Level 8 and 3/4 (New Level)
As we descended from the fraudulent eighth circle
Downward we traveled to the level
Home to the most treacherous of sinners
We entered into a cave, and were thrown into dishevel
Gasping for air and splashing of swimmers
All around I could feel the spirit of the devil
Said Virgil, as we passed into the inner
Area of the cold dark cave
“Welcome to level 8 ¾ , the home to the sinner
Who have proven to be anything but brave,
Who have ignored the safety of other drivers on the road
And who have allowed their alcoholic crave
To give in to the pressure and all of the goads
Of the people around them, tempting them to pick up a cup
And letting alcoholic toxins to corrode
Their minds and their hearts until it is too late to back up
And stop themselves from starting up their truck
And attempt to conjure up
Some intelligence and quit being a schmuck
In order to prevent there being no survivors
Of an innocent car being struck
Head on by this so called “drunk driver”.
The people who reside here in level 8 and three quarters
Are the very survivors
Of tragedies worse than being shot with a mortar.
They chose their own fun and stupidity
Over the well being of others, as goes the news of the reporters.
There is absolutely no validity
In the actions these human beings took
Which turned them into monsters and caused so much morbidity.”
We turned the corner and I took a look
Down into a ditch that reeked of vodka and beer.
I took a step closer and the whole ground shook.
Bodies down below me splashed around in these sphere
Drowning in the alcohol being poured over their heads.
And experiencing the mere
Miss of their death as all of these brain dead
Human beings are forced to dodge totaled cars
Being thrown at their heads.
The men tread water and gasp for breath reaching up to grab on to a bar
Of the ladder that leads to a jail cell
Where they well live for eternity if they ever make it out of this obstacle of cars
And overflowing alcohol that crashes down with the sound of a bell.
The deceased victims of the drunk driving event
Clinch on to the ankles of these men who fell
Victim to this alcohol and toxic drug that bent
Their judgment-- The victims pull the drunk drivers down
As they struggle to the surface—all their energy is spent.
Of all of the levels Virgil and I had seen, this one takes the crown
For the home to the sinners most disturbing of all.
The entire time down in level 8 ¾ my face held a frown
It is so sad to see them fall,
These men who could have been so great.
As we continued on to level 9, I started to bawl.
Terza Rima:
abc - bcb- cdc - ded - efe - fgf - ghg - hih - iji - jkj - klk - lml - mnm - non - opo - pqp -qrq - rsr
Explanatory Paragraph
My original canto is an addition to Dante's Inferno with the introduction of a new level, level 8 and three quarters. This level is home to sinners who have committed the crime of drunk driving. This sin is especially serious in my opinion, much worse than fraud but maybe not quite as serious as the treachery of level 9. Due to the characteristics and seriousness of the sin, I chose to create my own level in accordance with the sin. Additionally, the sin and punishment that I have come up with follows the requirements of "contropasso" in many ways. The beings who had committed the crime of drunk driving during their lives are thrown in to a ditch over flowing with diverse kinds of alcohol. As they drown in the toxins, totaled cars are thrown at them and they must dodge them in order to attempt to reach the surface and gasp for air. The innocent victims of these drunk driving accidents clinch on to the ankles of the criminals and attempt to pull them under in order to achieve retribution for the pain these criminals have caused them. On the surface, if the criminals are to somehow reach it, there sits a jail cell, where these people will sit and rot for eternity. Alcohol was so important to them in their lives that they allowed it to take innocent people's lives. As a result, these people are drenched in alcohol and have an endless supply of it in the after life.
Jen O'Connor, Period 1
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Wrathful
As I continued to descend down that ominous abyss
I began to notice new sinners in a horrifying matter
Embedded into the walls these souls were shaking
I felt somewhat uneasy, unknowing of what was to come
How long will this last? Will this be until eternity
Then the truth came to light, and the cold set in
The souls being tortured were those with inferiority
Now, pinned up against their own wall suffering their own sin
Making others feel horrible is their main priority
Giant demons come around with sharp needles
Continuously poking and picking at the skins of the sinners
Their sweat drips down creating an infinite amount of tears
That form a lake, a lake of those evildoers own
Cries, the cries of the weak, those unable to survive
So they pry on the delicate ones, making them feel powerless
I continued on this path trying to find a familiar
Face I don't know anyone in these circles of lives
I know I don't belong here, especially because I'm alive.
One of the souls took my recognition at the moment I arrived
Kanye West, one of the most successful rappers was
Suffering day in and out in the depths of Circle Five
I said “Kanye, what did you ever do to put yourself within
these gates?” Kanye murmered with his eyes shut“I went on
stage and embarrassed Taylor Swift, she didn't deserve to win
Trying to take her pride and happiness away, but
Now I spend everyday feeling the stabs she did on that night,
A feeling that forever creates the horrid pain in my gut.”
Shocked at this answer, My body lost fight, my eyes had no sight
Hell is worse than what I originally expected, Its a place
where everyone has one thing in common, which is not being right.
I chose the 5th circle for this particular sin because it has to do with wrath and anger for others. Bullies are usually vindictive and cruel towards others making them a perfect fit for this circle. The punishment fits the crime because bullies tend to pin others up against the wall and pick on those who are weaker. The punishment is being stabbed with needles, endlessly picked on and pinned up against their own wall with no where to go. The giants are meant to make the souls feel inferior like they made others feel during their lifetime.
Kari-Lynn Jones, Period 1
I began to notice new sinners in a horrifying matter
Embedded into the walls these souls were shaking
I felt somewhat uneasy, unknowing of what was to come
How long will this last? Will this be until eternity
Then the truth came to light, and the cold set in
The souls being tortured were those with inferiority
Now, pinned up against their own wall suffering their own sin
Making others feel horrible is their main priority
Giant demons come around with sharp needles
Continuously poking and picking at the skins of the sinners
Their sweat drips down creating an infinite amount of tears
That form a lake, a lake of those evildoers own
Cries, the cries of the weak, those unable to survive
So they pry on the delicate ones, making them feel powerless
I continued on this path trying to find a familiar
Face I don't know anyone in these circles of lives
I know I don't belong here, especially because I'm alive.
One of the souls took my recognition at the moment I arrived
Kanye West, one of the most successful rappers was
Suffering day in and out in the depths of Circle Five
I said “Kanye, what did you ever do to put yourself within
these gates?” Kanye murmered with his eyes shut“I went on
stage and embarrassed Taylor Swift, she didn't deserve to win
Trying to take her pride and happiness away, but
Now I spend everyday feeling the stabs she did on that night,
A feeling that forever creates the horrid pain in my gut.”
Shocked at this answer, My body lost fight, my eyes had no sight
Hell is worse than what I originally expected, Its a place
where everyone has one thing in common, which is not being right.
I chose the 5th circle for this particular sin because it has to do with wrath and anger for others. Bullies are usually vindictive and cruel towards others making them a perfect fit for this circle. The punishment fits the crime because bullies tend to pin others up against the wall and pick on those who are weaker. The punishment is being stabbed with needles, endlessly picked on and pinned up against their own wall with no where to go. The giants are meant to make the souls feel inferior like they made others feel during their lifetime.
Kari-Lynn Jones, Period 1
The Social Networking Addicts
Level 2
Taking the social network to a whole new level a
Constantly checking b
Waiting for that red little dot c
Scanning the personal reckoning b
Just to make sure they never missed the red spot c
A beat in the social beckoning b
Comments, likes, requests always something to be got c
Exciting notification that’s waiting to be checked d
Making their day to see the little red dot c
Lusting for a connection
Looking for that red notification
Seeing pixels instead of the true face
A scarlet notification permanently attached to their chest
No longer will they have to run to the computer to check
They will always be connected
So concerned with what others think
Constantly checking to see who likes
What comment they have
Just like a birds chirp they wait for the blurb
Smart phone in hand so they will always be aware
Waiting for that computerized thought
Athletes, Celebrities, anyone’s words are worth hearing
Lusting to see there thoughts so they can change
Always afraid that they will never tweet the right thing
Forever these people will be branded with the scarlet notification and a birds chirp from their mouths
They will never have to check, they can just look down
They will never have to worry about missing a tweet
Forever while in level two they cannot talk to each other
They will be as silent and
The souls guiltily of being addicted to social networking are in an inner layer of level two, level 2.5. These people were so concerned with what others thought about them via Facebook and Twitter that they constantly updated and checked to see what others thought about their tweet or update. They lusted for people’s attention and approval via the internet. They were also so obsessed, that they only judged a person by means of their Facebook page and what they tweeted each day. While in hell, they are errantly branded with a scarlet Facebook notification on their fronts, and have a constant hiccup-like chirp to represent Twitter. Also, any social networking site they had an account on will errantly be dissolved.
Sabrina Ball, Period 2
Taking the social network to a whole new level a
Constantly checking b
Waiting for that red little dot c
Scanning the personal reckoning b
Just to make sure they never missed the red spot c
A beat in the social beckoning b
Comments, likes, requests always something to be got c
Exciting notification that’s waiting to be checked d
Making their day to see the little red dot c
Lusting for a connection
Looking for that red notification
Seeing pixels instead of the true face
A scarlet notification permanently attached to their chest
No longer will they have to run to the computer to check
They will always be connected
So concerned with what others think
Constantly checking to see who likes
What comment they have
Just like a birds chirp they wait for the blurb
Smart phone in hand so they will always be aware
Waiting for that computerized thought
Athletes, Celebrities, anyone’s words are worth hearing
Lusting to see there thoughts so they can change
Always afraid that they will never tweet the right thing
Forever these people will be branded with the scarlet notification and a birds chirp from their mouths
They will never have to check, they can just look down
They will never have to worry about missing a tweet
Forever while in level two they cannot talk to each other
They will be as silent and
The souls guiltily of being addicted to social networking are in an inner layer of level two, level 2.5. These people were so concerned with what others thought about them via Facebook and Twitter that they constantly updated and checked to see what others thought about their tweet or update. They lusted for people’s attention and approval via the internet. They were also so obsessed, that they only judged a person by means of their Facebook page and what they tweeted each day. While in hell, they are errantly branded with a scarlet Facebook notification on their fronts, and have a constant hiccup-like chirp to represent Twitter. Also, any social networking site they had an account on will errantly be dissolved.
Sabrina Ball, Period 2
The Drunk Drivers
Level 7
As I continued down the deep, treacherous spiral of misery I began to concentrate
Tires screeching, horns blasting, bodies slaying
Victims lay helplessly on a street seeming to never end
This horrible scene continues to replay
I wondered and curiously asked Virgil, “Why can’t I comprehend?”
He went on to explain “all they saw was gray”
As I was led through this level I saw a trend
Exact same victims in misery and pain
But were they dead? They would only pretend.
Virgil led me to a pool of many men being torturted and drowning
Lungs filling with a type of liquid
That was not water
I asked my master “What could be so frigid?”
He answered with a sigh, “you’d understand if you had seen the slaughter”
It seemed to come together, yet here I was able to expect nothing- all wicked.
Both of us took a moment to watch the next highway occurrence of a mother and daughter
Immense car swerving and speeding carelessly back and forth
Amazing as to now, they were not the victims anymore, just the causer.
The mother and daughter laughed as they did not even realize what they had done
Victim lay dead on the highway as the car
Continued to swerve down the highway
Revenge seemed to have been the star
Portraying how your last day
Can stop so far
I forced my master to stop and say
“It’s time to move on; there is nothing left for you to see here.”
I had to remind myself that I am not here to stay.
On the next level we went
As we continued on deeper into the layers of hell, I only could do one thing-
Have trust in my master, Virgil.
Explanatory Paragraph
In this Canto, I believe this would be Circle 7 in Hell, involved with the Lion, in the ou-iddle level. The ou-iddle level can be defined as between the outer and middle levels of circle 7. I chose to put this sin and punishment in-between because it takes on both types of violence; against neighbors and against God, art, nature. My sin is drunk driving and killing another individual. The punishment for this sin is the individual that killed another, is the one getting continuously run over by a drunk driver just as they did to another. The other punishment mentioned for this sin is the men then have to drown and be tortured in burning vodka. I wanted to portray the hurt and torture that a family member or friend feels after they know someone who has been murdered by a careless drunk driver.
Lisa Blomgren, Period 2
As I continued down the deep, treacherous spiral of misery I began to concentrate
Tires screeching, horns blasting, bodies slaying
Victims lay helplessly on a street seeming to never end
This horrible scene continues to replay
I wondered and curiously asked Virgil, “Why can’t I comprehend?”
He went on to explain “all they saw was gray”
As I was led through this level I saw a trend
Exact same victims in misery and pain
But were they dead? They would only pretend.
Virgil led me to a pool of many men being torturted and drowning
Lungs filling with a type of liquid
That was not water
I asked my master “What could be so frigid?”
He answered with a sigh, “you’d understand if you had seen the slaughter”
It seemed to come together, yet here I was able to expect nothing- all wicked.
Both of us took a moment to watch the next highway occurrence of a mother and daughter
Immense car swerving and speeding carelessly back and forth
Amazing as to now, they were not the victims anymore, just the causer.
The mother and daughter laughed as they did not even realize what they had done
Victim lay dead on the highway as the car
Continued to swerve down the highway
Revenge seemed to have been the star
Portraying how your last day
Can stop so far
I forced my master to stop and say
“It’s time to move on; there is nothing left for you to see here.”
I had to remind myself that I am not here to stay.
On the next level we went
As we continued on deeper into the layers of hell, I only could do one thing-
Have trust in my master, Virgil.
Explanatory Paragraph
In this Canto, I believe this would be Circle 7 in Hell, involved with the Lion, in the ou-iddle level. The ou-iddle level can be defined as between the outer and middle levels of circle 7. I chose to put this sin and punishment in-between because it takes on both types of violence; against neighbors and against God, art, nature. My sin is drunk driving and killing another individual. The punishment for this sin is the individual that killed another, is the one getting continuously run over by a drunk driver just as they did to another. The other punishment mentioned for this sin is the men then have to drown and be tortured in burning vodka. I wanted to portray the hurt and torture that a family member or friend feels after they know someone who has been murdered by a careless drunk driver.
Lisa Blomgren, Period 2
The Bully
Once my eyes closed for the last time on Earth,
They opened for the first time in this eternal hell,
And the feeling of true remorse shivered through my soul.
At my funeral, very few came to say farewell,
As they dropped me in this dirt hole,
Which lead to the curse of this perpetual suffering spell.
During my lifetime, I had one simple goal,
Which was to fill the weaker with fear,
And for these sins, I finally pay my toll.
Typical of most bullies from throughout the years,
Wedgies were a common gift to the defenseless
One filled with embarrassment and tears.
Because of the little or no repentance I did posses,
I soon learned these wrathful actions weren’t smart,
For I now spend eternity unable to undress.
And this minor detail is just the start
Another consists of the annoyance in my slacks
Which will sadly never depart.
The ability to pick my wedgies is what I lack,
And each day this pain grows more intense,
As my pants become tighter on my butt crack.
This punishment brings out my common sense,
And illuminates the misdoings of my ways,
Including the many wedgies I have dispensed.
In the 7th circle of hell, where I spend the rest of my days,
I live in this fiery burning pit of a nightmare,
Giving any of my rights to an afterlife away.
Finding this hard for my mind to bare,
I suffer the same pain I brought on to others on earth,
Ironically making me the weak left to be scared.
In my Canto, I talk from the point of view of a sinner who has to explain his eternal punishment he receives in hell which is based upon the actions he has performed on Earth. On Earth, the sinner is a bully, filled with the sole intentions of bringing pain to others, specifically by giving the weak and vulnerable wedgies. When the sinner dies, being that he is not repentant, he goes to hell. In hell he proceeds to be sent to the 7th circle, which is the circle for the wrathful. Within this circle his punishment well reflects his sin in terms of the contrapasso because the act of giving wedgies, which the sinner spent his whole life performing is now being forced upon him for eternity. And wedgies, which the sinner thought was only deserving to those who are weak are now being performed on him, thus making him the weak and vulnerable one.
Kevin Cardenas, Period 2
They opened for the first time in this eternal hell,
And the feeling of true remorse shivered through my soul.
At my funeral, very few came to say farewell,
As they dropped me in this dirt hole,
Which lead to the curse of this perpetual suffering spell.
During my lifetime, I had one simple goal,
Which was to fill the weaker with fear,
And for these sins, I finally pay my toll.
Typical of most bullies from throughout the years,
Wedgies were a common gift to the defenseless
One filled with embarrassment and tears.
Because of the little or no repentance I did posses,
I soon learned these wrathful actions weren’t smart,
For I now spend eternity unable to undress.
And this minor detail is just the start
Another consists of the annoyance in my slacks
Which will sadly never depart.
The ability to pick my wedgies is what I lack,
And each day this pain grows more intense,
As my pants become tighter on my butt crack.
This punishment brings out my common sense,
And illuminates the misdoings of my ways,
Including the many wedgies I have dispensed.
In the 7th circle of hell, where I spend the rest of my days,
I live in this fiery burning pit of a nightmare,
Giving any of my rights to an afterlife away.
Finding this hard for my mind to bare,
I suffer the same pain I brought on to others on earth,
Ironically making me the weak left to be scared.
In my Canto, I talk from the point of view of a sinner who has to explain his eternal punishment he receives in hell which is based upon the actions he has performed on Earth. On Earth, the sinner is a bully, filled with the sole intentions of bringing pain to others, specifically by giving the weak and vulnerable wedgies. When the sinner dies, being that he is not repentant, he goes to hell. In hell he proceeds to be sent to the 7th circle, which is the circle for the wrathful. Within this circle his punishment well reflects his sin in terms of the contrapasso because the act of giving wedgies, which the sinner spent his whole life performing is now being forced upon him for eternity. And wedgies, which the sinner thought was only deserving to those who are weak are now being performed on him, thus making him the weak and vulnerable one.
Kevin Cardenas, Period 2
The Violent
Level 7
As we gazed with timid eyes down the frostbitten chasm
Ears deafened by the hissing winds, smashed up against jagged stones
I, in mortal dread, turned to my phantasmal guide and asked of him,
“My guide, my guardian! Give voice to this chill of my bones
That seems to emanate from this rock-strewn brim!
What is this, made by his glorious hand, this abyss that bemoans
Its terrifying fate? What fiend dwells within?” And my guide turned his grim
Face towards mine and said, “This is the fate of those of blood crazed,
Who in life, strived to temper their swords in innocent limb.
Men whose lifework was the sight of cold corpses and halls razed,
Now in death, ensnared in hell’s foul breath, deafened by the cries
Of their bloodstains. The winds tear at their skin, their eyes set a blazed
In eternal agony. The blood of these beasts streams down their thighs
And into the affixed mouths of their gutless servant, those in life who
Followed blindly after the scent of bloodshed, drawn like flies
To a rotting carcass.” I looked down in dismay as the gales blew
Up out of the pit, and up into the terrible black
like tormented steam billowing from a blackened brew
But them my guide pointed a wispy finger at an icy crack
Adjacent to the howling orbs, where the winds seemed to swell.
I could see the head of a man, mounted on a weeping golden plaque
Channeling the ghastly currents that propel
Outward, feeding the spheres that raze and rip at the beast’s hide.
“Those who strike out against God, are sent to this hell.
They who spoke out against now act as his voice. And what betide
Of usurers is that they are encased in their greed, gilded in their horror
For all of eternity.” I trembled in fear, but my benevolent guide
motioned to me, and we continued on as a trepid explorer
Will dally about before entering into a murky cave
With anxious anticipation. As we descended, like a borer
Gnawing into wood, I took heart and stayed brave
And thought only of her who makes me love’s knave
Explanatory Paragraph
I decided to redo Dante’s circle seven entirely, because in our modern time, we see both homosexuality and suicide as lesser sins, and certainly not violent sins, because it is something people don’t choose usually or something caused by mental illness. So without the need for the middle ring and a 1/3 of the last ring, the circle needed heavy revision. There are really four punishments here for four different “violent sins.” First, those violent against neighbor are incased in the wails of those they’ve killed that rips off their skin and causes them to bleed profusely. Their blood then drops down and drowns their followers, those that “were just following orders,” because they followed after these people bloody paths of death. The next portion of the contrapasso deals with those of the lower ring, the blasphemers and usurers. Blasphemers are decapitated and mounted, and serve as the mouthpiece of God’s punishment of the violent because they in life spoke out against god. Usurers were those who charged interest on loans, and were turned into golden plaques because gold was their god and primary motive in life.
William Arguelles, Period 2
As we gazed with timid eyes down the frostbitten chasm
Ears deafened by the hissing winds, smashed up against jagged stones
I, in mortal dread, turned to my phantasmal guide and asked of him,
“My guide, my guardian! Give voice to this chill of my bones
That seems to emanate from this rock-strewn brim!
What is this, made by his glorious hand, this abyss that bemoans
Its terrifying fate? What fiend dwells within?” And my guide turned his grim
Face towards mine and said, “This is the fate of those of blood crazed,
Who in life, strived to temper their swords in innocent limb.
Men whose lifework was the sight of cold corpses and halls razed,
Now in death, ensnared in hell’s foul breath, deafened by the cries
Of their bloodstains. The winds tear at their skin, their eyes set a blazed
In eternal agony. The blood of these beasts streams down their thighs
And into the affixed mouths of their gutless servant, those in life who
Followed blindly after the scent of bloodshed, drawn like flies
To a rotting carcass.” I looked down in dismay as the gales blew
Up out of the pit, and up into the terrible black
like tormented steam billowing from a blackened brew
But them my guide pointed a wispy finger at an icy crack
Adjacent to the howling orbs, where the winds seemed to swell.
I could see the head of a man, mounted on a weeping golden plaque
Channeling the ghastly currents that propel
Outward, feeding the spheres that raze and rip at the beast’s hide.
“Those who strike out against God, are sent to this hell.
They who spoke out against now act as his voice. And what betide
Of usurers is that they are encased in their greed, gilded in their horror
For all of eternity.” I trembled in fear, but my benevolent guide
motioned to me, and we continued on as a trepid explorer
Will dally about before entering into a murky cave
With anxious anticipation. As we descended, like a borer
Gnawing into wood, I took heart and stayed brave
And thought only of her who makes me love’s knave
Explanatory Paragraph
I decided to redo Dante’s circle seven entirely, because in our modern time, we see both homosexuality and suicide as lesser sins, and certainly not violent sins, because it is something people don’t choose usually or something caused by mental illness. So without the need for the middle ring and a 1/3 of the last ring, the circle needed heavy revision. There are really four punishments here for four different “violent sins.” First, those violent against neighbor are incased in the wails of those they’ve killed that rips off their skin and causes them to bleed profusely. Their blood then drops down and drowns their followers, those that “were just following orders,” because they followed after these people bloody paths of death. The next portion of the contrapasso deals with those of the lower ring, the blasphemers and usurers. Blasphemers are decapitated and mounted, and serve as the mouthpiece of God’s punishment of the violent because they in life spoke out against god. Usurers were those who charged interest on loans, and were turned into golden plaques because gold was their god and primary motive in life.
William Arguelles, Period 2
The Vain
Level 2
I tremble as I enter the second circle of hell
I’m completely terrified by my surroundings
If only I could live again and change my past
I take a few steps as my heart starts pounding
I know now what I’ve done, and I know why I’m here
I cannot believe all this terror that’s around me
I approach a large mirror and I see my biggest fear
I used to be beautiful, not a blemish in sight
My appearance was my world—something I held dear
Into the mirror I gazed, everyday and every night
Vanity was my obsession and my only true care
Now my own face gives me an absolute fright
A new defect appears for every second that I stare
Black and blues, scars and stitches engorge my face
How can anything be worse than this horrid nightmare
My eyes are participating in some sort of sick race
As they swim through my tears and down my cheeks
Even my nose has taken part in this chase
I cannot stare anymore at this face of a freak
My ears are getting bigger as time goes by
I’m traumatized, revolted, and I cannot speak
Now All I can do is repent and wonder why
I was always so lustful, self-righteous, and vain
Once I was conceited but now I am so shy
What used to matter most is now causing me such pain
My body is deteriorating and my face is melting down
Insects enter my ears and throw a party on my brain
My teeth have fallen out—I cannot smile, only frown
Why wasn’t I humble? Just look at me now
full of misery—In my own body, I will drown.
Explanatory Paragraph
My canto is in the second circle of hell, which is the upper level. The canto is about a girl who lusted over her appearance her entire life. She was completely vain and only cared about her physical appearance. She was not humble and did not care about others. Because she was so lustful and vain, her punishment fits her crime very well. As she stares in the mirror, her face is quickly becoming mutated. These deformities are her greatest nightmare. Her eyes and her nose fall off her face, and she has become completely ugly. Because she only cared about being beautiful during her life, she now appears to be the exact opposite of beautiful.
Jennifer Elovitz, Period 2
I tremble as I enter the second circle of hell
I’m completely terrified by my surroundings
If only I could live again and change my past
I take a few steps as my heart starts pounding
I know now what I’ve done, and I know why I’m here
I cannot believe all this terror that’s around me
I approach a large mirror and I see my biggest fear
I used to be beautiful, not a blemish in sight
My appearance was my world—something I held dear
Into the mirror I gazed, everyday and every night
Vanity was my obsession and my only true care
Now my own face gives me an absolute fright
A new defect appears for every second that I stare
Black and blues, scars and stitches engorge my face
How can anything be worse than this horrid nightmare
My eyes are participating in some sort of sick race
As they swim through my tears and down my cheeks
Even my nose has taken part in this chase
I cannot stare anymore at this face of a freak
My ears are getting bigger as time goes by
I’m traumatized, revolted, and I cannot speak
Now All I can do is repent and wonder why
I was always so lustful, self-righteous, and vain
Once I was conceited but now I am so shy
What used to matter most is now causing me such pain
My body is deteriorating and my face is melting down
Insects enter my ears and throw a party on my brain
My teeth have fallen out—I cannot smile, only frown
Why wasn’t I humble? Just look at me now
full of misery—In my own body, I will drown.
Explanatory Paragraph
My canto is in the second circle of hell, which is the upper level. The canto is about a girl who lusted over her appearance her entire life. She was completely vain and only cared about her physical appearance. She was not humble and did not care about others. Because she was so lustful and vain, her punishment fits her crime very well. As she stares in the mirror, her face is quickly becoming mutated. These deformities are her greatest nightmare. Her eyes and her nose fall off her face, and she has become completely ugly. Because she only cared about being beautiful during her life, she now appears to be the exact opposite of beautiful.
Jennifer Elovitz, Period 2
The Scam Artists
Level 4
As I passed through the wretched circle of avarice I came to a halt. a
Taken aback by those horrid screams, I drew more near. b
Men and women both alike stricken with the worst of that plague, that greed c
I saw them there, on that wicked road, their bodies laid out reeking of fear b
It was when I adjusted my view that I saw it was no road c
Nay, it was a pile of bodies laid out in such a fashion, it appeared as a pier b
On the bodies lay many leeches fighting their way through the skin, all trying to feed c
Leopards with their sharp claws and serrated teeth mauled with much gore d
Through the skin of the horrid disfigured bodies, the open wounds let filth breed c
I turned to The Guide and asked “What have these souls have done to erode their core?” d
“They’re the embodiment of avarice; they trampled over their fellow man stopping at nothing in the pursuit of the material. How unsound” e
“These here preyed on those who are unsuspecting, the weak, and the vulnerable. These were the con artists, and nothing more.” d
What sounds of horror! The groaning and moaning of bodies bound e
The mauling and roars of leopards echoing in dark empty halls f
A wave of pleas, begging of mercy filled said halls. Echoed the walls: “There is none to be found” e
I then saw blood empty to into a river which then fed the River Styx through a water fall f
The blood boiled and darkened as it reached the mouth of the fall thickening as it went g
The guide told me that it was this source of the fall that fed Satan most of all f
The guide called out to me to approach this road so bent g
As we approached we noticed a demon so dismembered named Madoff h
It was from this demon that the road of deceit began and went on and on, without repents g
We approached the monster, so fat and bloated; we asked of it if he knew whom he prayed off h
He struggled to utter a word, for his tongue became so twisted for all the deceit he’s committed i
We stood over and wondered if he now felt it was worth it, all those lives he went took and made off h
The guide then turned once again, told me that is all the time we’ve been permitted i
Carry on we must to the next circle of hell j
Indeed, I pondered, no act against our fellow man will be omitted i
The leopard, she gazed upon me as if to say farewell j
It was unsettling feeling, her gaze k
Almost as if it had locked me into a jail cell j
Explanation
In my canto, I had laid all the con artists out on a road as punishment for them “walking” on people their entire lives. In this sense the punishment fits the crime (contrapasso) because just as they have walked all over their fellow man all their lives, demons of hell shall literally walk on theirs while leopards, the animal depicted greed in the Inferno, maul and claw at them just as they have clawed through the lives and fortunes of so many. Furthermore, they spend eternity with leeches biting through their skin sucking out their blood just that they leeched off of the vulnerable and the unsuspecting. The blood expelled by these leeches actually almost fuels Satan through the river (since all the rivers eventually empty out to Satan’s circle) because they are the embodiment of what it is to be evil and greedy (just as Satan went against God for more power).
I placed my canto within the fourth circle of hell (greed) for obvious reasons; however I structured it so that if mapped out it is a lower section of the fourth circle. I did this because these con artists take it one step further than all the other souls that have lived greed. Con artists trick and trample over (again referring or alluding to animals on a road) innocent people to satiate their hunger for material goods and hence there is essence of betrayal and almost violence to their acts. Just as Dante used allusions to modern day figures that the reader could place a face to the crime, I used Bernie Madoff since he is arguably the most famous scammer or con artist (if not the most proliferous).
Bart Michalak, Period 6
As I passed through the wretched circle of avarice I came to a halt. a
Taken aback by those horrid screams, I drew more near. b
Men and women both alike stricken with the worst of that plague, that greed c
I saw them there, on that wicked road, their bodies laid out reeking of fear b
It was when I adjusted my view that I saw it was no road c
Nay, it was a pile of bodies laid out in such a fashion, it appeared as a pier b
On the bodies lay many leeches fighting their way through the skin, all trying to feed c
Leopards with their sharp claws and serrated teeth mauled with much gore d
Through the skin of the horrid disfigured bodies, the open wounds let filth breed c
I turned to The Guide and asked “What have these souls have done to erode their core?” d
“They’re the embodiment of avarice; they trampled over their fellow man stopping at nothing in the pursuit of the material. How unsound” e
“These here preyed on those who are unsuspecting, the weak, and the vulnerable. These were the con artists, and nothing more.” d
What sounds of horror! The groaning and moaning of bodies bound e
The mauling and roars of leopards echoing in dark empty halls f
A wave of pleas, begging of mercy filled said halls. Echoed the walls: “There is none to be found” e
I then saw blood empty to into a river which then fed the River Styx through a water fall f
The blood boiled and darkened as it reached the mouth of the fall thickening as it went g
The guide told me that it was this source of the fall that fed Satan most of all f
The guide called out to me to approach this road so bent g
As we approached we noticed a demon so dismembered named Madoff h
It was from this demon that the road of deceit began and went on and on, without repents g
We approached the monster, so fat and bloated; we asked of it if he knew whom he prayed off h
He struggled to utter a word, for his tongue became so twisted for all the deceit he’s committed i
We stood over and wondered if he now felt it was worth it, all those lives he went took and made off h
The guide then turned once again, told me that is all the time we’ve been permitted i
Carry on we must to the next circle of hell j
Indeed, I pondered, no act against our fellow man will be omitted i
The leopard, she gazed upon me as if to say farewell j
It was unsettling feeling, her gaze k
Almost as if it had locked me into a jail cell j
Explanation
In my canto, I had laid all the con artists out on a road as punishment for them “walking” on people their entire lives. In this sense the punishment fits the crime (contrapasso) because just as they have walked all over their fellow man all their lives, demons of hell shall literally walk on theirs while leopards, the animal depicted greed in the Inferno, maul and claw at them just as they have clawed through the lives and fortunes of so many. Furthermore, they spend eternity with leeches biting through their skin sucking out their blood just that they leeched off of the vulnerable and the unsuspecting. The blood expelled by these leeches actually almost fuels Satan through the river (since all the rivers eventually empty out to Satan’s circle) because they are the embodiment of what it is to be evil and greedy (just as Satan went against God for more power).
I placed my canto within the fourth circle of hell (greed) for obvious reasons; however I structured it so that if mapped out it is a lower section of the fourth circle. I did this because these con artists take it one step further than all the other souls that have lived greed. Con artists trick and trample over (again referring or alluding to animals on a road) innocent people to satiate their hunger for material goods and hence there is essence of betrayal and almost violence to their acts. Just as Dante used allusions to modern day figures that the reader could place a face to the crime, I used Bernie Madoff since he is arguably the most famous scammer or con artist (if not the most proliferous).
Bart Michalak, Period 6
The Gluttonous
Level 3
The face of Minos, was what Sam Brannan stared at
Scared of what his fate would become,
This was the moment he lost his high hat.
He no longer was in charge, this was now not his Kingdom
As the soul sorter begun to analyze
This now helpless life, he felt like nothing but scum.
The leopard lead Sam’s way who constantly tantalized.
He wasn’t sure of where he was headed,
Down to the third circle, Sam felt paralyzed.
When he arrived to his place Minos decided,
He noticed the crowd filled with faces like his,
Dealing with valuables that seemed outdated.
The leopard led him to a fate that was this,
A corrupted version of his greatest obsession.
The car that was his pedestal that is.
The car was most definitely no longer his acquisition.
For he had to push the immobile vehicle
Sam no longer had a chance for benediction
Pushing this broken down idol became chronicle.
Around the 3rd ring of Hell for eternity,
Oh how that became a spectacle.
The leopard staring with such ambiguity
At this man who has sinned unconsciously
His love for cars was no longer modernity.
Upper Hell became a home, lugging his selfishness continuously
There was no more remorse or second chances
He is held here forever ignominiously.
Sam didn’t have any more alliances,
For life was lonely in the Hell below.
Maybe there would’ve been hope, if he had made some sacrifices.
Explanatory Paragraph:
The level I have chosen to write about is in Upper Hell located on the 3rd Circle. This circle deals with Glutenous actions. My character that gets sent there is names Sam Brannan, whom i researched and in real life has a greed for money when mining for gold was founded in California. In the canto i have written, Sam was a man who was obsessed with cars. Not in a good way, but in a selfish, greedy and flauntous manner. Because of his obsession with cars, he over looked the basic idea of kindness and respect. Because of this obsession Sam had, when he enters Hell, Minos places him in the third circle because he was glutenous over his cars. The punishment he receives in hell is to be constantly pushing an old beaten down model of his favorite car around the circle for eternity. This punishment reflects that since his cars were so important to him in his lifetime, he now has to continuously face and manually deal with a car, in which was what his life was consumed of.
Monica Pineiro, Period 0
The face of Minos, was what Sam Brannan stared at
Scared of what his fate would become,
This was the moment he lost his high hat.
He no longer was in charge, this was now not his Kingdom
As the soul sorter begun to analyze
This now helpless life, he felt like nothing but scum.
The leopard lead Sam’s way who constantly tantalized.
He wasn’t sure of where he was headed,
Down to the third circle, Sam felt paralyzed.
When he arrived to his place Minos decided,
He noticed the crowd filled with faces like his,
Dealing with valuables that seemed outdated.
The leopard led him to a fate that was this,
A corrupted version of his greatest obsession.
The car that was his pedestal that is.
The car was most definitely no longer his acquisition.
For he had to push the immobile vehicle
Sam no longer had a chance for benediction
Pushing this broken down idol became chronicle.
Around the 3rd ring of Hell for eternity,
Oh how that became a spectacle.
The leopard staring with such ambiguity
At this man who has sinned unconsciously
His love for cars was no longer modernity.
Upper Hell became a home, lugging his selfishness continuously
There was no more remorse or second chances
He is held here forever ignominiously.
Sam didn’t have any more alliances,
For life was lonely in the Hell below.
Maybe there would’ve been hope, if he had made some sacrifices.
Explanatory Paragraph:
The level I have chosen to write about is in Upper Hell located on the 3rd Circle. This circle deals with Glutenous actions. My character that gets sent there is names Sam Brannan, whom i researched and in real life has a greed for money when mining for gold was founded in California. In the canto i have written, Sam was a man who was obsessed with cars. Not in a good way, but in a selfish, greedy and flauntous manner. Because of his obsession with cars, he over looked the basic idea of kindness and respect. Because of this obsession Sam had, when he enters Hell, Minos places him in the third circle because he was glutenous over his cars. The punishment he receives in hell is to be constantly pushing an old beaten down model of his favorite car around the circle for eternity. This punishment reflects that since his cars were so important to him in his lifetime, he now has to continuously face and manually deal with a car, in which was what his life was consumed of.
Monica Pineiro, Period 0
The Plagiarizers
Level 3
After passing the level of gluttons I came
To the section of plagiarists, they were
Stuck in a school with only themselves to blame,
This area of hell made me defer
From ever thinking about copying, their fate
Was so bad it should never occur,
They were forced to be in a state
Of writing, forever would they be
Copying texts, never given the chance to create
Original work, there they sat
In desks, writing until their fingers fell
Off, text after text for all eternity
I pitied them as I walked past, eyes
Glued to the books from which
They never they loved so dearly
With their time on earth, row
After row of sinners, destined to
Spend eternity in a classroom,
The whole time I was there
All I could hear was the silent scribble
Of poor souls writing constantly,
With an evil teacher patrolling
The classroom, passing out more paper
When needed, making sure everyone was
Doing their assigned work,
After a few minutes the silence started
To get to me, for me being mute
For eternity is an unimaginable fate,
I begged my master to move on,
And he granted my request.
Explanation
My canto would be placed in circle 3 of hell, right after the gluttons. Plagiarism is a serious sin that gives you credit for someone else’s hard work. Their punishment follows contrapasso by masterfully fitting the crime. The plagiarists are forced to stay in school forever, rewriting other people’s work for all eternity. This never gives them the chance to write an original statement again. There are destined to follow read and rewrite books they did not even create.
Stanley Szeliga, Period 0
After passing the level of gluttons I came
To the section of plagiarists, they were
Stuck in a school with only themselves to blame,
This area of hell made me defer
From ever thinking about copying, their fate
Was so bad it should never occur,
They were forced to be in a state
Of writing, forever would they be
Copying texts, never given the chance to create
Original work, there they sat
In desks, writing until their fingers fell
Off, text after text for all eternity
I pitied them as I walked past, eyes
Glued to the books from which
They never they loved so dearly
With their time on earth, row
After row of sinners, destined to
Spend eternity in a classroom,
The whole time I was there
All I could hear was the silent scribble
Of poor souls writing constantly,
With an evil teacher patrolling
The classroom, passing out more paper
When needed, making sure everyone was
Doing their assigned work,
After a few minutes the silence started
To get to me, for me being mute
For eternity is an unimaginable fate,
I begged my master to move on,
And he granted my request.
Explanation
My canto would be placed in circle 3 of hell, right after the gluttons. Plagiarism is a serious sin that gives you credit for someone else’s hard work. Their punishment follows contrapasso by masterfully fitting the crime. The plagiarists are forced to stay in school forever, rewriting other people’s work for all eternity. This never gives them the chance to write an original statement again. There are destined to follow read and rewrite books they did not even create.
Stanley Szeliga, Period 0
The Teen Stars
Level 2.5
The next victims we came to, they were heard before seen
These unfortunate souls, singing songs overdone
In autotuned voices; I held in a scream
They came into sight, I wanted to run
Their voices were grating, their movements obscene
But our visit had only just begun
There was Miley and Demi, screeching loud as can be
Big Time Rush and Selena
Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron and the Jonases three
Annoyances their sin, they were doomed to an arena
Where they must listen to each other forever;
A sound worse than a thousand hyenas
I wanted to leave, I didn’t want to persevere
But Virgil’s strong arm prevented my exit
Leaving me with no alternative whatsoever
So I turned to Miss Cyrus, in life so unfit
For stardom and fame, lacking talent and grace,
To inquire about the punishment her crimes befit
Blood from her ears trickled down her face,
A result of the torturous sounds she’d endured
Confined with the others in so small a space
She cried as she spoke, falling to the floor
Telling her tale of sadness and woe
How she couldn’t stand her own voice anymore
She’d sang many concerts, been in many shows
Never considering the damage she’d cause
Never thinking of all the eardrums she’d decomposed
So she, with the others are doomed to stay paused
And suffer through their own performances
With no applause
This circle of hell is reserved for annoying teen stars. Their music is so horrible, and they are so careless with their fame and influence that they deserve their very own circle. I placed them in Upper Hell, level two and a half, because this is a hotblooded sin. The celebrities punishment is that they have to listen to themselves for all of eternity.
Margaret Biedenkapp, Period 0
The next victims we came to, they were heard before seen
These unfortunate souls, singing songs overdone
In autotuned voices; I held in a scream
They came into sight, I wanted to run
Their voices were grating, their movements obscene
But our visit had only just begun
There was Miley and Demi, screeching loud as can be
Big Time Rush and Selena
Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron and the Jonases three
Annoyances their sin, they were doomed to an arena
Where they must listen to each other forever;
A sound worse than a thousand hyenas
I wanted to leave, I didn’t want to persevere
But Virgil’s strong arm prevented my exit
Leaving me with no alternative whatsoever
So I turned to Miss Cyrus, in life so unfit
For stardom and fame, lacking talent and grace,
To inquire about the punishment her crimes befit
Blood from her ears trickled down her face,
A result of the torturous sounds she’d endured
Confined with the others in so small a space
She cried as she spoke, falling to the floor
Telling her tale of sadness and woe
How she couldn’t stand her own voice anymore
She’d sang many concerts, been in many shows
Never considering the damage she’d cause
Never thinking of all the eardrums she’d decomposed
So she, with the others are doomed to stay paused
And suffer through their own performances
With no applause
This circle of hell is reserved for annoying teen stars. Their music is so horrible, and they are so careless with their fame and influence that they deserve their very own circle. I placed them in Upper Hell, level two and a half, because this is a hotblooded sin. The celebrities punishment is that they have to listen to themselves for all of eternity.
Margaret Biedenkapp, Period 0
The Gluttonous
Level 3
Focus: Dante is traveling through those who sinned through food. Focus on how they are punished and if this contradicts or is the same as the life they lived on earth. Also see the monsters in this level, how are they a punishment?
In the third level are the excess eaters.
They are there to serve the beasts
Who are the people’s personal feeders.
If not fed in time, your own meat they feast
Since you ate so much when living
Now dead you eat the very least.
Forced into almost disappearing
Cook, clean and serve the masters
If you do not listen, your soul you will be giving
You live in mud and the filth
You create. The ground you walk on is full
Of the food you ate as a living soul.
Hidden beneath glass so you can not
Ever obtain it. There are 5 monsters here
They have no name, no real face or form
The monsters that stand before you
Take the form of what made you eat from the start
Horrifying pictures only they can see
Don’t forget not to flee
The spot you hold, because the farther you run,
The worse your curse may be.
If caught by the lady who strolls the land
Your doom is forever hers
The form of a wild spotted cat she holds
Fast on her feet, and lustful to those who watch her
She loves the taste of rotting souls
Beware of the she-leopard.
Beasts stand around waiting for their food
Waiting for each and every one of you
To take a chance and go feed those who
Guard your soul for keep. As you pass through
This circle, you may hear screams and cries
Because those who ate until their death,
Now starve until they die. Over and over
This happens to thee, so take none
For granted, for your soul is theirs to keep.
My canto takes place in upper hell where the gluttonous live in the layer of hot-blooded sins. In this circle of hell the punishment is opposite the crime. These people spent their whole life eating and turning into an enormous beast. As a punishment they see food, serve food, but can never touch food. Unfortunately if they don’t follow the rules and feed the beasts, they become dinner for the hungry monsters. As you read the canto, you can see that food is a big part of their lives, but not like it was when they were alive. They are forced to look at the things that made them sin in life, and serve those things with kindness.
Alyssa Cullere, Period 0
Focus: Dante is traveling through those who sinned through food. Focus on how they are punished and if this contradicts or is the same as the life they lived on earth. Also see the monsters in this level, how are they a punishment?
In the third level are the excess eaters.
They are there to serve the beasts
Who are the people’s personal feeders.
If not fed in time, your own meat they feast
Since you ate so much when living
Now dead you eat the very least.
Forced into almost disappearing
Cook, clean and serve the masters
If you do not listen, your soul you will be giving
You live in mud and the filth
You create. The ground you walk on is full
Of the food you ate as a living soul.
Hidden beneath glass so you can not
Ever obtain it. There are 5 monsters here
They have no name, no real face or form
The monsters that stand before you
Take the form of what made you eat from the start
Horrifying pictures only they can see
Don’t forget not to flee
The spot you hold, because the farther you run,
The worse your curse may be.
If caught by the lady who strolls the land
Your doom is forever hers
The form of a wild spotted cat she holds
Fast on her feet, and lustful to those who watch her
She loves the taste of rotting souls
Beware of the she-leopard.
Beasts stand around waiting for their food
Waiting for each and every one of you
To take a chance and go feed those who
Guard your soul for keep. As you pass through
This circle, you may hear screams and cries
Because those who ate until their death,
Now starve until they die. Over and over
This happens to thee, so take none
For granted, for your soul is theirs to keep.
My canto takes place in upper hell where the gluttonous live in the layer of hot-blooded sins. In this circle of hell the punishment is opposite the crime. These people spent their whole life eating and turning into an enormous beast. As a punishment they see food, serve food, but can never touch food. Unfortunately if they don’t follow the rules and feed the beasts, they become dinner for the hungry monsters. As you read the canto, you can see that food is a big part of their lives, but not like it was when they were alive. They are forced to look at the things that made them sin in life, and serve those things with kindness.
Alyssa Cullere, Period 0
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