Angles and Demons Analysis Chapters 51-60

Gunther Glick is a news reporter and we know that in the previous chapter he got a call from the assassin saying that he will change the life of Gunther. As Gunther got off the phone, he told his camera women that there are four missing cardinals and they are going to be murdered at four different churches tonight. They will be expecting the first murder location pretty soon. Now as a news reporter that it a lot to take in especially on a topic like this. I would assume that this might be a prank but us a readers know that it is not.

In Vault 10 Vittoria has found the Galileo book. Langdon grabs the book and starts looking through it. He trying to find math but cant find anything. Langdon believes that the numbers are written out so they split up the task. Meanwhile we figure out that the four cardinals are somewhere in a tunnel in a stone cubicle by rusted iron bars.

Vittoria finds a clue in the book: she finds a footnote and it reads, "The path of light is laid, the sacred test" (216). The line was written in English and Langdon realizes that in the 1600 Vatican City did not have control over the English Language. He also realizes that the line is iambic pentameter. As Vittoria finds more line in the margins they discover that the lines are a poem from John Milton. They both run run to the door before they lose oxygen.

As Langdon and Vittoria are running from the archives building Langdon has deciphered the clue. It reads, "From Santi's earthly tomb with demon's hole, / 'Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold. / The path of light is laid, the sacred test, / Let angles guide you on your lofty quest" (222). Langdon believes that the path of the Illumination begins at Santi's tomb and then the markers will guide them. So then they head to the Swiss office. 

It amazes me how fast they solved where to go in less than 20 minutes cause two special minds working together is incredible. I think they might be able to pull this off. 

Twelve Swiss guards along with Olivetti, Langdon and Vittoria race toward the Pantheon. Langdon does seem confident that the path of Illumination begins there because it still might be intact anymore and the statues of the Pantheon ware removed and destroyed in the 1800's. Olivetti agrees with Vittoria to continue. 

As they position themselves outside the Pantheon, Langdon still doesn't think that this is the right place. I think maybe cause of something that he might know that happened to this place... or maybe he thinks that he deciphered the clue to easy? I don't know but Langdon doesn't feel right about this location. And that is a problem. 

Angels and Demons Analysis Chapters 42- 50

It finally hit Robert Langdon about how to find the location of the Assassin behind all of this. Langdon needed to get into the Secret Vatican Archives to find the Galileo third book "Diagramma." He thinks in that book there is a location on how to find the beginning point of the so called treasure hunt which is called the segno. Now speaking Langdon and Vittoria mission is to "find the Diagramma, locating a four hundred-year-old segno, deciphering some mathematical code, and following an ancient trail of art that only the most brilliant scientist in history have ever been able to follow... all in the next four hours" (253). If they complete this mission they will find the Church of Illumination and where Langdon thinks the assassin is going to kill the four main cardinals that are missing. Also they have a chance to find the assassin to find the canister before it blows up Vatican City. 

The question that is constantly going through my head is can Langdon and Vittoria pull this mission off? Now judging on their mind sets, Vittoria is the science girl where she thinks what actions are possible to do during a situation. She thinks more science and with confidence. Langdon is the type of person who stands back and hears the situation, as if your stepping back and seeing the big picture. He is the history guy that thinks conceptual and find clues to decipher. It will be interesting on how they complete this mission and how quickly they think about the clues they come upon. 

But my biggest thought is the camerlengo. I think he has something to do with this because he is the last person to see the four cardinals because of the tea party. I have a gut feeling that the camerlengo is involved because of how nervous the camerlengo acts. How he's quiet and unsure of the finding of the canister. I don't have enough evidence that he is involved which pretty shoots down my statement but I can feel it. The only thing that signals me is that he stays quiet, or pretty much stalling the search for the canister. He's undecided what to do about the situation which shows his insecurity with his position. 

Then Langdon and Vittoria get themselves in a bad position by getting trapped in Vault 10. Vittoria claimed that their is information about the Galileo in Vault 10. As Langdon goes in their the door shuts behind him and the air inside is thinner than he anticipated. Vittoria enters as well and they both have 20 minutes before the air will be used up. They have to find that Galileo book. 

Angels and Demons Analysis Chapters 31-41

As Langdon and Vittoria is in  Vatican City, they are brought to Commander Olivetti which he is the commander and chief of the swiss army force. He is the one who called Cern cause of the mysterious object (the canister which we as readers know that inside the canister is antimatter) that apparently camera #86 is projecting. Ironically they cant trace where the camera is and it will take days to find. As Langdon and Vittoria is trying to explain how they need to send a search team to find this canister in 6 hours or Vatican City will blow up because of the antimatter combined with the matter creates annihilation. Or Vittoria was mentioning to evacuate Vatican City.

As chief Olivetti is being difficult to work with: he doesn't believe in the existence of antimatter. Then he thinks that his Vatican security in bombs coming in is great so there is no way a bomb is in Vatican City. Also the Conclave is occurring in Vatican City which is fifteen days after the pope dies- "a sacred ceremony in which the 165 cardinals of the world- the most powerful men in Christendom- gathered in Vatican City to elect the new Pope" (152). So he has all his men focused on the ceremony and the people outside the chapel. He thinks Langdon and Vittoria is bluffing and is a waste of time to look for this canister.

Now if I were approached with this matter from a scientist from Cern, I would have Vittoria gets a hold of the camerlengo who is the Pope's assistant and when the pope dies, he is in charge until their is a pope that is reelected. So when the chief gets called by one if his troops to check on Langdon and Vittoria cause he spotted them using the phone, the chief gets on the line and realizes that they have contacted the camerlengo. Ordered by the camerlengo to get bring them to his office, the chief followed his orders.

As Langdon and Vittoria was telling the camerlengo about the situation, camerlengo gets a special phone call, its the assassin that murdered Vetra. He says that he is the messenger of the Illuminati.  He tells them that he has the four main cardinals which are claimed missing from the chapel and is going to kill them by the hour starting at 8 pm. Also branding them with Illuminati symbols to give payback to what the Catholics did to them a long time ago. He also admits that he but the antimatter somewhere in Vatican City so when it becomes Midnight, terrible things will happen.

The important things that the assassin said about the Church is, "Church attendance is at an all-time low - down forty-six percent in the last decade. Donations are half what they were only seven years ago. Fewer and fewer men are entering the seminary" (199). My idea is why do you care, the Church is losing it[s popularity but the fact that is picture him saying it in a negative way more than a motive to take down the Church. Why mention that?

Also when the camerlengo told the chief if he checked for the four cardinals and the chief told them that the camerlengo had lunch with them an hour ago. So where can they possibly go in an hour on foot. Someone had to know their location before the camerlengo did.

As of know Langdon is trying to find a bomb that is waiting to happen, four cardinals that are very important which their lives are on the line and finally a crazy guy that is causing this but we know Janis is behind this as well. Tough position to be in.

Angels and Demons Analysis Chapters 24-30

As of now Robert Langdon, Vittoria and Kohler went into the Haz-mat and found the eye of Mr. Vetra. They now know that who ever killed Mr. Vetra used his eye to get into the security system to take the quarter gram of antimatter. As Vittoria is flipping out about the loss of her father and his eye laying on the ground, Kohler tells her that he thinks the Illuminati is responsible for the death of Mr. Vetra. But badly does Vittoria want to call the police to have an investigation, Kohler wants the opposite so the investigation cant lose its reputation. So they are headed up the elevator cause Vittoria is throwing a fit trying to reach signal. When all of them gets to the stop, they is an intercom calling for Mr. Kohler and all Kohler beepers are going off from the office lady Ms. Sylvie trying to reach him so he can take this important call. He gets in contact with Sylvie and takes this call in front of Langdon and Vittoria. When he finished he started to cough because he needed his treatment so the nurses came and he told Langdon that he was talking to the Swiss claiming that the canister was in Rome. The antimatter is in Rome in Vatican city.

The Hassassian was waiting by the end of the tunnel like he was ordered for the second step. He was waiting until the iron door was unlocked until he finally entered five minutes later like he was told.

Analysis:

The Hassassian stoled the antimatter to give it to Janus. I guess the real question is does the illuminati
exist? According to Langdon the illuminati does not exist but Kohler thinks so cause their brand is on the chest of Mr. Vetra. I think if the illuminati wanted to kill Vetra, why would they but their brand on Vetra when they could of killed him without leaving any hints, and use the antimatter on their enemies with them exposing their sign. Its like saying a gang kills a person and tags their gang name in the body that they killed. Honestly I think it was a set up. I think Janus is not the illuminati and he hired an assassin to do all the dirty work. Also the fact that so far Janus is telling the assassin what to do. According to Mr. Langdon that the Illuminati was forming an army by conspiracy.

My view is the Illuminati was set up, who is trying to frame the Illuminati? Now looking at all the things that Langdon mentioned to us about the illuminati was their only enemy was the Catholic Church. It might be the Catholic church who is behind this. But if the Catholic Church was behind this then why steel the antimatter? This book creates a lot of questions as you read. As of now I finished chapter 30, Robert Langdon and Vittoria is going to Vatican City to find the antimatter which would lead you to the leader of this whole secret operation.

Angels and Demons Chapter 19-23 Questions

When was the Big Bang Theory introduced and by whom?

According to Vittoria, the Catholic monk, Georges Lemaitre in 1927, proposed the Big Bang Theory. As Langdon thought Harvard astronomer Edwin Hubble proposed that Big Bang Theory. Vittoria explained that Lemaitre proposed it in 1927 and Edwin Hubble proved it with hard evidence in 1929.

What was one of the secrets Janus shared with the Hassassin?  What do you think it will be used for?

One of the secrets that Janus told the Hassassin was how to pass through the ancient tunnel, and without the help of Janus, this task seemed impossible.

I think what the secrete to passing this tunnel will be used to kill someone very important or to discover upon another object. You only have tunnels with the ideal of it being impossible without the secretes if you are guarding an important person or an important object.

What happens if antimatter and matter interact?

If antimatter and matter both interact, both will be destroyed which this process is called annihilation (big explosion) depending on the size of the antimatter.  Also when a particle of matter and antimatter combine to release two particles called photons, which is a tiny puff of light. 

How long does the backup battery last before it needs to be recharged?

The backup batteries last for 24 hours before it need to charge.

 How did Vittoria's view of publicizing the discovery differ from her Father's view?

According to Vittoria about publicity of antimatter is very critical for its success and of other any new success energy source. Even though antimatter technology has potential to be an efficient and nonpolluting energy source if antimatter were to be introduced early, there is a change that the polities and PR fiascoes vilified it just like nuclear and solar power.

Also her view on the usage of antimatter is different than her father view of the unity of science and religion. Vittoria believes that antimatter can save the planet- no pollution, no radiation, limitless energy. 

What is a Kiloton?

A kiloton was equal to a 1,000 metric tons of TNT. Kilotons was used for weaponry, and destructive Power

What did Langdon, Vittoria, and Kohler find at the security screen at Hazmat?

They found Vetra eyeball on the ground.

Analysis:

Finding Vetra eyeball on the ground indicated that Vetra missing eyeball served after all a much higher purpose. The Hassassin needed Vetra eyeball so he can get though the security system in the Hazmat to steal the canister antimatter.

In the knowing of Langdon, Kohler, Vittoria: going back on what Langdon said about the Illuminati not being this horrid or them not excising for a long time, it is possible that the people who are doing this is not the Illuminati. Maybe the Illuminati are being framed. Thinking of all the possibilities of the people who did this crime. So saying that Vetra wasn’t killed because of his beliefs, he was killed for the antimatter substance which we know that when it is combined with matter, a huge explosion happens. This substance just so happens to be the largest sample Vetra and Vittoria had in their lab which is why they hid it in the Hazmat and put a security system around it.

Then as it said when disconnecting the canister from the podium, it had 24 hours until annihilation occurs. Which the possibility of the Hassassin creating a new battery of podium for it is impossible because it was said by Vittoria that it will take weeks or months.

So what we know is that the Hassassin used Vetra eye to get through the security system and steel the antimatter in the Hazmat. Then delivering it to Janus. Also not knowing how much time left until the backup charge dies and annihilation occurs.      

Angels and Demons Chapter 14-18 Questions

Why was Langdon sure the Illuminati were not responsible for Vetra's murder?  Why did Kohler disagree?

Langdon was sure that the Illuminati was not responsible for Vetra murder because Langdon described the missing eye as a random mutilation. Which is according to Robert Langdon: zealots who commit random acts of terrorism. But the Illuminati have always been more deliberate meaning that all the actions the Illuminati made was serving a higher purpose and the eye served no purpose at all.

Kohler disagreed with Langdon about the eye being stolen does serve a higher purpose because its seems like Kohler believes in the Illuminati existing. The fact that Kohler keeps asking about the existing of the Illuminati to Langdon tells me that Kohler is desperate about finding out who murdered Vetra.

What does LHC stand for?  What is it?

LHC stands for large hadron collider meaning a particle accelerator. According to one of the characters in Angel Demons Brownell "he explained that a particle accelerator was a large, circular tube through which subatomic particles were accelerated. Magnets in the tube turned on and off in rapid succession to push particles around and around until they reach tremendous velocities. Fully accelerated particles circled the tube at over 180,000 mi./s " (68). Which is almost the speed of light.

How did Vetra change the security to get into his lab?  How is this significant to the murder?

Vetra changed the security in his lab to a retina scan which is a mechanism that has protruding lens for you to align your eye so it can scan the eye to unlock the door to Vetra lab. Only two people had access to opening the lab which was Vetra and Vittoria. This is significant to the Murder scene because when Robert Langdon noticed dried blood on the floor beneath the scanner of the lad we come to conclude that reason why the murder known as the Hassassin took Vetra eye so he can get into the lab. Which explains why Kohler said that the eye serves a higher purpose because Kohler mentioned to Robert and Victoria that he went looking for Vetra in his lab then seeing the security to get into his lab that involves an eye scanner.

What does "Malak alhaq mean?

It means the Angel of truth. 

What did Vetra discover?

They should've discover scatterplots which is computer representations  of particle collisions. He also discovered the Z particle which was discovered five years ago pure energy no mass at all. It is  the smallest building block in nature. Matter is nothing but trapped energy. But according to conscience of Vittoria, they were about to witness Vetra greatest achievement.

Analysis:

My prediction was wrong about the murder trying to hide what he really took by taking the eye. But really the murder needed the eye to get into Vetra lab. What ever Vetra greatest achievement was that he discovered is believed by Kohler related to why Vetra was murdered. I strongly agree because of e simple fact that the murder took the eye to go into the lab. What I am thinking is when the murder went to the lab and discovered that Vetra eye is needed to open the lab, he then went to Vetra, tortured him and took his eye to open the lab.

Also what I'm a confused about is why would his people or his title be angel of truth. So a person who kills and is known for being an assassin is known as the angel of truth. Literally this is ironic to me cause how can a person who kills be an angel. Unless there is something as a bad angel. Maybe they call him the angel of truth cause in our eyes the actions are bad but what if the actions serve for a greater good. As for the reason why the murder had to kill Vetra and take the object to give to Janus. Maybe this is all done for the greater good through the eyes of the Illuminati.

Angels and Demons Chapter 9-13 Questions

Describe the significance of “Illuminati” as a symbol.

Ancient document described the Illuminati as an ambigram- ambi meaning both, signifying that it is legible both ways. All common ambigrams are through symbology like the cross or the Yin Yang: but for a word to be crafted into an ambigram seemed impossible. Many symbologists tried to forge the word “Illuminati” into a perfect symmetrical word but failed miserably. 

What does the word Illuminati mean?

The word Illuminati means the enlightened ones, an ancient brotherhood that showed scientific proofs. It started with a group of people fighting against the church who were some of Italy’s enlightening men- physicists, mathematicians, astronomers. They began to meet secretly to discuss about the concerns they have about the church belief threaten the academic world.

Who was the most revered member of Illuminati?

Galileo was the most revered member of the Illuminati. He persuades the Illuminati to not create violence against the Church because he was a pacifist. He proved that the sun was in the center of our solar system not Earth. 

Describe the new Illuminati.  How are the new Illuminati different from it origins?

Over the years, the Illuminati began to gather more members. This continued until a much darker Illuminati formed into a deep anti-Christian Illuminati. They grew very powerful and vowing that someday they will take revenge of the Catholic Church. They grew so powerful that the Catholic Church considered them as the single most dangerous anti Christian force on Earth. The new Illuminati is different than the origins because the at first the Illuminati was made up of en-lighteners who was proving scientific claims and now because of what the Catholic Church did to them they became much stronger with their goal of getting revenge rather than the work of science. 

How was modern Satanism born?

“The rumors of satanic black-magic animal sacrifices and the pentagram ritual were nothing but lies spread by the church as a smear campaign against their adversaries” (46). Than as time went on, the opponents of the church and the people who wanted to emulate the Illuminati began to believe in the lies and acting the rituals out. That is how the Satanism was born.

Who created the Illuminati symbol and why?

The Illuminati symbol was created by an anonymous sixteenth century Illuminati artist. The brotherhood kept the Illuminati symbol a secret so when they resurface and gain their power, they will carry out their final goal.  

What was the item stolen from Vetra by his murderer?

Vetra murder stole Vetra eye.

Remarks:

Finding out that Vetra was not only a scientist but a scientist that uses science to explain religion. If Langdon is wrong about the Illuminati not existing for more than half a century, then it is possible that the Illuminati is responsible for the murder of Vetra because of the conflicts between the Church and the Illuminati.. This is an explanation for why Vetra got murdered in the first place. Clearly the Illuminati aren't joking on killing their enemies or getting revenge from the past against the Church. What confuses me is why Vetra murder took his eye. How does his eye relate to anything? I remember in the previous chapters where the killer tortured Vetra for the object he was looking for and delivered the object to Janus. So was the object Vetra eye? I think another possible reason why the killer took Vetra eye so that the killer can cover up what he really took from Vetra. Everyone that sees a body on the floor with a missing eye, the attention of the eye being missing will be much greater than the attention of another missing object. Which also explains why Vetra eye is missing. 

Angels and Demons Chapter 5-8 Questions

What is the “employer of the brotherhood’s name?  What might it mean?

The Employers name is Janus. According to the killer the thought of Janus means a code name or a reference of some kind. Then he thought of the Roman two-faced god…or to the moon of Saturn. The Killer thought of the word “Janus” as a word of meaning or code rather than a name. 

What word were the lethal men known by worldwide?  What does the word mean?  What is the word in modern English?

The lethal men were known as the Hassassin which meant the followers of hashish. This word became synonymous with death in almost every language on earth. Then the word evolved into the modern language as the craft of killing-assassins. These lethal men were the killer ancestor. 

Where was Langdon driven?  What was the building called and who operated it?

Robert Langdon was driven to CERN which is a Nuclear Research facility. Robert Langdon flew to Switzerland and was driven to the lab. The man who operated CERN was Maximilian Kohler and was described to be in his sixties along to be in a wheelchair.  

  

Who invented the worldwide web?

As Langdon was walking passed the wall full of awards, he saw the award for CERN inventing the worldwide web.

What did the police say about the murder?

Kohler did not call the police because an investigation will occur in the lab of Vetra which he and his step daughter (Vittoria Vetra) hold most private which was explained by Kohler to Langdon.  

Angels and Demons Reading Response on Prologue and Chapters 1-4

Prologue:
The prologue is a basic  intense scene where you as a reader witness (in third person) a guy getting tortured. The person being tortured is Leonardo Vetra who is a physicist. And has quoted, "the dark figure...." (prologue) is the one torturing Vetra. Now what the dark figure guy wants is the password to something that we don't know yet. But as the dark figure guy pressed the white object deeper into Vetra chest begging  to make Vetra cry in agony. He told the dark figure guy that there is no password. From what it seems it looks like the dark figure kills Vetra because even though Vetra thought, "his attacker would never obtain what he came for" (prologue) it says at the very end of the passage that the attacker pulls a blade and when Vetra screamed "For the love of God!!" it was already to late. Meaning that the attacker probably found what he was looking for and since Vetra was a liability, the attacker killed him. Now from my since of thinking this will be a murder case. On who actually killed Vetra because all we know as the killer is the dark figure.

Chapter 1:
In Chapter 1 we get introduced to a character named Robert Langdon who is a professor of religious iconology at Harvard University. He is a forty year old man and the color of his skin is compared to an "aging ghost"(5). Characteristic of Robert Langdon was provided saying, "wisps of gray in his thick brown hair, probing blue eyes, an arrestingly deep voice, and the strong, carefree smile of a collegiate athlete"(5). We learn a little about his history on being a diver for his prep school and college and him currently being six foot and he still has a body shape of a swimmer. So taking that Robert is a healthy guy that is still in good shape. So before all of this background check on Robert Langdon, he wakes from a nightmare and his phone is ringing. He picks up the phone and a discrete particle physicist named Maximilian Kohler is on the line claiming that he needs to see Langdon. Langdon identifies the time to be at 5:18 A.M. and he gets irritated because of the super early call he is getting. As Langdon is continuing to be confused about this call, Kohler claims that he needs Langdon right of way because he needs to show Langdon something that he cant discuss over the phone. Going off the topic, Langdon ask Kohler where he got his number. Kohler response is on the world wide web which Langdon knew his number what not on any of his websites. Langdon claimed that he was lying so as the conversation arose, he got irritated because of Kohler being to vague so he hung up the phone. When Langdon went down stairs, he got a fax, and on the page it showed, "a human corpse. The body had been stripped naked, and its head had been twisted, facing completely backward. On the victim's chest was a terrible burn. The man had been branded.....imprinted with a single word. It was a word Langdon knew well. Very well. He started at the ornate lettering in disbelief: Illuminati" (7). Us as readers know that the image of the dead body is Vetra because of him dying in the prologue by a dark figure guy who was burning his chest just like it was observed by Langdon in the picture. But Langdon doesn't know that yet as he collapse on his chair and was receiving a call at the same time.

Chapter 2:
As the man called asking if he had Langdon's attention know. Langdon confirmed. As Kohler explained that he is a physicist that runs a research facility and we learn that they invented the web. He tells Langdon that they have a murder mystery. Claiming that Langdon saw the body on the the image that was faxed to him. So Kohler voice is persistent on trying to tell Langdon that he need to speak to him in person. So he send a plane over for Langdon that will be there in 20 min. also telling us that the flight is a 1 hour flight from Boston. Langdon agreed to go. Even though Langdon has no idea where he is going.

Chapter 3:
Chapter three tells us a lot of information even though the chapter is only a page. It zooms in to the place where the killer (dark figure who killed Vetra) is serving. We know he got what he was looking because when the "man in charge" (10) asked the dark figure if he got what the man in charge asked for. The confirmation was the dark figure placing a heavy electronic device on the table. The man in charge was pleased. Now I am thinking is this electronic thing a bomb or new generation of technology. But when the man in charge said, "Phase two begins shortly. Get some rest. Tonight we change the world" (11). One that sounds very creepy and I don't know whether he is going to change the world in a good way for a bad way. Also the fact that how can a small device change the world? The author leaves us with a lot of information yet so many questions un answered.

Chapter 4:
As Langdon was introduced to the pilot. They were at the airport and when the pilot took to the plane, well has Langdon put it, "Were riding in that?" (12). The craft was really unusual according to Langdon. But as explained by the pilot, this craft isn't even out for another five years. The craft has no windows and just by the pilots explanation the craft is the newest technology of a plane. Langdon went inside and the pilot called him on the phone next to the seating and their location is Geneva. Langdon thought Geneva by New York but the pilot correct him as Geneva in Switzerland. Then Langdon told him that he though the plane ride is only an hour away. The pilot confirmed that it only takes an hour which shows how fast the craft goes.

English IRP Contract of 2013

English IRP Contract

Choices:

1. Angles and Demons by Dan Brown

2. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

3. A Slave No more by David W. Blight

4. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

5. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

6. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

May 2013-2014 Summer Reading text will include:

1. Angles and Demons by Dan Brown

2. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

(I have the same reason for reading both of these books by Dan Brown)

Rationale:

My freshman going to my sophomore year summer I read a book called the “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown. When I read this book, there were times where I was happy and interested, then there were times when I wanted to throw the book against the wall because my emotions played in factor while reading this book. I deeply enjoyed reading this book over my summer between 9th and 10th grade because of the mystery, the codes breaking and the riddles that Robert Langdon (main character) solved only in a limited amount of time. But what I didn’t know was that there was a series to this book. The Lost symbol was the third book so I picked the first two books of the series (which are provided above) before reading his new that Dan Brown just came out with called Inferno the fourth book to the series.  

My current class: English 10

My Current Teacher: Mr. Small