This paper discusses the female protagonist in a controversial novel titled The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.The goal of this research is to discover how interdependence strengthen the female protagonist independence. This paper uses interdependence paradigm by Stephen R. Covey. Interdependence is the paradigm of combining skills and talent to create something greater or reaching a goal together.This paper found that despite portrayed as a strong independent female character, SophieNeveu still needs the male protagonist help to complete her mission.
keywords : interdependence, character, The Da Vinci Code, gender roles
Introduction
In the book, Seven habits of highly effective people,Stephen R. Covey argues that Interdependence is a choice only independent people can make. Moreover, he argues that interdependence frees a character from their dependence circumstances, thus making it a liberating goal. The author of the book also suggests that an effective interdependence canonly be built on a foundation of true independence. On the contrary to popular belief, an independent person still reflects to the idea that life is highly interdependent. Hence, even the most independent person will still need others to accomplish a greater goal. However, with the rising of gender equality and feminism, it appears that many author
tries to write the female character as a superhuman able to solve problems without anyone’s assistance. This resonates with a research paper by M. Nadjib Haouam[2016] that suggests, The Da Vinci Code is exclusively a novel about feminism.
He concludes that Brown has also created characters who vie wholeheartedly for achieving what they wanted, and are fully dedicated to the task at hand. One can also say that Dan Brown's feminist inclinations are present through this novel It can be true based on the novel because the author, Dan Brown, tries to defy the common gender roles and bring up issues about feminism through his characters and the story plot. However, there is a gap in that research because the strong female protagonist in the story still needs the male protagonist to complete the mission. This relationship dynamic is an interesting area to researchf further because despite the portrayal of a strong independent woman, a genuine independence can not be attained without interdependence. This research focuses on the female protagonist named Sophie Neveu in the novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Despite many have chosen this novel as a subject, there are still less researcher who choose to see the female protagonist through the dynamic of relationship between the female protagonist and the male protagonist in the novel through interdependence paradigm.
The researcher chooses to focus on the female protagonist because she posses a character of a strong independent woman but still needs other to reach her goal. On the contrary to popular beliefs, an independent woman is a lone hunter and able to solve all problems on her own. The Da Vinci Code is a novel by American author,Dan Brown published in 2003 under the genre of mystery thriller. However, it can be argued that this novel can be characterized
into different genres. Dan Brown, is known for controversial and thought provoking novels such as Digital Fortress, Deception point, and Angel and Demons which revolves around symbology and controversial topics. The Da Vinci code is an exquisite novel because it spurs the controversy regarding the marriage union between Jesus and Mary
magdalene. That is because if it was true, that Jesus ever married a woman, it will erase the immortal value of him which is believed by the Christian. The book however was not well received especially from the Christian community because it was seen as an attack to the Roman catholic church and deemed containing historical inaccuracies.
This controversial novel by Dan Brown tells about the ancient brotherhood and a mission to find the sacred thing, called the holy grail which will unveil the greatest secret mankind ever had.This mission was carried by two
protagonist, Sophie Neveu, a fierce and smart cryptographer who works for DCPJ ( Direction centralede la Police judiciaire ) and Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbology teacher. Through this novel, Brown brings up numerous symbology andreferences about women especially within the Christianity values. Even the plot itself revolves around the story of Holy Grail , which happens to be a tomb of mary magdalene. According to the novel, this secret might cause Christian question their faith due the prolonged doctrine within the christianity. Not only, Brown tries to write his protagonist by challenging the gender roles.The female character was portrayed as smart, quick thinking, able to work under pressure and even possesses a male dominated job, as a cryptographer.it was also mentioned that Sophie neveu was hired as an attempt from the ministry to bring more women into the police force despite, the disapproval from the
captain. The captain thought that women lack of of physical necessities and mere distraction
for male in the field. Meanwhile, Robert langdon, is a teacher which often associates as a female dominated
job. Not only but also, Langdon was portrayed to be emotional as pictured in the first few chapters where he reminiscence his flings with vittoria, a woman he met in Vatican while solving a problem in Rome. His emotions somehow distracted him in his work.Langdon characterization was also more subtle in the story making him appears to be submissive compared to the female protagonist. Jane maslin via the new york times writes ‘even if he had not contrived this entire story as a hunt for the Lost Sacred Feminine essence, women in particular would love Mr.
Brown.’ I think Maslin writes this, because n the surface, not only is Sophie a strong woman compared to conventional gender roles, Robert Langdon’s positive masculinity s toned down to the extent that he has to rely on Sophie as much as she relies on him, Langdon lacks qualities that Sophie has.
Sophie is capable to be physically assertive, to plan, and to think logically. Langdon appears to be physically inept, and rely on Sophie for plans of action and looking ahead. The objective of this research is to discover the interdependence relationship between Sophie Neveu and the male protagonist. Also to discover that interdependence strengthen
Sophie Neveau’s character as a strong ndependent women. This research discusses the dynamic of relationship between the female protagonist and the male protagonist in the novel through interdependence paradigm. The data of this research is obtained through the novel, TheDa Vinci Code. Then, the data will be analyzed using interdependence based on Stephen R. covey paradigm.
This research uses interdependence paradigm from Stephen R. Covey the seven habits of highly productive people.
According to Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits are not a set of separate or piecemeal psyche-up formulas. In harmony with the natural laws of growth, they provide an incremental, sequential, highly integrated approach to the development of personal and interpersonal effectiveness. They move us progressively on a Maturity Continuum from
dependence to interdependence. He said in his book,“ The little understood concept of interdependence appears to many to smack of dependence, and therefore, we find people often for selfish reasons, leaving their marriages, abandoning their children, and forsaking all kinds of social responsibility - all in the name of independence.” One important thing to note is that Independent thinking alone is not suited to interdependent reality. Independent people who do not have the maturity to think and act interdependently may be good individual producers, but they won't be good leaders or team players. Further, he adds a Inside-Out is a process -- a continuing process of renewal based on the
natural laws that govern human growth and progress. It's an upward spiral of growth that leads to progressively higher forms ofresponsible independence and effectiveinterdependence. He argues that an effective interdependence
can only be built on a foundation of true independence. Combined with 7 effective habits, there is a
concept called the emotional bank. It’s a metaphor which describes the level of trust we have with another human being. He mentions in his book that if someone make deposits into an Emotional Bank Account through courtesy, kindness, honesty, and keeping the commitments, they build upa reserve. Their trust toward one another becomes higher, and they can call upon that trust many times if they need to. They can even make mistakes and that trust level, thatemotional reserve, will compensate for it. Their communication may not be clear, but they’ll get the meaning anyway. In short, when the trust account is high,communication is easy, instant, and effective.That is very crucial steps in order to build aneffective relationship betweentwoindividuals. The 7 habits combined with emotional deposits are ways to have abalanced and healthy interdependence.He argues that there are six things which can be the measure to a healthy interdependence relationship The six major things things are : 1. Understanding the individual, 2. Attending
to little things, 3.clarifying expectations, 4.Showing personal integrity, 5. Apologize sincerely when you make a withdrawal,6. keeping commitment However he added two more things more thing called P, problems are
PC opportunities.
CONCLUSION
The relationship between Sophie Neveau and the male protagonist Robert Landgon creates a healthy interdependence relationship. It was also contributing to Sophie’s becoming more wise and mature. It was seen in the page 583,
“The news she had received tonight had changed everything in her life. “ are you okay?it’s a lot to take in.”
“She smiled quietly “ I have a family. That’s where I am going to start.”
Reference
B ROWN , D. (2016). T HE D A V INCI L ONDON : P ENGUIN B OOKS . CODE .
C OVEY , S. R. (2016). T HE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY FFECTIVE PEOPLE . S AN F RANCISCO , CA: F RANKLIN C OVEY . C OVEY R. ( N . D .). H ABIT 1. FROM HTTPS :// WWW . FRANKLINCOVEY . COM / THE -7- HABITS /
HABIT -1. HTML
M ASLIN , J ANET .(2003). B OOKS OF THE T IMES ; S PINNING A T HRILLER F ROM A G ALLERY AT THE
L OUVRE . T HE N EW Y ORK T IMES .
RHaouam, M. N. (2015/2016). A Feminist Reading of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Tlemcen. Retrieved from http://dspace.univ-tlemcen.dz/bitstream/112/89 25/1/mohamed-nadjib-haouam.pdf
This is a paper I wrote for one of my classes last spring semester in 2018.