Dan Brown’s "Angels and Demons": the Fact within a Fiction

Abstract

Dan Brown - in Angels and Demons, wrote about the existence of Illuminati, when everyone believes that they are already extinct hundreds years ago. Illuminati show up within the Catholic Church’s wall. The Catholic Church declares a war against Illuminati, its old enemy. Brown mentioned it as war between science and religion. Illuminati threaten the church with a bomb made of a new particle called Antimatter that can be used as the electricity power to the whole Vatican City for a month, but also can blow it just in one night.

In writing this book, Dan Brown was inspired by his own life. The science and religion took a big part in his life. The making of Robert Langdon’s character was also inspired by his father’s friend, John Langdon. Brown also made his own perception about the illuminati, such as Galileo and Bernini were members of Illuminati, which they’re actually not. He also mentioned the “La Purga”, which actually has never happened in the real life, but in Angles and Demons Brown made it as the reason why Illuminati attack Catholic Church.

There are so many facts behind this fiction book that still can be explained rationally, such as the war between science and religion. In fact, science and religion strengthen each other. Albert Einstein stated that Science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind.

Introduction

In this paper, writer is going to use “Reader-Response Criticism” in criticizing Dan Brown’s Movie, Angels and Demons. According to Wikipedia, Reader-response criticism is a school of literary theory that focuses on the reader (or "audience") and their experience of aliterary work, in contrast to other schools and theories that focus attention primarily on the author or the content and form of the work.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reader-response_criticism)

In this literary criticism, the writer will discuss about Angels and Demons, movie that’s directed by Ron Howard. This movie is based upon a novel with the same title written by Dan Brown, who also wrote a bestselling book, “The Da Vinci Code”. The Da Vinci Code was very controversial. Dan Brown wrote the fact about Jesus vividly and explained about unrevealed history that was really mind-blowing. In his other book Angels and Demons, Brown also tells a mind-blowing story about the existence of illuminati. The following is the summary of Angels and Demons Movie. (Lutzer Erwin W.; 39, 2004)

Angels & Demons brings an ancient secret organization, the Illuminati, and the Vatican together in a present-day battle for control. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon must join forces with scientist Vittoria Vetra in a frantic race to save the Vatican from a powerful bomb which threatens to destroy it and the cardinals who have gathered within the Sistine Chapel to elect the next Pope. Their journey takes them across Rome and into cathedrals, secret archives and the Illuminati lair. Along the way, they uncover many secrets, including who is responsible for the threat to the Vatican. In the end, they save the Vatican and the cardinals from harm.

Langdon is summoned to Switzerland when it is discovered that an Illuminati brand was used to mark a dead man's chest. He meets Vittoria, the dead man's daughter, and Maximillian Kohler, the director of CERN, the Conseil Europyen pour la Recherche Nuclyaire, or European Council for Nuclear Research. Vittoria and her father have created a sample of antimatter, a highly unstable material, which has been stolen. They receive a call from the Vatican, stating that they have an unknown canister with CERN's logo on it. Langdon and Vittoria race to Rome, only to find that the canister endangers not only the physical structures there but also the College of Cardinals, who have gathered to elect a new Pope. Four cardinals are also missing.

The camerlengo, who is in charge of the Vatican until a new Pope is elected, receives a call from someone who claims that the Illuminati are behind all of the actions that night. He says that he will kill one of the missing cardinals each hour. Langdon and Vittoria think that if they can capture the killer, they can find the location of the antimatter. They find an ancient booklet which points to four sites called the Altars of Science. These sites form a pathway to the Church of Illumination, the Illuminati lair.

At each site, Langdon and Vittoria find one of the dead cardinals, branded with another Illuminati brand. The cardinals are killed in ways that correspond to the four brands: earth, air, fire and water. Vittoria is captured by the killer at the third site. Langdon continues to follow the clues, fighting with the killer at the third and fourth sites. He finally locates the Church of Illumination, and he and Vittoria kill the assassin, or killer.

Kohler arrives at the Vatican, saying that he has information. Langdon believes that he is behind the plot. Kohler is killed in the camerlengo's office, but he gives Langdon a tape before dying. The camerlengo has been branded. He seems to have a vision from God and rushes from St. Peter's Square into the basilica, returning with the canister of antimatter. He and Langdon climb in a helicopter. As time runs out on the antimatter canister, the camerlengo jumps from the helicopter. Langdon also jumps, use a parachute. The antimatter explodes high above Rome.

The camerlengo glides down to land on top of St. Peter's Basilica. People worldwide believe that a miracle has occurred. Langdon lands in the Tiber River and is taken to a hospital. There, he discovers the tape from Kohler. He takes the tape to the Sistine Chapel, where the College of Cardinals is set to elect the camerlengo Pope. The tape contains a recording of the camerlengo admitting that he planned everything in order to bring people back to the church. The camerlengo lights himself on fire. The Vatican asks Langdon and Vittoria to keep quiet about what really happened that night if they feel that this is right in their heart.

Content

There are so many aspects that can be discussed to expand every scene of this movie. But the writer is going to discuss about some matters that the writer thinks it needs to be dig. For example, when we watch this movie, we will find that it is about the war between science and religion. The reason why Illuminati attack Catholic Church was they want to revenge. Looking back at the history about La Purga, which will be explained more later. Moreover if we watch the movie closely, we will be told that Galileo was a founding member of the Illuminati, and Bernini was a high-ranking member of the Illuminati. Was that true?

Before we go onto the fact behind the fiction story of this movie, the writer will tell about the ending of this story that was quite mind-blowing. After they all know the truth that Camerlengo is behind all of this, they realize that there is no Illuminati. He uses this secret society to frighten everyone that Illuminati is back. Why did he do that? It’s because he was scared after his friend, who is a scientist and also a priest make “antimatter”, anew particle that’s called God Particle by some scientists. He thinks that antimatter is a form of arrogance and treason of the religion. His fear getting bigger once the Pope stated that he is agree about this invention. That is why Camerlengo kills the Pope, because he is afraid that Vatican and religion will fall just because of science. That is why Camerlengo tries to replace Pope’s position. He wants to keep the religion pure, without science’s interference.

1.    The war between Science and Religion

Actually, Camerlengo is the one who state that Vatican is under attack by the old enemy, Illuminati. Illuminati use science to destroy the church. In fact, it’s Camerlengo who is afraid that science will take religion’s place.

Camerlengo’s fear of science will take away God’s part in human’s faith is nonsense. In fact, science even can prove the existence and/or the dominance of God. It is strengthen by Einstein’s statement.

“Science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind.” http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1612-science-without-religion-is-lame-religion-without-science-is-blind

Here, Einstein’s statement means that science and religion need each other. "Science without religion is lame". We use the term "lame" differently today than the original meaning of being either unable to walk, or needing an assistive device to walk. When he says science is lame without religion, he is saying that without religion, without a meaning behind it all, what is the point in studying science? The writer believes that science is so important, because it helps us to better understand and use God's creation. Science without moral values is what the Nazi experimenters were doing. They don’t have humanity. That was pretty crippled. Every religion also teaches about humanity or the relation between human and human, not only the relation between human and God.

“Religion without science is blind” means without science, understanding the earth and what it contains, what is good, and what is bad for us is impossible. The second part of the statement by Einstein "religion (the way we live) without science is blind" implies this. So, here science proves the greatness of God. Religion without science is like the dark ages. Now it is clear that Camerlengo’s fear is nonsense or irrational.

Both science and religion should walk together. They complete each other. Camerlengo shouldn’t be worried that science would take God’s part in life. Even it will strengthen people’s faith about the greatness of God, for example in creating the universe. This antimatter is showing the dominance of God, not blaming the existence of God as the creator of the universe.

2.    La Purga

Dan Brown mentioned about the La Purga. That was a moment when Catholic Church kidnapped four Illuminati scientist. Their chests were branded with a cross to purge them from their sins and then they were murdered. That was not enough. After that they were thrown on the road as the caution to the others for not questioning about the dominance of Catholic Church in science. That made illuminati became radical.

Now, illuminati comes bringing the antimatter and stealing 4 cardinals that later will be branded with 4 base elements of science; they are earth, air, fire, and water.

In fact, there is no La Purga in connection with illuminati in our history. We will not be able to find this kind of tragedy according to Vatican’s history.

Do Illuminati really still exist? The writer will say yes. In writer’s opinion, Illuminati are an underground brotherhood. So they will not show up in public. So, how can we know that they exist? We could know it through so many aspects, because they spread illuminati within a lot of things, for example through music. Illuminati is symbolized with triangle, one eye, pentagon, baphomet, 666, and some more. We could see this sign that is used by some singer or musician. Sometimes they who show those signs in their video clips, album covers, or even live concerts, they are suspected as the members of illuminati. That is just one example how illuminati are spread.

What do Illuminati actually want? Why do they want to destroy Catholic Church? This is a simple question, but the truth needs to be proven. According to writer’s knowledge, actually Illuminati are planning the New World Order, where they want to unite people in this world, who are free thinker. Their mission is to make the world without poverty, disease, and war. Illuminati worship Lucifer/Satan, so they want to destroy every single religion that exists in this world. That is why they set against religions.

Does Dan Brown believe in Illuminati? On his own website, he states that he believes the existence of Illuminati. But in fact, when he wrote Angels and Demons, he shows that Illuminati don’t really exist.

3.    Were Galileo and Bernini members of Illuminati?

In Angels and Demons, Brown suggests Galileo Galilei was a founding member of the Illuminati and wrote a book known as Diagramma veritatis (Diagram of Truth. In fact, Galileo was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher. He was persecuted by the 17th-century church for believing the world revolved around the sun.

In the film, Gian Lorenzo Bernini is portrayed as a high-ranking member of the Illuminati. In fact, he was a Sculptor whose artwork populates Rome and the Vatican.

Both, Galileo and Bernini weren’t members of Illuminati. Bernini died in 1680 and Galileo died in 1642. They lived at least a century too early to have joined the Illuminati, since The Order of the Illuminati was established on May 1, 1776 at the University of Ingolstadt in Germany.

Conclusion

In writing his book, Dan Brown not only use his imagination, but also always did a research. Yet at last he mixes both the fact and fiction. Nevertheless, he is always able to make such a great mind-blowing books. In his book entitle Angels and Demons, he deviate his story really gently, even we will not be able to know the truth if we don’t look at the fact in real life.

In writing his book, he is also inspired by the people and also the atmosphere around him. The science and religion took a big part in his life.  In Angels and Demons, he shows his rich knowledge about both science and religion, and how a secret society shows up to declare a war.

Brown also made his own perception about a secret society, Illuminati, such as Galileo and Bernini were members of Illuminati, which they’re actually not. He also mentioned about “La Purga”, which actually has never happened in the real life, but in Angles and Demons Brown made it as the reason why Illuminati attack Catholic Church.

Reference

Lutzer, Erwin W. 2004. The Da Vinci Deception. United States of America: Tyndale.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reader-response_criticism

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1612-science-without-religion-is-lame-religion-without-science-is-blind