Sophie Neveu's Corporate America

Sophie Neveu is the discerning, agile, compassionate, and witty counterpart to Robert Langdon. Dan Brown asserts repeatedly that the role of women in today’s society is not equal to that of men. He exemplifies this through his male character’s consistent underestimation of Sohpie’s abilities. Unfortunately, these attitudes in the Da Vinci Code are a cruel reality for women in the real world. Sohpie Neveu’s situation is best applicable in “Corporate America”. Despite Sophie’s brilliance, Fache is completely ignorant of her intellect, and assumes she’s incoherent because she’s a woman. Another aspect society has neglected to recognize is the physical abilities of women in law enforcement and military because they are viewed as delicate. Sophie’s

Women were meant to stay at home and cook, and men were sent to work. As a workingwoman – in a male dominated job – Sophie proves herself frequently through out the Da Vinci Code. For instance, when the group was trying to solve the cryptex, they left Sophie out unconsciously patronizing her, when in matter of fact, she knows how to decipher the code on the back of the rose which was simply written backwards. By leaving her out, there is the implied assumption that Sohpie simply is not smart enough to interpret the clue on the back of the rose. It is not until she takes it from Langdon is she finally able to contribute. In society today, women are still viewed as sensitive, fragile creatures that don’t have the mental capacity to help with common workplace logistics. Sophie defies this stereotype because she’s quick witted and confident which still receives some harsh judgment from her peers. This problem stretches farther than social interactions, in the U.S., the wage gap between the men and women is about eighty cents on the dollar for women compared to men. While the very “resourceful” Fox News team reports that unmarried women that have not had children, and are between the ages of thirty-five and forty-three there is “virtually no wage gap”. Factors like the aforementioned ones are ridiculous, issues like this have an easy solution: equal work

Women not only lacked the physicality necessary for police work” (Pg. ). Fache’s mindset on women is exactly what Brown is alluding to society’s undermining of their position, specifically their physical capabilities. The common attitudes about female agility have remained relatively unchanged for thousands of years, as women have been excluded from law enforcement or military positions on account of the stereotype of being physically fragile, mentally incapable, etc. There are some notable exceptions such as Joan of Arc from the Hundred Years War, but even she was not recognized as war hero until the early 1900’s. In present day, women have just finally been added to the United States Military draft in a House bill. If society is as equal as some say it is why now in, 2016, woman are finally included in this draft? Several women are already in the military by choice and have proven themselves mentally and physically capable. Moreover in The Da Vinci Code, Sophie is a federal agent and has to cope with the obstacles her superiors, such as Fache, put in her way because of their preconceived notions and standards, such as being a delicate lady. Sophie clearly thwarts this stereotype when she interrogates Silas on the plane because she goes as far as to hit him across the face. Actions like this in law enforcement, in general, are frowned upon, but