HỆ THỐNG BẦU CỬ Ở MỸ VÀ MỘT SỐ GIÁ TRỊ VĂN HÒA MỸ GẮN LIỀN VỚI VẤN ĐỀ CHÍNH TRỊ QUA TIỂU THUYẾT “ĐIỂM DỐI LỪA” DAN BROWN

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUGAGE TEACHER EDUCATION
GRADUATION PAPER
AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM AND SOME
AMERICAN VALUES SEEN THROUGH THE
NOVEL “DECEPTION POINT”
BY DAN BROWN
Supervisor: Văn Thị Thanh Bình (M.A)
Student : Phan Hồng Nhung
Year of enrolment : QH2009
HÀ NỘI –2013
ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH
KHOÁ LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP
HỆ THỐNG BẦU CỬ Ở MỸ VÀ MỘT SỐ GIÁ TRỊ
VĂN HÒA MỸ GẮN LIỀN VỚI VẤN ĐỀ CHÍNH TRỊ
QUA TIỂU THUYẾT
“ĐIỂM DỐI LỪA”- DAN BROWN
Giáo viên hướng dẫn: Ths. Văn Thị Thanh Bình
Sinh viên: Phan Hồng Nhung
Khóa : QH2009
HÀ NỘI – NĂM 2013
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I
ABSTRACT II
GRAPH AND ABBREVIATIONS III
PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.RATIONALE 1

2.AIMS 1
3.SCOPE OF THE STUDIES 1
PART 2: DEVELOPMENT 2
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 2
1.1. LITERATURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH A CULTURE 2
1.1.1. DEFINITION OF LITERATURE 2
1.1.2. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LITERATURE AND CULTURE 3
1.2. LITERATURE GENRE: NOVEL 4
1.2.1. DEFINITION 4
1.2.2. ELEMENTS OF A NOVEL 4
1.2.2.1. Plot 4
1.2.2.2. Characters 5
1.2.2.3. Conflict 6
1.2.2.4. Settings 6
1.3. DAN BROWN AND THE NOVEL DECEPTION POINT 7
1.3.1. THE AUTHOR DAN BROWN 7
1.3.2. THE NOVEL “DECEPTION POINT” 8
1.3.2.1. Setting 8
1.3.2.2. Main characters 8
1.3.2.3. Plot 9
CHAPTER 2: AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM AND SOME NATIONAL VALUES 10
2.1. AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM 10
2.1.1. PRIMARY ROUND 10
2.1.2. THE NATIONAL CONVENTION 11
2.1.3. THE GENERAL ELECTION 12
2.2. ELECTION FINANCE 13
2.3. SOME AMERICAN VALUES 13
2.3.1. DEMOCRACY 14
2.3.2. LIBERTY 14
2.3.3. EQUALITY 15

2.3.4. TOLERANCE 15
CHAPTER 3: AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM AND SOME VALUES SEEN
THROUGH THE NOVEL “DECEPTION POINT” 16
3.1. AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM SEEN THROUGH THE NOVEL 16
3.1.1. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ROUND 17
3.1.1.1. Winning the Party Nomination (Primary round) 17
3.1.1.2. The requirements of presidential characteristics 19
3.1.2. COMPETING FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 23
3.1.2.1. Political campaign strategies by Senator Sexton and Republic Party 23
3.1.2.2. Political strategies by President Zach Herney and Democratic Party 26
3.2. DEMOCRACY AND SOME OTHER VALUES SEEN THROUGH THE NOVEL 29
3.2.1. AMERICAN LAWS ENSURE THE DEMOCRATIC ATMOSPHERE 30
3.2.1.1. Divided government and limited time of presidential rime 30
3.2.1.2. Limited Legal amount of donation for presidential election 32
3.2.2. THE VALUES OF DEMOCRACY, LIBERTY, TOLERANCE AND EQUALITY IN SOME
CHARACTERS OF THE NOVEL 37
3.2.2.1. Rachel Sexton with high appreciation of Democracy as well as love for liberty and tolerance 37
3.2.2.2. Gabrielle Ashe- a colored American woman with the love for Democracy and equality 40
PART 3: CONCLUSION, LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTION FOR
FURTHER STUDIES 42
1.CONCLUSION 42
2.LIMITATIONS AND SUGESTION FOR FUTHER STUDIES 44
REFERENCES 44
ACCEPTANCE PAGE
I hereby state that I: Phan Hồng Nhung from class QH2009.F1. E14, being a
candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Art (TEFL) accept the requirements of the
University relating to the retention and use of Bachelor’s Graduation Paper for
deposited in the library
In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited in the
library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with

the normal condition established by the librarian for the care, loan or reproduction of
the paper.
Signature
Phan Hồng Nhung
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to
Mrs. Văn Thị Thanh Bình (M.A), my supervisor for her exemplary guidance,
monitoring and constant encouragement throughout the course of this thesis. The
blessing, help and guidance given by her time to time shall carry me a long way in the
journey of life on which I am about to embark.
My very deep appreciation and sincere thanks go to my friends, Nguyễn Thị
Hoàng Hà, Trần Thanh Ngân, Đỗ Thị Thúy Hiền, Phạm Thị Thùy Linh, Đinh Thùy
Duyên and Nguyễn Linh Trang who have always been there for me, supporting me
physically and mentally during the time I’m carrying out my research. Especially, I
would like to take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude to my brother
Đỗ Hoài Văn for his constant consolation as well as his useful supply of materials
concerning my study.
Last but not least, I would like to send my special thanks to my parents, Phan
Văn Hải and Nguyễn Thị Thu Hiền, my sister Phan Thu Huyền and my brother Phan
Văn Hiệp for their indispensable support and compliment during the process of
completing my thesis. Without them, I would not have enough strength and motivation
to go to the end of this challenging road.


i
ABSTRACT
This graduation paper focuses on the analysis of the picture of American
election system in the late 20
th
century and at the beginning of 21

st
century and some
American core values as described in the novel “Deception point”, written by the
famous thrilling novelist Dan Brown. This research includes three main parts with
various aspects in the contents.
The first part is introduction with some main reasons, aims and scope of the
study. Part 2 of this thesis is devoted to some literature review in chapter 1 that include
some theory about literature, novel- the literature genre and some information about
the writer Dan Brown and his famous novel “Deception Point”. Furthermore, Part 2
also concerns with the brief descriptions of American election system and some
national core values. After that, the researcher takes an investigation of the election
system and those values that can be seen through the novel. The last part of this
research includes the conclusions for the whole thesis which sum up the main ideas
that are analyzed in the previous parts, some limitations of the current research and
suggestions for further studies of this novel.
ii
GRAPH AND ABBREVIATIONS
1. Graph
Graph 1: The elements of a plot
2. Abbreviation
FEC: Federal Election Commission
PACs: Political Action Committees
iii
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
1. RATIONALE
Dan Brown is the author of numerous best-selling novels, including The Da
Vinci Code, which has become one of the best-selling novels of all time as well as the
subject of heated debate among readers and scholars. I have first known about Dan
Brown through the Film Da Vinci Code which is developed from the novel with the
same title. At that time, I was deeply impressed by the author’s rich experience

reflected in the film. Being attracted by Dan Brown’s way of writing with thrilling
twists and turns, I was then indulged myself in reading his incredible series of fiction.
Among them, the novel “Deception Point” has fascinated my imagination about the
reality of American Democratic society as well as its political issue so much. Thus, it
came to my mind on carrying out a research about this fascinating novel when
choosing subject for my graduation paper.
2. AIMS
The thesis aims to find out some features of American politics at the end of the
20
th
century and beginning of the 21
st
century by analyzing the national Democracy
seen through the election system focusing on two rounds: primary and competing for
general campaign. Furthermore, an analysis of some core beliefs and values of
America which are attached to political issue of this country is also included in this
graduation paper.
3. SCOPE OF THE STUDIES
This thesis only focuses on small aspects of the whole novel, that is, American
Democracy and some other American values attached to politics and election system
as seen through the novel “Deception Point” written by Dan Brown. That is the reason
why this research does not cover other issues depicted in the novel. The main
1
discussion of the thesis contains things about American politics, including American
democracy, and American election system and election campaign.
PART 2: DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1: Literature Review
1.1. LITERATURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH A CULTURE
1.1.1. DEFINITION OF LITERATURE
In general, depending on the contexts and the purposes of the users, literature is

defined from different perspectives. Normally, in widest sense, literature is referred to
anything that is in written form. We will come up with the perspective of “literature”
with the definition from Oxford Dictionary which refers Literature as:
“Literary work or production, the activity or profession of a man of
letters; the realm of letters”.
(Oxford English Dictionary, 1989)
In this sense, we can see a general agreement that literature foregrounds
language, and uses it in artistic ways as Terry Eagleton, an English literary theorist and
critic, once said: “Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates
systematically from everyday speech” (Eagleton, 1996, P.2). Furthermore, for some
other theorists, a work that is called literature must display excellence in its form and
style.
Besides, literature is realized as a body of writings in prose or verse, an
imaginative or creative writing, especially of recognized artistic value. However,
literature is not only a perfect written work but it is also the slice of life that reflects
the human experiences. Literature is something that reflects society, makes us think
about ourselves and our society and allows us to enjoy language and beauty.
Although literature is defined from different point of view, the literal works
share the following initial characteristics: Literature is imaginative, Literature
2
expresses thoughts and feelings, Literature deals with life experiences and Literature
use words in a powerful and effect manner. Furthermore, any work of literature carries
the same function that is to pleasure the readers.
1.1.2. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LITERATURE AND CULTURE
The functions of literature have been discussed from the very early times
among the critics. Despite the fact that they differ among one and the others regarding
the other functions of literature, they all stand the same point that the main functions of
literature are to serve as an active- engaging role and a passive-reflective role.
The active role represents the very action of reading. This role is a significant
part of an individual’s development. From reading, an individual forms ideas and

concepts about the world in which he lives. These ideas and concepts form together
into an ideology of sort which stems individual motivation, action, and engagement.
Generally, through a reading of literature aspects of life are widened and deepened,
experiences are also enriched and interests are satisfied. In this way, the function of
literature is to:
“interpret life immediately about us and guides us to the life that “lies
beyond the narrow confines our existence”
(Grace. E. Storm (May, 1945). Areas of Children Literature. Retrieved
on April, 19
th
2013 from the website
/>uid=3739320&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21102165426347).
The reflective role of literature differs from the former one in the way that it is a
thing observed, rather than a thing done. Literature has the responsibility to illustrate
the history of ideologies, of thought, and of action. It heightens the awareness of the
reader to certain aspects of the society. It allows the individual to understand how a
3
society functioned and why it functioned that way. For example, an individual reading
through Ernst Bloch will peer into the hearts and minds of the German people during
the early 19th and late 20th century. There, one can find the ideas of the German
ideology and how it functioned in central Europe during the given time period.
Besides the normal way of thought about the functions of literature that is to
pleasure the readers, literature has two main functions accounting as active and
reflective ones. Overall, thanks to the existence of literature, we have chance to take
pleasure in and following as well as participating in the imaginary but real-life
reflective adventures and experience.
1.2. LITERATURE GENRE: NOVEL
1.2.1. DEFINITION
The term “novel” is rooted from the Italian word “novella” and the plural of
Latin “novellus”, a late variant of “novus”, meaning "new". The novella was a kind of

enlarged anecdote like those to be found in the 14th-century Italian classic Boccaccio's
Decameroneach which exemplifies the etymology well enough. This word was once
used to describe a short and compact realistic tale popular during the medieval period.
The stories are little new things, novelties, freshly minted diversions, toys; they are not
reworkings of known fables or myths, and they are lacking in weight and moral
earnestness.
1.2.2. ELEMENTS OF A NOVEL
As having been discussed so far, a novel aims for a comprehensive unified
effect in which all of its elements intertwist with one and the others to make the novel
appealing and worth reading to the readers. Normally, the novelists use five main
elements that can be listed as follow: plot, characters, conflicts, setting, and theme
1.2.2.1. Plot
4
Plot is the core of the whole novel. Plot helps the author to illustrate the story
and its underlying meaning. According to E.M. Forster, an English novelist, plot is
defined as a “narrative of events, the emphasis falling on causality”. In fact, plot is a
series of events selected and arranged by the author of a work of fiction. A plot does
not depend solely on the sequence of events, but on the relationship among the created
events. Each would be the reason of this event and the results of the others at the same
time. The elements of a plot can be described as the following line graph.
(Graph 1: The elements of a plot. Adapted from The Relationship
Among Character, Plot, and Theme. Retrieved on April, 20
th
, 2013, from
the website www.pdesas.org. Copyright 2013 by Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania)
1.2.2.2. Characters
Novel writers hire a variety of characters to weave their own stories. They are
the fictional figures who take part in the flow of the plot. There is no need for the
writers to create the characters physically realistic because they are made of word

rather than of flesh. In the novel, beyond the standard definitions of protagonist (the
main character in a literary work) and antagonist (the main character or force that
opposes the protagonist in a literary work), recognizing the types of characters and the
parts they play while reading an interesting story can add to the experience. Besides
5
those two main types of characters, they are also divided into some further categories
like confidante, dynamic character, flat character, round character, foil and static
character.
1.2.2.3. Conflict
Being the creator of the characters, the novelist must be the master of using
conflict. As conflict is the key component that weaves all the element of the novel all
together, it is necessary for the writer to add conflict to the plot of the novel to make
the story much thornier. The readers will find the story worth reading because conflict
is what makes the readers’ hearts beat faster and encourages them to turn the pages.
Most novelists grasp the reader’s attention by having the conflicts developed
together with the flow of the novel. Conflict depicted in the novel is not the crisis or
what happens to its characters. It is not the battle, the argument or the deception but it
rests upon the characters’ thoughts and feelings toward the events they experience.
Conflict is found within the moral choices of the characters, in their emotional reaction
to the events that swirl about them. Thus, conflict is divided into two main types
including internal conflict and external conflict. Internal Conflict is a struggle that
occurs within the main character. This struggle happens within the character's own
mind. External Conflict is a struggle that the main character has with another
character, with society, or with a natural force.
1.2.2.4. Settings
The other element that contributes to the success of one novel is the setting of
the work. Setting is where the plot takes place which fulfills most of the core aspects
of a story. Without a place there is no story. Setting serves multipurpose roles from
helping with plot, determining and describing character to providing metaphoric links
to theme. There are several aspects to the novel setting which can be counted as

measuring circumstances, amplification and contradiction and weather.
Measuring circumstances: Circumstances in novel modify the nature of time
and place. Thus they refer to the period of history and geographical location of the
6
plots. Different circumstances help the writer to feature the characters’ conflicts,
aspirations and destinies in unique flavor.
Amplification and contradiction: The novelist may put his or her characters in a
setting that may amplify their emotions or contradict them, depending on the
circumstance of the characters, their mood, disposition and tendencies.
Weather: Although this is not as important as the other elements in the novel,
its effects can somehow make the readers understand the characters' feeling. In fact,
weather conveys the mood and tone of both story and characters. To a writer, weather
is not just part of the scenery it is also a device used in plot and theme. For example,
with the influence of the weather aspect, the readers can understand how the desert
setting and the hot winds evoke mood, characters, tension, theme and ultimately story.
1.3. DAN BROWN AND THE NOVEL DECEPTION POINT
1.3.1. THE AUTHOR DAN BROWN
Dan Brown is the talent novelist of the most thrilling novels. Brown's novels
are published in 52 languages around the world with 200 million copies in print. This
famous writer is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where
he spent time as an English teacher before turning his efforts fully to writing.
Dan Brown was born on June 22, 1964 in Exeter, N.H in a family of three
children with a mathematics teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy and a church organist
mother, who was a professional musician. Dan Brown was raised on a prep school
campus where he developed a fascination with the paradoxical interplay between
science and religion. This has a great influence on the ideology in his novels later on.
Brown then attended Amherst College, graduating with a degree in English and
Spanish in 1986 and spent several subsequent years attempting to establish himself as
a singer-song writer and pianist with only marginal success. In 1996, Dan’s interest in
code-breaking and covert government agencies led him to write his first novel,

“Digital Fortress”, which quickly became the national best-selling eBook. Brown’s
follow-up techno-thriller made him continue his career with “Angels and Demons”
7
with religion thriller set within a Swiss physics lab and Vatican and “Deception Point”,
centered on similar issues of morality in politics, national security, and classified
technology.
With the talent of making the novel full of turns and twist, Dan Brown is one of
the most famous American detective authors. That is the reason why he receives a lot
reader’s compliments like Library Journal with the praise: “Brown is among the most
intelligent and dynamic of authors in the thriller genre. In this dazzling high-tech
adventure, he has skillfully blended his own wit and style with the rip-roaring
adventure of Cussler and the modern technology of Clancy. Highly recommended.”
1.3.2. THE NOVEL “DECEPTION POINT”
Deception Point is another fast-paced thriller of Dan Brown- the man behind
the success of The Da Vinci Code. The novel is about the Americans’ facing another
Presidential election with two contrasting personalities. It is not an incident that the St.
Petersburg Times gives Brown a great praise for his novel: “A taut, fast-paced, barn-
burner of a book. There are no weaknesses in the story or storytelling”. Generally, in
Deception Point, the readers find it unputdownable because they are attracted by an
exciting plot of political issues with a fast and thrilling moving pace. Dan Brown not
only testifies his ability through creating such amazing situations and bringing along a
breakneck feeling to the readers all over the world, through the novel “Deception
Point” he also introduces a bright spot in American politics as well as its core value.
1.3.2.1. Setting
The setting of this novel is at the late 20th century and at the beginning of 21st
century. This period has seen the giant leap as well as important discoveries in science
and technology (EOS, PODS…), which turn out to be the political weapons for the
politicians in this novel.
1.3.2.2. Main characters
8

In Deception Point, not only is the interesting plot referred to but it is also its
own characters with complex and complete personality that take part in the flow of the
plot, making the success of the novel. They are President Zach Herney, Senator
Sexton, Rachel Sexton, Gabrielle Ash, William Pickering, Marjorie Tench, Lawrence
Esktrom and four civilian scientists. Each individual brings along his or her own
characteristics that both help Dan Brown to enlarge his plot and make the readers
believe in his or her life beyond the boundaries of the story told in this novel. Enjoying
this novel, the readers will find out various types of characters which can be
categorized into different blazons of characters that must include confidante, dynamic
character and round character. Obviously, in this novel, the characters are created with
multiple characteristics which mean, each character can be categorized into more than
one group.
1.3.2.3. Plot
Deception Point is a rocket- fast thrilling novel with a lot of turns and twists in
its plot. The story is about the presidential campaign with two candidates- the
incumbent President Zach Herney supporting for NASA and Senator Sexton raising
the slogan of “Stop spending. Start mending.” Thus, NASA is considered to be the
political issue in the election. In the first days of the campaign, Senator Sexton seems
to have the advantages over the incumbent President. However, when a new NASA
satellite spots the evidence of an astonishingly rare object in the Arctic ice, there
appears a reverse in the polling process of the campaign. In fact, a victory has
profound implications for the policy of Zach Herney and the impending presidential
election. After that discovery, Mr. President sends Rachel Sexton to the Milne Ice
Shelf to verify the authenticity of NASA’s success. Together with a team of four
civilian scientists, Rachel uncovers the truth about the existence of the outer life which
is the evidence of a political trickery that can threaten to plunge the world into
controversy. However, they are then attacked by DELTA Force controlled by a
mysterious power in the government who want to hide the truth. After that they learn
9
William Pickering- the director of NASA is the one that is behind the masterful play

creating the most shocking deception ever.
Chapter 2: American election system and some
national values
2.1. AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM
The most essential point of American political life must be the presidential
election. For the American voters and political observers, the process leads to the
fateful Big Tuesday once in every four years is the pinnacle of the nation’s political
cycle. In fact, the election serves as a unifying event of Democracy coming at the
conclusion of an elaborate pageant of the public life despite their repetition of every
four years. United States Election Process basically determines the number of the
potential candidates competing in the election, out of which two winners are declared
as the President and Vice President of the American nation for four-year tenure.
However, it must be remembered that Presidential Election in the country is conducted
at the various state levels and not a matter dealt by the national federal government.
Generally, the process of choosing American president contains three main stages
classified as primary round, national convention and general election campaign that
are discussed as follow.
2.1.1. PRIMARY ROUND
Primary round is the first step in choosing the party’s candidate. Unlike most
countries in the world in which the candidates are chosen by the party, American law
regulates that it is the voters who have the right to declare their support for a certain
competitor which is in the pool of the eligible.
Primary gives chances for the voters to raise their voice and have the expression
of their candidate preference. It will then turn into the share of delegates for each
10
candidate from the state to the national party convention. The representative is the one
that receives more poll-voting than the other opponents within the party do. Some
states in the US like Iowa hold the caucuses, which are the local meetings of the party
activists. In caucuses, the party members gather to discuss the candidates and to select
delegates to the next round of party conventions. Depending on the party rules of a

particular state, delegates selected at a caucus might go on to a county or state
convention before attending the national convention in the summer. Mr. Wayne
Steger, an associate professor of political science at DePaul University, says that this
process of gathering and talking distinguishes caucuses from primaries, although they
serve the same function. While the primaries allow people to simply indicate at the
ballot box which delegates they support, caucuses are more complex and work by
selecting delegates through a number of stages.
To become the US President, one candidate must meet certain demands. They
are set out in the Constitution, Article II, section 1, clause 5 and state out three main
qualifications:
“No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the same
time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of the
President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have
attained to the Age of thirty five years and been fourteen years a resident within the
United States”
Overall, the primary round provides a base to provide the most qualified
candidates from each party to the White House which is close to the national
convention. People who have more advantages in the round must satisfy the political
demands including the political experience and personal characteristics.
2.1.2. THE NATIONAL CONVENTION
National conventions have been held in August in recent election years, and
they have to show both Republican and Democratic parties at their very best as the
media coverage of these events are immense. Whether these conventions are a vital
part of the American political structure, though, is open to debate.
11
It is said that no part of the selective process has undergone more dramatic
change than the presidential nominating convention. In this stage, each state of the
America arrives at the hall, holding their banners and slogans to declare which
delegates they are supporting. The national party conventions have evolved in the
election campaign over the past half century and now they are considered as the forum

for officially authorizing the results of the primary season, rather than the place where
the nomination is actually chosen. The national Convention serves several functions.
First, it gives the two parties the chance to ratify their standing point in their policy
when there is any disagreement about the platforms. Besides, it is also at the
convention round that the candidates can strengthen their chances to win the general
election campaign.
2.1.3. THE GENERAL ELECTION
The general election comes after the nomination procedure. In this round, the
candidates have to show an appealing political policy to the voters. The candidates
from two parties and their staffs have to make careful strategies to win the election.
After that the nominees have the televised debate about important issues and show the
voters the reason why they should be elected instead of their opponent from the other
party’s nominee. The round of general election sees a heavy spending on nationwide
television publicity. This helps the two candidates to enlarge their images among the
citizens and to raise the voters’ awareness of their policy. On the Election Day,
citizens of the United States of America can vote by popular ballot for candidates for
public offices at local, state and national levels. After votes are recognized, the process
moves to the Electoral College. In this process, the election of a president and vice
president is accomplished. Electoral College system is considered as “the framers of
the Constitution conceived as a compromise between selection by Congress and Direct
Election by popular vote.” (Benenson, Bob. (2008). P. 166)
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2.2. ELECTION FINANCE
There is a strong link between money and politics in the US. In fact, the cost of
political campaign in the US has risen sharply, creating intense controversies in the
way candidates raise and spend their money. Not only does finance for election assist
the candidates to pay for the cost of the campaign but it is also an evidence to show the
volume of supports that they receive from the voters. According to Bob Benenson, in
order to create the equality and fairness in the election campaign the “Congress, state
legislator and lawmaking bodies have responded by adopting laws requiring disclosure

of campaign contributions and expenditures and limiting contributions by individuals
and organizations”. In fact, the government has tried to put limitations to the amount
of legal donation that each candidate can have which can be changed due to the
inflation rate of the country in different years.
2.3. SOME AMERICAN VALUES
From its birth, America has been considered as the country of multi-culture.
People immigrated to this land to pursue their American dream in which they have
chance to rise from poverty to the greatest wealth, to live in freedom and democracy.
Besides, according to Anne Marie Slaughter, Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School at
Princeton and Bert G. Kerstetter Professor of Politics and International Affairs,
America is not just a place, a people and a country but it is also an idea: “It is the idea
of a nation founded on a set value of universal values- self-evident truths that come not
from blood, or soil or skin color or wealth but from the fact of our common humanity.
It is the idea of a nation bound together not by territory or religion or ethnicity but by a
self- conscious commitment to shared values, for ourselves and for all peoples”. Based
on that concept, the values underpinning the idea that is America are included:
Democracy, Liberty, Equality, Justice, Tolerance, Humility and Faith. However, in the
frame of this graduation paper, the researcher just focuses on analyzing four main
values that can be identified from the novel Deception Point; they are democracy,
equality, liberty and tolerance.
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2.3.1. DEMOCRACY
The term “Democracy” means ruling by people. It is derived from two Greek
words, “demos” which means people and “krato” which means rule or power.
Basically, democratic government has two forms: direct of pure democracy and
representative or indirect democracy. America is the country who follows
representative democracy in which the government’s decision is made by men and
women elected by the people to represent them. Democracy has become the US
backbone value which assures the self- government by all citizens. This means, all
Americans have the right to vote. Thus, Democracy is well reflected in the stability of

a free and fair election system. However, according to Slaughter, “Democracy does
not depend on the elections alone” but the Checks and Balances are also the essential
part of the system that the Founders designed to ensure the preservation of American
Democracy. Elections are the primary means of assuring popular representation in
which the citizens choose their own representatives to serve their interests and
demands. Besides, the Founders also wanted the whole country to be put under the
direct surveillance of the people. In this way, the freedom of expression, the equality,
justice, humanity and faith come in.
2.3.2. LIBERTY
If Democracy is the backbone value of the whole nation, Liberty is at every
heart of the American identity. Liberty is defined as the freedom of mind and body for
the individual citizens and the freedom of the country from any foreign rule. The
American concept of Liberty is found on the freedom of expression. In this way,
people are free to think and say what they think. This means that every citizen has the
right to commune with his or her own soul to decide the issues based on the deep
rooted beliefs. The Liberty is also well reflected in the freedom of conscience. In this
case, liberty is depicted as the freedom to decide what one believes and expresses the
beliefs through worship, writing and public proclamation. In this sense, Liberty is an
essential instrument for establishing and maintaining a stable Democracy.
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2.3.3. EQUALITY
In the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Thomas Jefferson emphasized:
“We hold the truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”. This implies
that from the beginning of the country, the Founders paid much attention to the
creation of equality for everyone. That is the reason why so many immigrants have
dawn to this country. They believe that everyone has chance to succeed in here
because their right of freedom is assured. From the early days of the US, the Founders
“embraced equality as a political principle, the principle that no men were inherently
ordained to rule over other men”. (Slaughter. (2007). P.75). Thus, political equality
begins with the value of equality in the eye of law. This means the citizens receive the

equal protection of the laws to fulfill their happiness and the right to participate in
choosing the government. Americans citizens are protected with the social equality in
which they are created equal chance to “make good, regardless of birth or breeding”.
Americans believe that each individual should have an equal chance to be successful,
to enter the race to his or her success and compete against each other to win.
2.3.4. TOLERANCE
America depends on the tolerance for its very survival as an enormously diverse
democracy. Tolerance does not have the same meaning as “liking”. A person can
somehow disagree with the other point of view but he or she can tolerate it, especially
when he or she lives in a country with high appreciation for democracy. In fact,
democracy assures the other core values of America that create chances for them to
raise their voice and fulfill what they pursue. Furthermore, it also requires people to
seek facts, discuss them with the other citizens and have a kind consideration for
opposing opinions and a tolerant attitude for those who differ.
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CHAPTER 3: AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM
AND SOME VALUES SEEN THROUGH THE
NOVEL “DECEPTION POINT”
“There is no excitement elsewhere in the world, short of war, to match the
excitement of American Presidential Election Campaign”. From the researcher’s point
of view, not only does election system in America open up a new period for the
country, it also depicts a picture marvelously colored with the national values. On
studying carefully the presidential election system, the researcher receives a lot of
first- hand experience of American Democracy which is successfully illustrated in the
election system, the law and some characters in the novel. Furthermore, some values
including liberty, tolerance and equality attached to the election process, which are
strongly rooted in each American, are also considered to be the appreciable elements
of the whole novel.
3.1. AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM SEEN THROUGH THE NOVEL
The basic process of selecting American President is spelled out in the U.S

Constitution and they have been modified a bit over time. Normally, to understand
what happens in the electoral process, people must read a lot of books focusing on
American laws and Political issues and achieve the theory that makes up a black-
white political picture. However, Dan Brown brings a new atmosphere of political life
in America to his readers. With Deception Point, there is no need to experience the
jejune readings because this novel depicts a colored political vigorous canvas.
Although the Electoral process appears in the novel from a close- up angle with two
main stages including the primary and competing for the general campaign, it
successfully goes to the heart of every reader. It goes without saying that after reading
this novel, it is easy to identify the road to the White House is always long, rough and
complicated.
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3.1.1. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ROUND
The primary round in American presidential election is considered to be the
first step of choosing a party’s candidate. Generally, Primary round gives voters an
opportunity to express their candidate preferences. The tabulation of these preferences
translates into a share of delegates for each candidate from the states to the national
party convention. Throughout the incidents in the novel, it is apparent for the readers
to identify what happens within the American political War and recognize the needed
characteristics of the candidates to satisfy the presidential ambitions.
3.1.1.1. Winning the Party Nomination (Primary round)
In order to get the right to be the representative of the Party for the presidential
campaign, each candidate must win the Party Nomination. With a brief description of
the Nomination in Democratic and Republic Party process, Dan Brown makes it
possible for the readers to conceive that Primary election has numerous participatory
components but it retains an important element of indirect democracy.
The primary round of the election campaign is mentioned in the first chapter in
which the readers see the victory of Senator Sexton in the Party nomination when he
defeats all twelve delegates in Republic Party on the primary round and becomes the
party representative to compete with the opponent of the other Party.

“The Senator was a regular here and currently one of the country’s most famous men.
Last week, having swept all twelve Republican primaries on Super Tuesday, the
Senator was virtually guaranteed his party’s nomination for President of the United
States”
Within Republic party, US Democracy is assured by giving the members equal
chances to dominate and lead their party through all obstacles on the way to the White
House. In the other words, Democracy grants an invisible hand of competition among
the candidates. Normally, the Primary season furnishes the contestants with forum to
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