19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24
25.
26. 27
The wheels are in motion. Knowing he was alone in the great church, Silas untied his cloak and
slipped it off his body. As he removes it, he felt a sting as the wool fibers stuck to the fresh wounds on his back.
His blood pounded as he knelt down before it. Raising his pale bare
arm, he reached inside. His broad, pale back was soaked with blood-red slashes.
Not only had Silas killed the only four people who knew where the keystone was hidden, he had killed a nun inside Saint-sulpice.
Silas lay prone on the canvas mat in his room, allowing the lash
wounds on his back to clot in the air.
Our battle , like all battles, will take sacrifice.
Winding down narrow hallways. Silas snaked through a kitchen, past terrified workers
, who left to avoid the naked albino as he knocked
over bowls and silverware, bursting into a dark hallway near the boiler room.
As if some kind of demon were controlling his body, the boy walked to the kitchen and grasped a butcher’s knife.
Without a word, the boy stabbed him in the back.
The girl found herself pummeled to within inches of her life. A ghost
, they would say, their eyes wide with fright as they stared at his white skin. A ghost with the eyes of a devil
54chapter 5
P228C39
P.266C.46
C.46P.266
C. 96 P 516
C10P.84
C10P85 Idem
B. Data Analysis
1. Opus Dei’s Members Represented as Murderer
The novel begins its story in the Da Vinci Code with a tragedy of murder which is done by one of the members of Opus Dei whose name is Silas. He kills Jacques Sauniere which is
identified as one of members of Priory of Sion. In this tragedy Silas uses a gun to kill his victims. The novel represents Opus Dei in the Da Vinci Code full of horrific and terrible story like
murdering, kidnapping, coercion, torture, drugging, stealing, lying, brain washing and ritual of mortification.
As a member of Opus Dei, Silas is described as a person who has horrific physical appearance. He is portrayed as a man who is “broad and tall, ghost-pale skin and thinning white
hair. His irises were pink with dark red pupils”. Page 17-18 The use of broad and tall to describe
his body gives a terrify description of how big his body is. The use of ghost to describe his pale skin gives a vivid description of how pale his skin is.
Readers will only imagine a skin as pale as ghost. This goes the same with the description of his eyes and at the same time limit readers’ imagination. This description is also strengthened by
another description “ghostly eyes”. Here, the novel using the word of ghostly eyes for Silas if we
analyze this word so we will understand that the novel gives a bad description for Opus Dei’ member. The concept of ghostly eyes itself is very frightening and scary people is given by the
novel for Silas for the purpose give negative image for Opus Dei. Those descriptions give negative image for Silas.
Besides the physical appearance, Silas’ voice is also described horrible. The novel uses the word “chillingly” to describe his voice. These words constructbuild an image of emotionless
and frightening. Silas has a chill voice that frightens his victims. This word also limits readers not to imagine the other thing of his voice but the voice which chillingly. This description of his voice
supports his horrific physical appearance. In his actions Silas is always describe to carry a gun. Every mission he takes there’s a gun
accompanying him. He uses the gun to demolish his victims. Besides Silas, other Opus Dei members mentioned in the novel, Remy and Teabing also carry gun. This description of the three
people carrying deadly weapon give negative image and dangerous image.
Opus Dei’s member presented as people who harm other people and even Silas is presented as person who commits serial murder. In pursuing Holy Grail the Novel even uses the
word “monster” to describe Silas because of his physical appearance which is very scary people. It then bring negative image to him and other member of Opus Dei. Those words used to describe
Opus Dei members construct negative, frightening and destructive image of the members. As result readers will have certain knowledge is constructed through the negative words
the novel use. Besides that, the novel also illustrate about Silas past experience which is full of horrible and terrible story. At that time he was born he didn’t accepted by his parents so there was
a turbulent in that family between his mother and his father and then Silas stab his father because his father has been killed his mother.
“As if some kind of demon were controlling his body, the boy walked to the kitchen and grasped a butcher’s knife. Without a word, the boy stabbed him in the
back” C.10, p.84
This description about Silas’ past experience is very horrible. How Opus Dei member is presented as a person who has bad background of life. He becomes cast away in his family. And it
gives a bad image for Opus Dei member.
‘You are lying’ the man stared at him, perfectly immobile except for the glint in his ghostly eyes.
‘You and your brethren possess something that is not yours.’ Prologue, pp. 17-18
This a description of Silas’ eye which is very horrible and terrified when he Wanted to kill his enemy. And it adds the negative image of Opus Dei.
2. Opus Dei as an Organization
Besides members of Opus Dei who are described negatively, the organization itself is presented as an organization that will do anything to achieve their goal. Such as bribing and
destroying churches and everyone against them. In order to be accepted by Vatican as a legitimate organization. Opus Dei transferred
almost one billion dollars into the Vatican bank. As we can see in this quotation: Suspiciously, Opus Dei’s elevation occurred the same year the wealthy sect
allegedly had transferred almost one billion dollars into the Vatican’s institute for
religious works-commonly known as the Vatican Bank-bailing it out of an embarrassing bankruptcy.
It is a description of how the action of Opus Dei is very negative which is given by the novel. Here it is explained that Opus Dei does bribing to be accepted as a legitimate prelature of
church in Vatican. The organization also decides to destroy churches to reach their goal. Those actions are needed to achieve their holy grail.
On another part the novel presents that “the sins committed today had been holy in purpose.” C. 2, p. 27
The word “sins” which refer to Opus Dei actions is contrasted with “holy purpose”. This builds an image that in order to gain the holy purpose the organization commit destructive action.
It once again builds a negative image of the organization. Besides describing the image of the organization, the novel also describe the organization
in relation with women. The novel explains: [….] female numeraries were forced to clean the men’s residence halls for no
pay while the men at were at mass; women slept on hardwood floors, while the men had straw mats; and women were forced to endure additional requirements
of corporal mortification…all as added penance for original sin C. 7, p. 68
Here the novel presents Opus Dei organization as an organization which discriminate women by saying that female were forced to clean the men’s residence, sleep in hardwood floors,
and endure additional requirements of corporal mortification. All of this is taught as penance for original sin of Eve. Those descriptions are opposed with male’s description. Male are described
praying at mass while women clean men’s residence; men are sleeping at straw mats while women are at hardwood floors; men do not have to go through extra mortification while women are forced
to. This opposition expresses how Opus Dei discriminate women. It is another bad image of the organization.
3. Opus Dei’s Ritual
Besides organization and their members presented in the Da Vinci Code, the novel also presented the ritual of Opus Dei is very horrific and terrible. In his story it tell us that the practice
in recruiting its new member using Drug
Two months ago, an Opus Dei group at a Midwestern university had been caught drugging new recruits with mescaline in an effort to induce a euphoric
state that neophytes
14
would perceive as a religious experience. Dan Brown, p. 51
The uses word “drugging new recruits” refers to something badly and negative but the novel also uses “would perceive as a religious experience” it refers to something positive. So the
writer makes a conclusion Opus Dei is represented doing something negative for their purpose. And it will construct Opus Dei as something dangerous.
Here the novel presented how Opus Dei when recruits its new member uses something negative. He also describes that Opus Dei doing aggressive recruitment.
Besides that the action of attempting suicide is presented by Dan Brown if we have join the Opus Dei of course it is very something negative for Opus Dei Ritual.
In Boston not long ago, a disillusioned young investment banker had signed over his entire life savings to Opus Dei before attempting suicide. Dan Brown,
p51
Here the novel describes the ritual is full of horror by doing suicide. This representation for public will give certain knowledge that Opus Dei ritual is very dangerous.
The Da Vinci Code makes it appear that Opus Dei members practice bloody mortifications. Bloody mortification means doing something that hurt our self for the sake of God,
for example we can see in this portrayal in The Da Vinci code:
“ One mile away, the hulking albino named Silas limped through the front gate of the
luxurious residence on Rue La Bruyere. The spiked cilice belt that he wore around his thigh cut into his flesh, and yet his soul sang with satisfaction of service to the lord.
It is a description how Opus Dei Member doing something horrible and terrifying. Here it is explained that Opus Dei’s member using cilice in their thigh. Cilice is a device- a leather strap,
studded with sharp metal barbs that cut into the flash. This aggressive attitude is conducted on basis of serving once again; a holy purpose is done in a negative deed.
In practice of this ritual, the novel paints it full of horror story. 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’. Opus Dei has just completed construction of
14
It is a state of tranquility
a 47 million National headquarters at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City. Dan Brown, preamble, Fact
Here, the novel says with statement fact that Opus Dei is real organization which full of reports of brainwashing, coercion, and practice of corporal mortification. In the beginning of this
story the novel tries to confirm that Opus Dei is real dangerous organization. So it is obvious that novel has given negative image toward Opus Dei organization.
Here to support his story of Opus Dei full of horror and terrify he included the statement fact in the Da Vinci Code.
C. The ideology of the novel carried about
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