray through Rose Tincture recipe.

   And in this book he wanted to be able to take their claims which had dangerously gone without reputation for some years and conform that had on which is Shashi Tharoor try to do in this book.

● Then another point he talks upon that ....he himself not agtag or imppsimpos to prove that ..." British had never come to India, then India would be the affluent country.

● He further added that ...he demonstrated in this book that 3 Industries of India which doing very well.

These are:-

1. Textiles
2. Steal
3. Shipbuilding.

And these 3 are systematically and deliberately targeted and destroyed by the British. Its very natural to happen this because ...

For Example:- { Shipbuilding }

So, our (India) ships used to last minimum 20 to 24 years & British - European ships have average maximum 7 years. So , obviously they were delighted to use Indian ships for craftsmanship & wood.

● Then he talks about British who highly regressive loss that continue even today. Low that seduce and deals with Homosexuality also.

● Then he talks about that India got 377, now the irony is the party of Hindutva is betraying is all the instead of Hindu tradition for tolerance of sexualities.

● He made a very important point about the British who being guilty of creating this massive divisions between Hindus and Muslims which continue till even today. British systematically wanted to creating division and played a very deliberate game.

● He write about Nationalism  and difference between nationalism and patriotism then and now also.
   Tharoor says that in Nationalism in that day is an inclusive Nationalism. It embrassesed in everybody's country in any background, religion, language, cast...
   Today's Nationalism is narrow minded one.

Ngugi Wa Thiongo:- who was an African Writer & Professor of English Literature and language in Africa.

" Decolonizing the Mind" the book by Kenyan novelist and Postcolonial theorist Ngugi Wa Thiongo. It is the collection of essay about language & its constructive role in national culture, history and identity.

In this book he talks about..." What language played the role in African Literature?"

So in the Postcolonialism , Resistance is very importan, Resistance is the main buzz word in post colonial. So he said that the another form of to resist language is to
  own it or discard the language totally.

So ,in a way  African Literature resist a lot in this idea.

Literature and Religion:- Northrop Frye's Archetypes and Hinduism as religion is an European Construct

Literature and Religion:- Northrop Frye's Archetypes and Hinduism as religion is an European Construct

This task given by Sir.( sunday reading)

                                            

              Herman Northrop Frye CC FRSC was a Canadian literary critic and and literary theorist, considered one of the most influential of the 20th century. Frye gained international fame with his first book, Fearful Symmetry, which led to the reinterpretation of the poetry of William Blake. 

(1) What is Archetypal Criticism? What does the archetypal critic do?

=>    

In literary criticism the term archetype denotes recurrent designs,pattern of action,character-type,themes and images which are identifiable in a wide variety of works of literature,as well as in myths,dreams and even social rituals.

Archetypal critic reads that sines, and try to get meaning and they interpret the meaning.

(2)What is Frye trying prove by giving an analogy of ' Physics to Nature' and 'Criticism to Literature'?
=>

 Frye compares human emotions with nature. Nature is also important aspect. Nature have different season, like human beings has a different emotion and feelings. Nature constructs people. Nature also affects human beings. So frye compares human being' s emotions with different season.

Spring

The Spring season represents the Comedy.

Summer

The season of Summer represents Romance.

Autumn

The Autumn season represents Tragedy.

Winter

 The season of Winter represents Satire.

(3) Share your views of Criticism as an organised body of knowledge. Mention relation of literature with history and philosophy.

=> History is very important to know the present situation, because through the historical lenses we observe the situation and we compares with past. And we get some glimpses, so it becomes helpful and we also compare with present time. And philosophy is also another important aspects. Philosophy also becomes helpful to understands the past. People have different motives, and different perspectives, some are unique and some are similar, so philosophy helps to understands moral values of people. So for literature history and philosophy both are important.

(4) Briefly explain inductive method with illustration of Shakespeare's Hamlet's Grave Digger's scene.

=> Inductive method is about Specific to general. Through the specific understanding we get conclusion of understanding. Example is grave digging scene in Hamlet, Ophelia is dead and both grave diggers digging the grave. This scene is particular, specific scene in the Hamlet. Both digging the grave for them it is routine work, that's why for them there is no pain, no sadness. Because routine works brings a changes in their character. They know the ultimate truth, they talking about life. So this scene is specific but their understanding connects in larger structure  is general structure.

(5) Briefly explain deductive method with reference to an analogy to Music, Painting, rhythm and pattern. Give examples of the outcome of deductive method.
=> Deductive method is about general to specific. People have different area of interest that's why choices are different and people have different mind set that's why it depends on human beings. Time by time everything is changing and past becomes trend and present becomes past at a time. People express their emotions, feelings through art. And music and painting both are part of art. Music follows rhythm. Rhythm and sound is a part of music. painting is art of picture. Through the different colors, it creates a picture of life. Sometimes some music and rhythm have deep meaning, so it creates a image. And sometimes some music does not creates image because it is shallow level. Some painting gives deep meaning, but some painting does not gives any meaning. In past time history remains through the different painting. It gives a some knowledge about past. So painting, music are tool to keep past and present situation. Music have also different genre and painting also have different genre, so both are connected with art. So art is general. And music and painting becomes particular part.

(6) Refer to the Indian seasonal grid (below). If you can, please read small Gujarati or Hindi or English poem from the archetypal approach and apply Indian seasonal grid in the interpretation.