THE ANALYSIS PLOT OF THE DA VINCI CODE BY DAN BROWN

Mutaat,S.Pd,M.Pd

STBA Technocrat Tangerang

 

Abstract

This study aims to comprehend the plot in Dan Brown The Da Vinci Code. In order to find out the answer, the writer tried formulate the problem into three questions. They are (1) What kind of plot is used in The Da Vinci Code? (2) What is the effect of the plot toward the reader? (3) What kind of conflict use sociological approach in the novel The Da Vinci Code? In analyzing the plot, the writer applied the sociological approach. This approach studied the intrinsic of literary work and its effect. The writer also did a library research in finishing her research. The writer also takes some theories of plot to support the analysis.The study reveals that Dan Brown used unique and complicated of plot. Brown used in medias res or regressive. Before the story has not reached a full structure of plot, Brown develops structure of plot with a conflict. Brown put the important conflict at beginning of the story, then continue with the extraordinary structure of plot. In the structure of plot, he still put with four conflict to solve a riddle. Surely, the riddle of symbols and codes have not known by readers, even the writer. That’s why this plot is interesting. With theory of plot by Bustami Subhan, the writer concluded that this plot is complex plot. Because, the writer found there are peripety and discovery that is characterized of complex plot.

1. INTRODUCTION

Novel is one of literary works that is in the form of a story. Novel is a long prose narrative that describes fictional characters and events, and usually found in the form of sequential story. In this research, the writer plans to analyze plot, which is part of the novel and is very important to support the unity of the story. The writer is interested in analyze plot because by knowing plot a reader will usually know the process of the character told in the story thoroughly. In short, by learning how to know a plot the reader can also know deeply the process of the character either, protagonist and antagonist from the beginning until the end of the story.

There are some kinds of novels that novel belongs to, they are: fiction, biography, etc. Fiction is the novel that contains the fiction story, abstract and unreal. Usually describes about magic, might, etc. One kind of novels could be about life experience of author or another people that seen by the author. The writer would be one of the author famous novel based on the fiction story. The author of a title The Da Vinci Code novel is Dan Brown.

That is why the researcher believes that analysis on plot is very important to help readers or anyone concerned to understand and appreciate the whole story presented in the novel. This is also why the researcher plans to analyze plot because it can greatly help anyone who is related to novel/reading activity to improve their appreciation of the literary work available.

2. THEORETICAL REVIEW

According to Howthorn (2001), novel is a long story to made by author in past or in this times and his also made story from him life experience. He further states,

“Novel is a fictitious prose narrative or tale of considerable length in which characters and actions representative of real life of past or present times are portrayed in a plot of more less complexity.”(2001:4)

In a novel, plot is more the important part in the story, without plot story is untidy. Plot will be more interesting with character and conflict in the story. According to Abraham (1999), the plot (which Aristotle termed the myths) in a dramatic or narrative work is constituted by its events and action, as these are rendered and ordered toward achieving particular artistic and emotional effect. That mean, the event and action, they are part of plot. These parts have to get the point of art and the awesome. The best story is the good idea or create the event and action more interesting.

In the story, there are some several of plot. Generally, plot divided become two type, they are flashback plot and progressive plot. According to Subhan (2003:24), plot divided become two type which are the progressive plot (alur maju) and the regressive plot (alur mundur). The progressive plot usually employs foreshadowing whereas the regressive plot employs flashback (kilas balik).

Aristotle in Santosa (2007:14) discerned the plot in two kinds. The first is the simple plot which is usually used in short story, so that it is easy to understand. The simple plot is the easier to find rule of story, of happen at begin until the end. The story could be known before the story the end. So this plot is flat story, because nothing a make it colourful to read. But some of readers loved with this plot. The second is the complex plot which is usually employed in a novel or drama. By using complex plot, the novelist or playwright is able to arrange the events in a certain way to give surprise to the readers. On the contrary, in this complex plot, the story will not show what the readers hope.

Structure of plot divided into five part, they are introduction, raising action, Climax, Falling action and Denouement (Tennyson,1967):

a. Introduction

Introduction is intro main character and setting, media res, shorter form. The introduction is beginning section in which the author provides the necessary background information, set the scene, establishes the situation, and dates the action.

b. Conflict or raising action

That is one (or more) character in crisis. The conflict is sometime referred to as the rising action. The conflict is then developed gradually and intense (breaks the existing equilibrium and introduces the character and underlying or inciting conflict)

c. Crisis: Climax

Crisis or Climax is point of highest emotion, turning point. The crisis (also referred to as the climax) is that moment at which the plot reaches its point of greatest emotional intensity.

d. Falling action:

Resolution of character. The falling action is the part of turning point of or has been reaches, the tension subsides and the plot moves toward its appointed conclusion.

e. Denouement

Denouement is untying of plot treads. Is the record the outcome of the conflict and establish some equilibrium or stability. The denouement is also referred to as the conclusion or the resolution.

According to Dwijayanti (2013), the point of climax is the turning point of the story. In addition, the point of conflict is one of the turning point of the story also. The conflict is disagreement between one to another one in the story. The conflict have divided external conflict and internal conflict.

a. External Conflict

External conflict is a personal and individual struggle between the central character and another character and some nonhuman force such as fate, society or nature. This conflict is show in the environment of character.

b. Internal Conflict

Internal Conflict is a psychological conflict within the central character. The primary struggle is between different aspects of single personality. The conflict is related with the personality of character.

3. METHOD

In this study, the writer would like to analyze “The Da Vinci Code” novel written by Dan Brown. Published in April 2003 by Doubleday books with consist of 489 pages. In writing this study, the writer applied sociological approach to analyze the novel. The sociological of literature is study about literature or literary work would be connection with the society and it cannot be separated.

The research methodology in this analysis, the writer used content analysis. According o Fraenkel and Wallen (1990:483), content analysis is technique that enables researchers to study human behavior in an indirect way, through an analysis of  their communications.”(1990:483)

In analyzing the study, there are two research. They are the quantitative and qualitative research. But in this study, the writer applied qualitative research or library research.

4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

Kinds of plot

In analyzing kinds of plot based on structure in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, the writer tries to finding data from this novel. The finding data, the writer was found with random of 105 chapter and that prologue and epilogue.

Table 4.1

Plot in the novel The Da Vinci Code

No.	Statement of Plot	Chapter and pages	Kinds and structure of Plot
1.	The curator of museum as Grand Master and three Senechaux was died.	Prolog:4	Conflict Regressive
2.	Robert Langdon is a Religious Symbology of University of Harvard was called by The Judicial Police of Paris.	1:7	Exposition Progressive
3.	A albino is walking to his house. The albino named Silas.	2:12	Exposition Progressive
4.	Who A Teacher was interrupts silas to find keystone.	2:13	Exposition Progressive
5.	The famous religion of organization of Opus Dei.	5:30	Exposition Progressive
6.	The Cryptography was studied in England is Sophie Neveu.	9:55	Exposition Progressive
7.	Sophie have message to Langdon by phone.	9:58	Conflict Progressive
8.	When Sophie have idea to Langdon to run, but it is only her trick.	17:89	Conflict Progressive
9.	They are try to find clues and solve of the symbol and code of Sauniere.	20:105	Conflict progressive
10.	After their was solve the symbol and code, they are get cryptex—keystone of that clues.	47:215	Conflict progressive
11.	Sophie and Langdon was shock while the Teabing bring to bear Medusa revolver.	99:437	Climax Progressive
12.	Many people to take the cryptex from Sophie. One of them are Sir. Leigh Teabing. He was told everything about what his done.	98:436	Climax Progressive
13.	Police of DCPJ was found exhibit in Leigh’s house, he is the suspect.	90:400	Falling action Progressive
14.	Sophie meet with her grandmother and brother in Rosslyn Chapel.	104:475	Denouement Progressive

Kinds of conflict use sociological approach

For this table, the writer try to find data of kinds conflict of three main character use the sociological approach in The Da Vinci Code novel.

Table 4.2
Conflict in the novel The Da Vinci Code

No.	Statement of Conflict	Chapter and pages	Kinds of conflict using Sociological Approach
1.	The Sauniere have position in Paris as curator. He also have position in the secret society as Grand Master.	3:15	Person Vs Society Social
2.	Sophie was angry with her grandfather while she was seen him with the societies in home.	16:81	Person Vs Person Social
3.	Symbol of the secret societies.	23:123	Person Vs Society History
4.	The place of Opus Dei is a luxury place.	5:30	Person Vs Society Social
5.	The Opus Dei of organization was used brainwashing cult.	5:31	Conflict of Society Religion
6.	When Sophie was child, she have studied about symbol and code.	16:83-84	Person Vs Person Religion
7.	The key named Fluer-de-lis—the flower of Lisa—the Mona Lisa. The secret societies is the Priory of Sion.	23:123	Person Vs Society History
8.	The Priory of Sion, is a secret society, who saved the important thing.	(479:105)	Person Vs Society History

In this analysis the researcher found some plot and conflict of 105 chapter and that include prologue and epilogue. The writer used some theory for analysis the plot and the conflict.

1. The plot based on the structure

Base on the data above at the table, the writer will analyze more deeply about kind of plot in The Da Vinci Code.

a. Exposition

A Professor Religious Symbology of University Harvard, he is Robert Langdon. In HOTEL RITZ PARIS, he has slept after presentation in THE AMERICA UNIVERSITY OF PARIS.

He wake up from sleep because the telephone was ringing. The telephone is from receptionist to tell he have call of Letnan Jerome Collet. Jerome Collet is The Judicial Police of Paris. The people in here most said it DCPJ or Direction Central Police Judiciaries’. He come implore help to solve the murder of Jacques Sauniere in the Museum. The chairman of DCPJ is Bezu Fache.

An albino is walking to his house. The albino named Silas. For this night, Silas already finish his job from a man, the man said his self as a Teacher. The job’s Silas is to find clef de voute—keystone existence and killed three senechaux and Grand Master.

Exactly, Silas is the murderer of Jacques Sauniere and Friends. But the story has not finished yet at this part. There is another person of the event, it is a Teacher. Who is the teacher?

There one more the character of protagonist is most important to show up in the novel. The protagonist is a woman, she named Sophie Neveu. She as granddaughter of Jacques Sauniere. Hence, Sophie is a person selected by grandfather to continue the secret. She is also a cryptography, it was study in England at the Royal Holloway.

When Collet was asked to Langdon for come to Louvre Museum, Langdon tried to solve who the murder of Sauniere death. But it only tricked Fache to trap a suspect in his case. It is his style in solve the case. After Langdon and Face met, Fache give some question with what the mean of symbols and codes. There are some question could answer and could not answer. Subsequently, Sophie come to tell that her was solved the code. Then Sophie told to Langdon, he have telephone from American of Embassy. But he is confused, because a voice in his call is the voice herself.

b. Conflict

Sophie want to try haze Langdon of Fache, for they are can find what want her grandfather to tell in his secret.

“Langdon had jump.”(17:89) Fache make it sure, Langdon is suspect. Because Langdon try to haze. “Not that it mattered.” “Langdon ran. Guilty as changed.”(18:91)

Langdon ran, it all just a trick of Sophie in order to solve the symbol and code free. After all police is busy to find Langdon, Sophie and Langdon begin to analysis the code of anagram.

“O, Draconian devil!” “Oh, lame saint!”

“Was a perfect anagram of . . .”

“Leonardo da vinci!

“The Mona Lisa.”(20:105)

Langdon could solve the anagram very fast. Then, they find a Mona Lisa portrayal, in here their found anagram again. SO DARK THE CON OF MAN to be “Madonna of The Rock”. In behind of the Madonna of The Rock portrayal she is found a thing, it is like a key. On the key there is symbol Fleur-de-lis with initial P.S.

In Depository Bank of Zurich, they was found something in the iron box with the high security. That is a box of wood with logo rose in top—Rosewood. There are something inside of rosewood, it is a cryptex’s made in by Da Vinci.

“Yes. It’s called a Cryptex. According to my grandfather, the blueprints come from one of Da Vinci’s secret diaries.”(47:215)

c. Climax

“Crossing the threshold, both Langdon and Sophie found themselves having to squint. After the gloomy cloisters, the Chapter House felt like a solarium. They were a good ten feet into the room, searching the south wall, when the realized the door they had been promised was not there.”(98:436)

In that place, they meet with Teabing, but he come not as a friend. He comes as the mastermind of crime. It makes their shock after his said it all.

“He Could see the expressions of shock and betrayal on Sophie’s and Langdon’s faces, and yet he was confident that soon they would both understand the chain of events that had guided the three of them to this unlikely crossroads.”(99:437)

Sophie and Langdon are cannot believe if Sir Leigh Teabing was the murder of this incident. He met with them because his have the cryptex of the trick to his hostage, but he cannot open it. He have idea to make the cryptex can be open, Leigh try to trap and hostage Sophie when her in the Chapter House, Westminster Abbey, London with Langdon.

In the Chapter House also, Leigh tell about the purpose of this all incident. Begin the Silas done kill your grandfather and the senechaux, Langdon and Sophie come in my house and Remy had revealed himself to taken the cryptex of Langdon. But Langdon did not want, the other way he want to shatter the cryptex. The threat of Langdon is make danger Leigh, his was abduct by Remy.

d. Falling Action

Robert Langdon had opened the cryptex as concealed. He do not tell to Leigh if his was opened it but him would to throw and shatter the keystone—cryptex. After that incident, police of DCPJ of Paris come to caught Leigh. Because he is the suspect of all killed at that event, all evidence of crime in hayloft of his house at Chateau Villette in Paris.

“High in the hayloft at Chateau Villette, Collet stared at the computer monitor in amazement. “This system is eavesdropping on all these location?”(90:400)

All this time, fache was fault to make Langdon become suspect of the murder of Jacques Sauniere. Both Bishop Aringarosa and Silas was fooled with follow the command of a Teacher—Sir Leigh Teabing.

e. Denouement

The murder has known yet, Langdon and Sophie have free to find the last code. The last place of this code is Rosslyn Chapel. In that place, Sophie meet with her younger brother and her grandmother. She feel shock to know if her family still alive. Because, when she was child her family was died in accident, grandfather has saved her.

Grandmother told to her that is true, but there are manipulate event to save us from the danger.

“The woman threw her arms around Sophie, the tears flowing faster. “Your grandfather wanted so badly to tell you everything. But things were difficult between you two. He tried so hard. There’s so much to explain. So very much to explain.” She kissed Sophie’s forehead once again, then whispered in her ear. “No more secrets, princess. It’s time you learn the truth about our family.”(104:475)

According the writer was discovery who the murder of Jacques sauniere, why Sauniere made all of symbol and code and where the Holy Grail is be? Sir Leigh Teabing is the murderer of Jacques Sauniere death. Because Sauniere would like to meet Sophie with her family which they was reported died. In epilogue Robert Langdon was found the Holy Grail. There is the Louvre’s courtyard, back toward La Pyramide Inversee.

“When he reached the bottom, he entered the long tunnel that stretched beneath the Louvre’s courtyard, back toward La Pyramide Inversee.”(Epilogue: 488)

2. Kinds of conflict use sociological approach

a. Social

“Despite Sauniere’s reputation for being reclusive, his recognition for dedication to the arts made him an easy man to revere.”(3:15)

Above that statement is social, because Jacques Sauniere is the famous in this novel. He have position in his live as a Grand Master and a curator of Louvre Museum, Paris. That’s position in the story more important. He have big secrets and resulting him was died.

“Their relationship had evaporated in a single instant one March night when she was twenty-two. Ten years ago. Sophie had come home a few days early from graduated university in England and mistakenly witnessed her grandfather engaged in something Sophie was obviously not supposed to see. It was an image she barely could believe to this day.”(16:81)

In this statement is conflict social of sociological approach. Although Sophie was live with grandfather, but in that time the relationship to grandfather have problem.

b. Religion

In this analysis, the novel have conflict with the religion. The name of religion in this novel is Opus dei.

“May call Opus Dei a brainwashing cult.”(5:31)

That statement is history of religion. Above the statement, tell about history of religion organization—Opus Dei. The organization have many controversy by media and public of the recruitment of a member. Both the media and the public cell this organization are brainwashing cult. The Opus Dei have traditionalist philosophy in a spiritual book “The Way”. In the book have content about precept to 999 point of meditation for doing God’s Work in one’s own life. The president-general of Opus Dei is Bishop Aringarosa.

c. Culture

Culture is habit of the human or group in the society. It usually related with the activity in the environment.

“That message wasn’t for the police. He wrote it for me. I think he was forced to do everything in such a hurry that he just didn’t realize how it would look to the police.” She is paused. “The numbered code is meaningless. Sauniere wrote it to make sure the investigation included cryptographers, ensuring that I would know as soon as possible what had happened to him.”(13:75-76)

Above that context of sociology is a culture. Why the writer said it, because the conflict in this novel begin many secrets, codes and symbols to appear for the granddaughter—Sophie Neveu and there is a help to guidance her. The symbols and codes existence not only appears but there are reason of those all.

d. History

“The fluer-de-lis,” Langdon said, “combine with initial P.S., that is the brotherhood’s official device. Their coat of arms. Their logo.”(23:121)

Above the statement is historical symbol of a secret society. The secret societies was hidden by Jacques Sauniere.

“The fluer-de-lis . . . the flower of Lisa . . . the Mona Lisa.

“It was all intertwined, a silent symphony echoing the- deepest secrets of the Priory of Sion and Leonardo da-Vinci.”(23:123)

The history of secret a smile of Mona Lisa is not a mystery. In this novel Robert Langdon as symbolog have presented in his seminar.

e. The Effect of Plot toward the Reader

Brown uses in media rest or regressive of plot in The Da Vinci Code to found out the total effect of the story. He have develops conflict into five part of plot. He was success for develops the conflict until the reader following the story from begin to the end. The conflict is very interest in this novel.

4. CONCLUSION 

Plot is important element in a novel. Analysing plot is important to understand the novel well. The writer analysing the kinds plot in The Da Vinci Code. In The Da Vinci Code, Brown employs in media rest plot.

In this analysis, the writer was found structure of plot in the novel The Da Vinci Code. The structure of plot of this novel is begin of conflict and follow exposition, conflict, climax and denouement. The first of conflict is there in begin of the story. There is conflict in earlier, that’s make interesting to reader for read. The conflict are not only one, but there are four again.

The writer was analyze the conflict of novel The Da Vinci Code using sociological approach. She was found four kinds of six sociological approach by Bustami Subhan which are social, historical, cultural, and religious aspects.

REFERENCES

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Brown, Dan, 2003. The Da Vinci Code. USA. Doubleday, A Division of Random House, Inc.

Forster, E.M, 2002. Aspect of the Novel. New York. RosettaBooks.

Fraenkel, Jack.R & Wallen, Norman.E, 2012. How To Design And Evaluation Researcher In Education. SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY. Helen Hyun.

Hawthorn, Jeremy, 2001. Studying The Novel. London: Bloomsbury Academic.

Subhan, Bustami, 2003. A Guide to Literary Criticism. Yogyakarta. Debut Press.

Sugiyono, Prof. Dr, 2012. Metode Penelitian Kuanitatif, Kualitatif dan R&D. Bandung. ALFABETA, CV.