Discussion Question 8 — Inferno; MIDTERM
1. What do you think Dante learned on his journey through Hell? How does it differ from what you learned while reading about the journey?
Okay, just to reiterate what happened. Dante, the character went in kind of sensitive about the whole subject of Hell. I don’t believe he had a clear understanding prior to his experience of what resulted in a person’s actions while in human form. He burst into tears, cried, yelled then grew in to anger and flipped boats. He started damning all of the sinners who were already judged as evil. He learned that truly, about ‘karma’. From rolling stones with chests to being eaten alive by dogs, it really is hell. He learned that what you do on earth, if not pleasing to God, will put you here.
I want to say, now that I read my peer’s responses I could see how fraud and treachery would potentially be worse than murder as well so thank you for explaining that to me.
I don’t think mine and Dante’s learning was too different actually. I think he is still different than me as he experienced it first hand, so of course he learned more than me. Beforehand, I just pictured Hell as this great big, burning inferno full of hate and darkness. Not levels concerning the type of sin, but I was taught that if it displeases God than no sin is worse than the other, it is still sin. So I guess I never really thought about…what Hell does to organize its’ sinners or once the gate guard of Hell greets its’ new inhabitants there.
…All I know is.. “I AIN’T GOIN’!”
I too never really contemplated what hell would be like other then there would be fire. So Dante’s Inferno made me think of many different possibilities and of how it actually makes sense that sinners would be punished by the degree of their sins.
I didn’t think that my learning’s compared to Dante’s were too different either. I like how at the end that you say “All I know is…”I ain’t goin’!” I thought that was pretty funny. And I also agree with you that he obviously learned more than us in a different sense because he experienced it in the story. But I think that just reading about this made us experience something rather close. I’m pretty sure I would be too terrified to experience something like that and come out sane.
I agree, I never thought of Hell as a place with multiple levels, just as a lake of fire with my condo on the lakeside!
Just kidding. You’re right – I ain’t goin’ either!
Too funny! There isn’t much reason to worry about what Hell is like since you won’t have to see it 😉
I am not goin’ either! 🙂 I have to agree with you though, I certainly did not picture hell to be in levels. Honestly, I never put any thought into what hell was like.. So I found this book pretty disturbing, but he did make interesting comments such as the sin you commit will be worse in hell.