Friday, January 15, 2010

Brown Rice - heady, unhulled slice of life!



What the owl told me was that good v. evil is perceived in different ways in three novels by Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol) and one by Anne Rice (Angel Time). Anne Rice has stepped up to the plate to take on this struggle and--as a woman--boldly bites into the apple. Dan Brown, a bit more cerebral, juxtaposes the polarity between reason and religion with the dark side of each. WHAT DOES THE OWL TELL YOU?




The imagery from The Lost Symbol largely derives from Masonic symbols, such as the square, compass, and G for geometry/God shown above.




One of the climatic turns Robert Langdon's feverish trail takes is to the sub-basement of the U.S. Capitol. A Mason--at the time of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin--would meditate in a Chamber of Reflection such as this. (photo from Freemasonry: a history by Angel Millar.) ". . . cold, austere places in which a Mason can reflect on his own mortality. By meditating on the inevitability of death, a Mason gains a valuable perspective on the fleeting nature of life." (from The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.) This is a mystical world based on Ancient Mysteries, i.e. The Bible, displayed in symbols throughout Washington, DC, and a race against evil. Two lovely images are 1) the field of Noetic Science, that "the intention of the mind can create change in the phsyical universe," and 2) the pyramid without a tip is a "reminder that man's ascent to his full human potential was always a work in progress." ~Dan Brown




Anne Rice envisioned hordes of angels descending to earth in response to just as many prayers wafting up through the ages. Her hitman-cum-angel Toby O'Dare plays the lute, emotes to Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, and is soothed by the lush beauty of the Mission Inn in California. Her descriptions delight the senses: "But the interior of the restaurant was no less enticing, with its lower walls of bright blue tile, and the beige arches above artfully with twining green vines. The scored ceiling was painted like a blue sky with clouds and even tiny birds." Yes, he is prepared to go back to the Middle Ages to answer some of those soaring prayers.




Angel on cover of Angels and Demons




One of the Illuminati symbols in Dan Brown's Angels and Demons was fire. How could that represent evil?




The Sistine Chapel has soaring grandeur as well as buried secrets that threatened to bring down the Catholic Church in Angels and Demons.





In the Da Vinci Code, Mary Magdalene is portrayed as one of Christ's intimates. What says the owl?

10 comments:

  1. Fictional books parenthasised by two candles alight
    At the feet of the Virgin Mary in all of her might.

    Take care. Bye.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi~ I've added a bit more now! But more to do! Fun for me. I left a note on your site about your short story. It could be the primer for short stories wherever and whenever they're taught. Keep up the good work! Best, Margaret

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  3. Philosophising theology
    By a talented lady.
    I am at the feet of your might
    Of experienced literary insight.

    I'll come back soon. Thank you. Take care. Bye.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely poem and lovely compliment! Thank you! Have you read any of these books? I plan to change the featured book (or books) about once a week. I bet for you creative writing might take longer.

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  5. I find so little time to read a book.
    But curiosity strives my imagination
    So I read the lines from every look
    That meets my fascination.

    I have plenty of time on my hands to write at the moment, so its great for my literary creativity. Thank you. Take care. Bye.

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  6. Romantic poet
    Wordsworth took nature as cue,
    Not life reflected.
    ~Haiku by Margaret

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are very beautiful,
    Dreamy to the core.
    I hope these words are full
    Of sentiments and more!

    Lovely response. I've got to write some Haikus for my creative writing class homework, and I'm new to them, but not form and structure, so I think I'll do alright. I'm going to write a few and make them into a longer individual poem. Sorry I haven't visited sooner. Thank you. Take care. Bye.

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  8. Nature has to breed
    Where there’s a will and a need
    It all grows from seed.

    But seed gives new life
    From hellish celibate strife
    From an experience rife.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thinking of U.
    Expressiveness
    Takes too
    Awareness.

    Miss your comments! I hope I haven't upset you. Thank you. Take care. Bye.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great thoughts!!! I was going through my Halos reviews and came across your comment on My Anne Rice reviwew....thanks for the encouragement and sorry it took so long to check your blog and reviews out, but Im a follower now and looking forward to reading more....:D

    ReplyDelete