Silas Character Analysis in The Da Vinci Code

Silas is an albino man and a member of the conservative Catholic organization known as Opus Dei. Born in France to a family that despised his unconventional appearance, Silas murdered his father and lived on the streets until his violent behavior led to imprisonment. After a miraculous escape, Bishop Manuel Aringarosa rescued Silas and converted him to Catholicism. Silas is profoundly loyal to Bishop Aringarosa, who is the current president-general of Opus Dei. When disaster threatens the organization, Aringarosa calls on Silas to take action under the tutelage of a mysterious man known as the Teacher. On the Teacher’s orders, Silas murders Louvre curator Jacques Saunière and pursues Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu in an effort to obtain an ancient secret that threatens the church. Accustomed to his outcast status, Silas is fiercely devoted to God and the church—the only place that hasn’t rejected him based on his appearance. Despite his faith, Silas struggles with guilt and shame and frequently enacts brutal physical punishment on himself for perceived sins. He dies of a gunshot wound at the end of the novel.

Silas Quotes in The Da Vinci Code

The The Da Vinci Code quotes below are all either spoken by Silas or refer to Silas. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Even so, the fear that now gripped him was a fear far greater than that of his own death.

I must pass on the secret.

Staggering to his feet, he pictured his three murdered brethren. He thought of the generations who had come before them…of the mission with which they had all been entrusted.

An unbroken chain of knowledge.

Suddenly, now, despite all the precautions…despite all the fail-safes…Jacques Saunière was the only remaining link, the sole guardian of one of the most powerful secrets ever kept.

Related Characters: Jacques Saunière (speaker), Mary Magdalene, Jesus Christ, Silas

Page Number and Citation: 5

Explanation and Analysis:

Now, with over four million copies of The Way in circulation in forty-two languages, Opus Dei was the fastest-growing and most financially secure Catholic organization in the world. Unfortunately, Aringarosa had learned, in an age of religious cynicism, cults, and televangelists, Opus Dei’s escalating wealth and power was a magnet for suspicion.

Related Characters: Bishop Manuel Aringarosa, Silas

Page Number and Citation: 29

Explanation and Analysis:

“It would not be the first time in history the Church has killed to protect itself. The documents that accompany the Holy Grail are explosive, and the Church has wanted to destroy them for years.”

[…]

“Isn’t it possible that these Priory members were murdered by someone outside the Church? Someone who didn’t understand what the Grail really is? The Cup of Christ, after all, would be quite enticing treasure. Certainly treasure hunters have killed for less.”

“In my experience,” Teabing said, “men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire. I sense a desperation in this assault on the Priory.”

Related Characters: Sir Leigh Teabing/The Teacher (speaker), Sophie Neveu (speaker), Silas, Jacques Saunière, Robert Langdon

Page Number and Citation: 266

Explanation and Analysis:

“It could not be more obvious. All the historical signs are in place, and if the Priory did not intend to make their secret known very soon, why has the Church now attacked?”

Sophie argued, “The monk has not yet told us his purpose.”

“The monk’s purpose is the Church’s purpose,” Teabing replied, “to destroy the documents that reveal the great deception. The Church came closer tonight than they have ever come, and the Priory has put its trust in you, Miss Neveu. The task of saving the Holy Grail clearly includes carrying out the Priory’s final wishes of sharing the truth with the world.”

Related Characters: Sir Leigh Teabing/The Teacher (speaker), Sophie Neveu (speaker), Robert Langdon, Mary Magdalene, Silas, Jacques Saunière

Page Number and Citation: 295

Explanation and Analysis:

“You and I are men of God,” the Teacher whispered. “We cannot be deterred from our goal.” There was an ominous pause on the line. “For this reason alone, I will ask Rémy to bring me the keystone. Do you understand?”

[…]

Silas handed Rémy the phone, sensing it might be the last call Rémy Legaludec ever took.

As Rémy took the phone, he knew this poor, twisted monk had no idea what fate awaited him now that he had served his purpose.

The Teacher used you, Silas.

And your bishop is a pawn.

Related Characters: Sir Leigh Teabing/The Teacher (speaker), Bishop Manuel Aringarosa, Silas, Rémy Legaludec

Page Number and Citation: 375-376

Explanation and Analysis:

Silas Character Timeline in The Da Vinci Code

The timeline below shows where the character Silas appears in The Da Vinci Code. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...security system. Iron gates descend, trapping him in the Grand Gallery. But Saunière’s albino attacker (Silas) threatens to shoot him through the bars unless he reveals the location of some allegedly... (full context)

One mile from Langdon, the albino man, Silas, returns to his temporary lodging house. He wears a spiked cilice belt around one thigh,... (full context)

Silas hangs up. The Teacher has given him one hour to prepare by enacting penance on... (full context)

...war-like action. On the plane, he discreetly answers a phone call. The caller reports that Silas has located the keystone, but they require Aringarosa’s influence to retrieve it. Back in Paris,... (full context)

Silas drives to the Church of Saint-Sulpice, excited to reclaim God’s property from the brotherhood. He... (full context)

Silas woke periodically to visions of Jesus telling him he is born again. One day, hearing... (full context)

Silas leaves his handgun in the car, feeling it has no place in Saint-Sulpice. The plaza... (full context)

Sacred Femininity and Revisionist History Theme Icon

...temple dedicated to Isis and playing host to several secret societies over the years. Now, Silas follows Sister Sandrine toward the darkened sanctuary. The nun seems nervous, which Silas attributes to... (full context)

In Saint-Sulpice, Silas pretends to pray. He spots the thin brass line each of his victims described, bisecting... (full context)

In Saint-Sulpice, Silas examines the obelisk. All four victims told him the keystone is hidden at its base.... (full context)

In Saint-Sulpice, Silas retrieves an iron candle holder from the altar to break the tile at the obelisk’s... (full context)

...church’s floor panel was ever broken—a sign that the brotherhood’s security has been breached. Now, Silas appears. He asks where the keystone is, but Sandrine doesn’t know. Silas is disgusted that... (full context)

...months. Now, Aringarosa tries to relax, though the Teacher still hasn’t called with news of Silas and the keystone. (full context)

Silas returns to his rented room, distraught that the brotherhood chose death over revealing the location... (full context)

Silas has whipped himself to exhaustion but still can’t justify removing his cilice after failing the... (full context)

...Collet leaves without asking who called in the tip, eager to redeem himself. In Versailles, Silas pulls up to the fence encircling Teabing’s château. The lights are on, confirming the Teacher’s... (full context)

...they know where the Priory keystone is. Tempted, Teabing lets them stay. Outside the study, Silas watches this scene, certain the keystone is in the house. Inside, Langdon tells Teabing that... (full context)

...in a bank until Langdon confirms they have taken it from its hiding place. Outside, Silas watches his quarry move to another room before entering through the study’s unlocked door. (full context)

Sophie and Teabing confront an enormous albino man in a monk’s robe. Silas demands the keystone, ignoring Teabing’s protests that he won’t be able to open it. Noting... (full context)

...in the passenger seat with the keystone, while Sophie and Teabing are in the back. Silas, still bound and gagged, is in the trunk. Rémy maneuvers the car far enough into... (full context)

...Teabing. Langdon is less interested in his own safety than in solving the Grail mystery. Silas struggles to breathe, prompting Teabing to remove his gag. He won’t answer their questions, saying... (full context)

...to let Sophie and Langdon board, but he then accepts Teabing’s considerable bribe. They bring Silas too. (full context)

...country with a fugitive and a hostage. In the plane’s rear, Rémy stands guard over Silas. Before they investigate the keystone, Teabing wants to make sure Sophie understands that Saunière entrusted... (full context)

...thin wood—as Sophie does now. The text is English. Meanwhile, a disconcerted Rémy watches over Silas, who seems to be in a trance. (full context)

Still flying to France, Aringarosa hangs up with Fache for a second time. His and Silas’s plan has gone horribly wrong. The bishop asks the pilot to change his destination to... (full context)

...along with British currency to bribe the customs officials. Rémy will stay on board with Silas. Teabing waves off Sophie and Langdon’s concerns about their hostage, claiming his knighthood will protect... (full context)

...French police. He and Rémy drive off in his limousine, where Langdon and Sophie dragged Silas during the plane’s turnaround in the hangar. (full context)

...himself a drink, believing he will soon be rich. He takes a wine-opener and approaches Silas, who fears that God has forsaken him. He closes his eyes as Rémy cuts, but... (full context)

...Aringarosa, who has rerouted his own plane to London. Fache assures him he will find Silas as soon as possible and reminds the bishop that he is not the only one... (full context)

...1950s. Teabing can’t believe he was mistaken. Soon after, the altar boy encounters Rémy and Silas in the annex, who order him to run and threaten his life. (full context)

In the sanctuary, Silas holds a gun to Sophie’s back. Rémy instructed him to retrieve the keystone and kill... (full context)

...hands, but Teabing protests that Rémy would never shoot him. Rémy fires a warning shot. Silas takes the cryptex. Rémy drags Teabing backwards out of the church, intending to use his... (full context)

...best way to help him is alert London police. She intends to force Rémy and Silas into hiding. Afterward, they will go to King’s College to use their research database. Sophie’s... (full context)

Rémy restrains Teabing in the limo’s main cabin, raises the partition, and drives off with Silas. The Teacher calls Silas, pleased to hear he has the keystone. He wants Rémy to... (full context)

Rémy drops Silas near London’s Opus Dei residence. Silas drops his gun down a sewer, glad to be... (full context)

Silas wakes with the sense that something is wrong. Outside, he sees a police car. Hearing... (full context)

...they first arrived at the château. He blames Saunière and the sénéchaux for lying to Silas about the keystone’s location—if they had told the truth, Langdon and Sophie wouldn’t be involved. (full context)

...they arrived at the château. Once Teabing saw Saunière’s intricate codes, he decided to overpower Silas (who he’d ordered to come steal the keystone) and use Langdon and Sophie’s knowledge. Internally,... (full context)

Silas carries the wounded bishop in search of a hospital. Aringarosa recalls his meeting at Castel... (full context)

...meet Langdon, Teabing assumed the curator intended to censor his colleague’s new manuscript. Yesterday afternoon, Silas called Saunière pretending to have information on his family’s murders and implied Sophie was in... (full context)

Meanwhile, Silas limps to Kensington Gardens and kneels out of sight. He is bleeding from a bullet... (full context)

...Fache visits the hospital, where Aringarosa has miraculously recovered. The bishop feels guilty for involving Silas, whose body has been found. Until Fache reached out about Sister Sandrine’s death at Saint-Sulpice,... (full context)

...him to disperse the 20 million euro among the families who have suffered because of Silas’s actions. On the hospital TV, Collet delivers a press conference at the château. When asked... (full context)

The Da Vinci Code

Silas Character Analysis

Silas Quotes in The Da Vinci Code

Prologue Quotes

Chapter 5 Quotes

Chapter 62 Quotes

Chapter 69 Quotes

Chapter 91 Quotes

Silas Character Timeline in The Da Vinci Code