The Da Vinci Code: Key Facts

full title The Da Vinci Code

author Dan Brown

type of work Novel

genre Thriller

language English

time and place written Early twenty-first century; the United States

date of first publication March 2003

publisher Doubleday

narrator Third-person, anonymous, omniscient narrator

point of view The narrator speaks from the point of view of several characters, describing what they see and hear. The narrator also provides background information and pieces of knowledge unknown to other characters.

tone Objective, earnest

tense Past

setting The present day

place Paris, France; Versailles, France; London, England; outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland

protagonists Robert Langdon; Sophie Neveu

major conflict The protagonists attempt to interpret the message left behind by Jacques Saunière and find the hidden secret of the Priory of Sion.

rising action The search for the secret, which is aided by the clues left behind by Jacques Saunière

climax Leigh Teabing reveals himself as the man behind the murders of the Priory of Sion, and Langdon and Sophie discover who killed Jacques Saunière.

falling action The protagonists go to Rosslyn Chapel, where they discover Sophie’s family. Langdon goes to the Louvre, where he discovers what he thinks is the resting place of the Grail.

themes The false conflict between faith and knowledge; the subjectivity of history; the intelligence of women

motifs Ancient and foreign languages; art; sexism

symbols Red hair; blood; cell phones

foreshadowing Teabing’s questions to Sophie about whether she would reveal the secret to the world if she had the choice foreshadows the later revelation of Teabing’s obsession with the necessity of revelation. Rémy’s slowness in helping Teabing when Silas is assaulting him foreshadows his involvement with Silas and his desire to steal the keystone.

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