Manipulation Quotes in The Da Vinci Code

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Quickly, Aringarosa checked the phone's voice mail. Nothing. Then again, he realized, the Teacher never would have left a recorded message; he was a man who took enormous care with his communications. Nobody understood better than the Teacher the perils of speaking openly in this modern world. Electronic eavesdropping had played a major role in how he had gathered his astonishing array of secret knowledge.

For this reason, he takes extra precautions.

Unfortunately, the Teacher's protocols for caution included a refusal to give Aringarosa any kind of contact number. I alone will initiate contact, the Teacher had informed him. So keep your phone close. (50.7-9)

By being the one who holds all the methods of communication, the Teacher has put the Bishop and Silas in a precarious situation. He can control all of his underlings without them even suspecting a thing, and he's revealed just enough to make the bishop think things are on the up-and-up. But, if you were in the Bishop's shoes – wouldn't you have doubts about trusting this faceless entity that mysteriously emerged with a plan just when you thought things were looking bleak?

Quote #5

"Who is she?" Sophie asked.

"That, my dear," Teabing replied, "is Mary Magdalene."

Sophie turned. "The prostitute?"

Teabing drew a short breath, as if the word had injured him personally. "Magdalene was no such thing. That unfortunate misconception is the legacy of a smear campaign launched by the early Church. The Church needed to defame Mary Magdalene in order to cover up her dangerous secret – her role as the Holy Grail." (58.25-28)

So, this is another manipulation of historical evidence so that Brown can support his clever conspiracy theory. Mary Magdalene is indeed believed to suffer from the misconception that she was a prostitute, but it's less a deliberate smear campaign than an unfortunate juxtaposition of descriptions of women named Mary in the Bible. (Source)

Quote #6

The wind outside Château Villette had picked up, and Silas's robe danced in the breeze as he crouched near the window. Although he had been unable to hear much of the conversation, the word keystone had sifted through the glass on numerous occasions.

It is inside.

The Teacher's words were fresh in his mind. Enter Château Villette. Take the keystone. Hurt no one.
(62.89-91)

We feel like Silas should've seen some red flags when the Teacher tells him to hurt no one. He hasn't really had a problem with violence so far (heck, that's why Silas was perfect for the job), so why now? It's not because he's deep down a benevolent puppet-master, it's because he knows he's in the house and has to protect himself.