Name: ______________________________________________’s Inferno:
Your Own Personal Hell!
You are going to design your own Inferno, using Dante’s law of symbolic retribution.
This will be your major essay grade for this unit.
Symbolic Retribution: The punishment fits the crime.
Directions: Consider what the 9 WORST sins are in the modern society. Rank these sins from 1-9, with 1 being the least
and 9 being the worst thing ever. Then, think of punishments that fit each of these sins. You will need to defend your
rankings and punishments for each level of your inferno.
Part I: The Sins
Use this box to list all the “sins” you think should be punished. A couple of examples are given for inspiration!
“mean girls”
cheaters
People who act childish in a relationship
Now, rank the 9 worst sins you came up with, with 1 being the least, 9 being the worst sin of all.
1.
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2.
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9. _____________________________________________________________________________________
Writing. Why did you choose to rank the sins as you did? Why is sin 1 not so bad, and sin 9 the worst thing of all? (3-4
sentences):
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Part II: The Punishments
Starting with sin 1, create a punishment for each of the 9 sins you listed on the front of this packet. Consider how this
punishment will be carried out, and think of examples of famous people who might go in this circle.
Example
Circle #1: Cheaters_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? People who cheat on their boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife with another person________
What is the punishment for these sinners? Cheaters are forced to dig their own eyes out of their head with rusty
nails and then feel around blindly for a doorway, but every wall is covered in burning, electrified spikes.
When they finally find the doorway and go through, their eyes are back and they have to start all over.
How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? In life, cheaters couldn’t stop themselves from looking
and touching other people, so in Hell, they are forced to remove their eyes so they can’t see and everything
they are forced to touch causes them pain and suffering. _________________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: Bill Clinton, Jon Gosselin, Robin Thicke, Kevin Hart____________________
Your Turn!
Circle #1: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Circle #2: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Circle #3: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Circle #4: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Circle #5: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Circle #6: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Circle #7: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Circle #8: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Circle #9: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Who is in this circle? _________________________________________________________________________________
What is the punishment for these sinners? _______________________________________________________________
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How does this represent the law of symbolic retribution? ___________________________________________________
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Examples of famous people in this circle: ________________________________________________________________________________
Part III: The Structure
How is your Inferno organized? Dante made his inferno a series of downward spiraling circles that look like a funnel. Use
this box to draw a diagram of how your hell looks. Make sure to label each of the 9 levels of your inferno!
Part IV: Writing
Compose a short story, poem, rap, monologue, scene, letter, or narrative about someone who is traveling through your
Inferno. Like Dante, your traveler should be alive, not someone who will be tortured. Write about this person’s travels
through your Inferno and how they react to seeing all the punishments and sinners inside.
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