By Jiri Belohlavek
Sports at Devon symbolize, for Finny, Gene, and many other students, their arrogant in perspective of the war. Near the beginning of the book, Finny and Gene both know that they are in wartime, yet they both are very active in sports. Soon, they start neglecting the war by playing sports games.
The games themselves are a symbolization, where the competitiveness represents the war going at the time. Unlike the war, the games also symbolize peace in the form of arrogance: as long as the boys keep playing their games, nothing of the war will affect them. They become more accustomed to that fact throughout the book. They develop a false feeling that the war doesn�t in reality exist. For the boys, war is just another game of blitz ball. This is reinforced multiple times by what the staff of Devon and other adults say to them.
The staff tells the students that the war has no rules. It is guerrilla warfare, just as their game, blitz ball, is free-for-all. The boys do not realize the significance of the war and thus, (in their arrogance) they believe the war is a game. In their game, if someone falls, they just get up again. In the real war it isn�t like that; the boys know it, but won�t allow such a petty thought. Finally, near the end of the book, the tables suddenly turned on them. Leper, a close friend of Gene and Finny, joins the army and is not heard from for a long time. During this time, the students begin to recognize the war for what it truly is. When Gene, Finny, and the boys finally hear from Leper near the end of a party they had done to commemorate a peaceful Winter, he has sent only an encrypted message. It tells Gene to meet Leper alone and in secret. When Gene returns from his visit with Leper, it becomes known that he is insane. This event triggers the stowed away memories of war and its havoc. The previous beliefs they had about war. As a result, the majority of Finny and Genes friends� are shocked at the complexity of the war and the real dangers faced by the recruits. In the end, their sports games aren�t enough to overcome the immense encumbrance of the war and they were forced to admit the war in its full entirety. This is how the arrogance of the students is finally broken.
Hour 6 English
Due: 3-16-06
Angels and Demons
Part 3/3
Pages: 333-510
By Dan Brown
Character Analysis
Robert Langdon- Langdon is Angels and Demons� strongest protagonist. His personally dictates the way the majority of the book is perceived. His actual role in the story is that of a Harvard professor, suddenly woken to the sound of a desperate man on the other end of a telephone. His knowledge of religious icons, symbology, and religious groups provides invaluable information towards uncovering the nature of the mysterious murder.
Vittoria Vetra- Vittoria is the daughter of Leonardo Vetra, for whom she has been conducting field research in the Atlantic Oceans. When she discovers her father has been murdered
Leonardo Vetra- Leonardo is a renowned scientist who discovered the ability to manipulate subatomic molecules to form what he calls antimatter. He has spent his entire life researching and combining religion and technology. His mangled corpse brings shock to all who know of his seemingly peaceful nature.
Maximillian Kohler- Kohler is the head of the hidden institution for the smartest technology masterminds of the world; CERN. At a young age, Kohler was diagnosed with a highly dehabilitating illness which nearly killed him. A doctor secretly gave him a shot of drugs which would save his life; his parents opposed all drugs� even when their son was dieing an extremely painful death. Since then, Kohler has developed an affinity for technology and devoted his entire life to being at the top.
Unknown mastermind- An unknown figure plots to disrupt the balance between religion and science. Eventually the name of this antagonist is discovered, but the identity stays unknown. Through cunning deceptions and mischievous plotting, the unknown mastermind remains extremely deadly.
Hassassin- The middle-eastern man who is the unknown mastermind�s greatest ally and tool is an extremely sadistic and cruel killer. His roots stem to the original hassassins who were stealthy cutthroats and pillagers. Through his veins runs the blood of the men who brought about the (adapted) word assassin. Ruthless and disgusting by nature, the hassassin takes pleasure in the pain of others and believes all others (in particular women) are lower than him.
Quiz
1. How was the third cardinal murdered?
a. Stabbed
b. Burned alive
c. Drowned
d. Buried alive
2. What happened to Langdon in the library? (the second time)
a. Air ran out of the room
b. Books were set on fire
c. Nothing interesting
d. Librarian was shot saving Langdon�s life
3. How was the fourth cardinal murdered?
a. Stabbed
b. Burned alive
c. Drowned
d. Buried alive
4. What was the final symbol (on the map) made by connection all the elemental alters of illuminati?
a. Triangle
b. Cross
c. Square
d. Circle
5. Who was the final Illuminati?
a. A cardinal
b. Maximillian Kohler
c. The Camerlengo
d. Vittoria Vetra
Essay Question:
Is there ever justification for killing? (Provide a view and support)
Essay Answer:
One could argue that self defense is always a justification for causing pain to others and in some instances even killing them. But, if a person has the ability to defend himself well enough to kill someone, I would assume he also has the ability to merely incapacitate whoever is attacking him. Therefore death could be avoided. However, if it came to truly life-threatening circumstances� killing may be justified. Another example is accidental killing which has been reported numerous times all over the world. Too often kids are playing around and accidentally hurt each other� or get a hold of a gun left out in the open by careless parents and shoot each other.
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown pages 333- 510
1. cleat � A strip of wood or iron used to strengthen or support the surface to which it is attached � p333 �
�Cleats like these were common in churches and were placed high to prevent tampering.�
�Supports like these were common in churches and were placed high to prevent tampering.�
The cleat was placed to hold up the barn.
2. balustrade � a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling � p335 �
�As he hit the floor on the other side, the marble columns of the balustrade exploded in a storm of bullets.�
�As he hit the floor on the other side, the marble columns of the railing exploded in a storm of bullets.�
Juliet spoke while holding onto the balustrade.
3. precipice� The brink of a dangerous or disastrous situation � p344 �
�Tonight we are perched on a precipice��
�Tonight we are perched on a brink��
It was the precipice of the cliff.
4. recumbent � Lying down, especially in a position of comfort; reclining � p356 �
�Directly over the recumbent saint��
�Directly over the relaxed saint��
The man was recumbent in recliner.
5. Piazza � plaza, square � p 368�
�Langdon had imagined the killer escorting his last victim across the piazza on foot��
�Langdon had imagined the killer escorting his last victim across the piazza on foot��
Across the piazza was a market stall.
6. contemptuous � expressing extreme contempt/disliking � p393�
�With a contemptuous stare, he slipped the blade below��
�With a disliking stare, he slipped the blade below��
Rather than being peaceful, he was utterly contemptuous.
7. guile � Treacherous cunning; skillful deceit � p395 �
�When the Hassassin cast a long, guileless glance at the table��
�When the Hassassin cast a long, deceit-less glance at the table��
Thieves must master quick thinking, agility, and silence; both abilities tied to guile.
8. martyr � One who chooses to suffer death rather than renounce religious principles � p407 �
[�Mr. Kohler,� the camerlengo said. �Have you come to make me a martyr?�]
[�Mr. Kohler,� the camerlengo said. �Have you come to make me a self sacrifice for my religion?�]
There were many martyrs during the ancient times.
9. lucid � Mentally sound; sane, controlled, or rational � p427 �
�As lucid as he seemed, the priest was talking nonsense.�
�As true as he seemed, the priest was talking nonsense.�
After his sedative, his statements became more lucid.
10. pristine � Remaining in a pure state; uncorrupted by civilization� p444 �
�Through the tempest of emotions now coursing through her blood, a single word tolled like a distant bell. Pristine.�
�Through the tempest of emotions now coursing through her blood, a single word tolled like a distant bell. Pure.�
The Virgin Mary is often considered the most pristine woman.
Story Arc
1. Langdon is called at 5:00 by some half-crazed man.
2. The man sends Langdon a fax of a dead man with the Illuminati symbol branded into his chest.
3. Langdon leaves his apartment and boards the plane which takes him to CERN.
4. Kohler meets Langdon and speaks to him about CERN.
5. Kohler and Langdon reach Leonardo Vetra�s laboratory.
6. Langdon further investigates Illuminati mark and decides it�s real. He also explains the nature of the Illuminati.
7. Vittoria Vetra appears and takes Langdon and Kohler to his family�s secret lab.
8. Vittoria shows and explains the Vetra family experiment. (Anti-matter)
9. Vittoria discovers that a canister of anti-matter is missing and Kohler gets a phone call from the Vatican City with news of a canister of some floating material being used as a bomb threat.
10. The first of four abducted cardinals is murdered by way of Earth suffocation.
11. The second cardinal dies from punctured lungs; signifying Air.
12. Third cardinal dies from being burned alive; Fire. Vittoria is captured by the hassassin.
13. The fourth cardinal dies by drowning; Water. Langdon finally finds the Illuminati hideout hidden in plain site.
14. Camerlengo �has a vision from God� and suddenly knows where the bomb is hidden. He retrieves it and decides to save everyone by flying it into the sky via a nearby helicopter. Unknown to him Langdon boards the helicopter alongside him.
15. The Camerlengo dives out of the helicopter with a parachute leaving Langdon behind purposely.
16. Langdon survives his own parachute-less jump from the helicopter and finds evidence which would convict Camerlengo of being the center of all this madness.
17. Camerlengo admits to everything stating that it was his interpretation of God�s will.
18. Camerlengo decides burning himself alive is the best way to prove his point.
English 1155 Mr. Lahr Notecard Review
Borwn, Dan Angels and Demons.
Jaw dropping! Incredible! Intuitive!
Robert Langdon is a normal, middle-ages man. That is, until he gets a cryptic phone call from a wheezy, mysterious foreigner. Thinking it�s some stupid prank, Langdon hangs up but is jolted awake after the caller sends him a fax a picture of a murdered man bearing the symbol of a long dead group of people known as the Illuminati. Have the Illuminati resurfaced? What are they up to? What is antimatter? All will be explained in Dan Brown�s Angels and Demons.
This a slightly faster paced novel than the average read. I would recommend this book to anyone who is currently open to religious views and doesn�t take offense to other perspectives. Those with hobbies involving futuristic technology will also be entertained by this book.
***** (5) out of ***** (5) star review
Jiri Belohlavek Hour 6 03/16/06