No Anne Rice, Incest is Not Sexy! Lasher Final Reflections

I'm really sorry K-dub, but the book i was reading before, Lasher, WAS FLAT OUT BORING! I would have rather read a Self Help book than read Lasher, getting through the first chapter was a chore. I don't understand how writing this book didn't drive the author insane. Speaking of self help, this author throws around incest like its some type of sexy thing to read about. I don't know about everyone, but following the life and times of a 13 year old girl who's number one goal in life is to sleep with her uncle does NOT get me hot. I got through the 3rd chapter and so far all I have is, family secrets, sex scene, back to more family secrets, and then some really gross sex scenes, love, budding romance, horrible evil bad guy, even more family secrets, and then a completely gross-you-out, make-you-throw-up disgustingly dirty sex scene that scars you for life, plus another family secret. I'm sure other people liked this book, but I didn't. So I'm starting on another book called Such A Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster. The author is funny, witty, and the overall plot is believeable and not so Deadly-creatures-of-the-night-that-fall-in-love-with-human-girls-and-make-sweet-love-to-them-in-the-moon-light-ish. Not dissing Twilight though. Twilight is okay with me. However, Lasher isn't . Sorry, but I wouldn't force Bush to read this mess.

Chapter 1 (Hatin on The Short People!)

" They would come together at the circle of stones in Donnelaith""Sorrow and Sadness, the weakness of humans and the sadness of the little people."


Circle of stones has to be a complete reference to the stone henge in Engalnd. Alsosomething t take into account, who are the litte people? Myfrist guess would have been humans but since he already said that its got to be something else. But what else can he be talking about, hobbits? That confused me, but hopefully the mor the speaker reveals his own character the more we will understand about the little people. By he way I resent that term.

My thoughts on Dante's Inferno

It was really a great book. It wasn't exactly what I expected but it still was good. It gave a lot of insight to the mindset of the Christians back during the 1200's and the Medieval times. It was fun to read and really got me thinking about life and trying to be a better person. Some things I didn't like was Dante's choices for some of his sins. I still don't think certain people should be in the amount of trouble they were in in hell. Sometimes it just seemed to be too harsh. another thing was that Dante really puffed himself up to be some true saint. He really got on my nerves at times with that "I'm was sent by God to go through hell" stuff. however, Dante's writing was really good even though sometimes his history was sort of wrong and most of his views on people were biased. It took a lot of patience to read this book because of the wording and the phrases. However, I got through it and I think it was a really good book to read. I loved how Dante used his opinions in the book and gave us scandalous gossip about people we now study in history. I loved the Characters and I loved the way Dante did some his punishments. Each one was well thought out and planned so that it would match the crime. I think he is good writer and this is a great book.

Circle 9 (SATAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Round 1

The Treacherous To Kin

" O most miscreant rabble, you who keep the stations of that place whose name is pain, better you had been born as goats or sheep!"


The modern English translation to this quote would be" You poor schmucks, you should have never been born human, you would have been better off a goat or a sheep," which is entirely true, these poor guys are in the 9th circle of hell do you know how painful their punishments must be? However Dante, that is sort of a mean thing to say plus you can't really feel sorry for them sense it was their own doing that got them there in the first place. However I just can't see this sin as being the worse sin in the book, I think It would have been more fitting to have more of a final crime there like killers or something, not betrayers.


Round 2 & 3

Treacherous to Country, Treacherous to Guest and Host

"Father it would give us less pain if you ate us: it was you who put upon us this sorry flesh; now strip it off again."

Another whoa moment, this was the only time i actually felt sorry for someone in the book. One poor soul had to watch his sons starve to death while they stayed locked in a tower for days. One of his sons replied the above when he started crying and chewing his fingers. I think that almost made me tear up. Can you imagine the grief in that. This quote really depressed me. I kept thinking how does a father respond to that quote, how horrible is it to hear your child say something like that. So sad. So sad.



Round 4


SATAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



"If he was as beautiful as he once as now he is hideous, and still turned on his Maker, well may he be the source of very woe!"

I'm just not sure how being ugly makes him the source of all woe. I keep reading it but I just don't get it. What it sounds like he's sort of saying that if he fave up God to be this ugly then he must be he source of human suffering. But that doesn't make sense to me.Anyways just a quick note, I was really excited to get to the part about Satan. I really wanted to hear about his punishment. I cant believe the book is over now....

The Central Pit of Malebolge

"Babbling Fool, stick to your horn and vent yourself with it when rage or passion stir your stupid soul."


Whoa, I'm not sure I could completely understand what Virgil meant by what he said but I do know it was an insult and pretty straight forward one too. Virgil is a real hot head. Dante reminds of that lost little rich girl in the city who's afraid of all the bums and the crackheads, while Virgil is her street smart trash talking friend who's trying to help her back home while she's cussing out people and stealing food and stuff. It was really weird to see Virgil act this way toward anyone since normally he would be trying to be respectful, but I guess not this time.

Circle 8

Circle 8

• Circle 8 is super long so I'm going to run some of the different sections together.

Bolgia 1 & 2

The Panderers and the Seducers, The Flatterers


""It is Jason, who by courage and good advice made off with the Colchian Ram."


OK, this guy Jason's story is really interesting. He's got reason to be in hell. He happens to meet Hypsipyle after he finds this Ram thingy, he sleeps with her, gets her pregnant and then he leaves her as they say "pregnant and forsaken" so he can go on more adventures. Now he is burning in hell with all the rest of the seducers. I learned that from the notes in the end of the chapter.


Bolgia 3 & 4

The Simoniacs & The Fortune Tellers and Diviners

"And see tiresias, who by his arts succeeded in changing himself from man to woman, transforming all his limbs and all his parts; later he had two twined serpents once again with his conjurer's wandbefore he could resume his manly lineaments."


I did this just for you K-Dub. I was so shocked to see or even hear about Tiresias in Hell. At the same time it was pretty cool to see a character from another story in this one. Though it is sad to see him in hell it is fitting becausre he is a fortune teller but, it wasn't really like he chose to be one. he just happened to get really unlucky more than once. Poor poor Tiresias will he ever rest?



Bolgia 5

The Grafters

"There 'Yes' is 'No' and 'NO' is 'Yes' for a fee."

This quote makes me think of the captolist nations. Like a America for instance. It sounds just like us. "Its funny how Money changes situations" Lauren Hill once quoted. Americans will change their views on LIFE for a quick buck. Money is what you need to survive out here. America is a Grafter. We aren't the Land of the Free or the Home of the Brave, we are the Land of the Rich and the Home of the Wealthy. Thats the American way and whats so funny is that sometimes we don't even notice it in ourselves.


Bolgia 6

The Hypocrites

"The burnished robes are of thick lead," said one "and are hung on us like counterweights, so heavy that we, their fulcrums, creak and groan."

The Hypocrites punishment is very symbolic to their crime. They wear these robes of lead that are shaped like the robes of monks, the are forced to walk around in that heavy suit, up, down, and all around. Sounds painful doesn't it? The Monk shape represents how the hypocrites try to appear saintly, however the heavy lead they're made of represents how much guilt is truly weighing them down. I really enjoy how Dante very carefully plots some of his punishments. Some were random, others were ironic. Despite his arrogance he truly is a legendary writer.


Bolgia 7


Thieves


""The man who lies aslep will never waken fame, and his desire and all his life drift past him like a dream, and the traces of his memory fade from time like smoke in air, or ripples on a stream."

I love this quote. I'm thinking of putting it on my myspace. Pretty much if its too wordy for you, he's saying that the man who sleeps will be forgotten. What I want to know is in which context, is he talking about specifically in Hell or does he mean just in general? I think its something god to remeber when your geting ready to fall asleep in class. I also love howsharp and strict Virgil is with Dante. Once again the Parent/Child thing.


Bolgia 8

The Evil Counselors (George Bush and John McCain)

"I mourned among those rocks, and I mourn again when my memory returns to what I saw."


When Dante says things like this I always try to picture in my mind the things that he is talking about and horrible they are. He really is good a putting suspense in a story. He always has his audience at the edge of their seat waiting to hear about the next punishment. Each time he says something like that i always try to picture it as if it were me there looking through Dante's eyes, seeing what he saw. Its almost like creatingyour own movie. I think it really good Idea that really isn't used in many books today. The suspense just adds on to the horrible punishments Dante has witng for his audience. It's true humans are mostly more interested in the negative than the positive.


Bolgia 9


Sowers of Discord

"The devil who butchers us and sends us marching waits to renew our wounds with his long sword."

The Sowers of Discord aka The Drama Starters are pretty much some of the people we know in everyday life who like to start problems for no good reasons. This is my absolute favorite of all the punishments. It is very symbolic. They forced to walk around a tack with their limbs cut of and their entrails hanging out and their heads cut off. Then once they reach the end of the track and are healed, the demon rips them a new one (if you know what I mean) and then they start the track again with entrails hanging out and all of that sort of stuff. Since all they ever did was walk around bring about suffering now they walk around suffering in hell. Pretty deep Dante, Pretty Deep.....


Bolgia 10 (Finally!)


The Falsifiers

"And through the screams, putrid flesh spread upits sickening stench."

This is really good example of Dante's good use of adjectives. The words he uses gives the audience some of the most identifiable images and senses to try to imagine. He makes it easier for the audience see what he saw and feel what he felt. I can ieasily imagine the screams, the smell of sikness and rotting flesh, and old blood, and I can picture the sight of peole streched on the grown with boils and fevers and scabs. It was really imagery.

Circle 7 (The Violent People)

Circle 7

Round 1

The Violent Against Neighbors (Murderers and Warlords and George Bush)

"These were the kings of bloodshed and despoilment. Here they pay for their ferocity."


The is another moment where in my opinion, the punishment doesn't fit the crime. Why does Dante seem to find Violence just a little bit worse then heresy? In my Inferno, murders would very close to the bottom of hell. These guys aren't even near the final circle! How are thieves and liars worse than murders and warlords? What was the norm back in his day? Were people killed that often, because to killers should be punished and considered much worse then they are in the Inferno. These guys only have to sit in boiling blood up to where their guilt allows them wile liars are being ripped apart by demons with hooks and then boiled in a lake of glue! That is soo not fair!



Round 2

The Violent Against Themselves

"I was born in the city that tore down Mars and raised the Baptist."

I really did not understand this quote. I knew Mars was a metaphor but for what? So I look at the notes and here's what they think, the city of which he speaks is Florence. Mars was the first patron of the city when the city converted to Christianity. They tore down his statue and biult a church on top of his temple. It was cool to find that out. Personally, I think Dante's Inferno is great if your a history lover. It gives a lot of first person insight into some famous and legendary characters from the past.



Round 3

The Violent Against God, Nature, and Art

"Love of that land that was our common source moved me to tears; I gathered up the leaves and gave them back."


Ok, Dante. Pretty much he's saying that he wouldn't have felt sorry for the sinner ifit hadn't been form the same place. Dante is must really love his city because he mentions it so many times in his book. Florence, Florence, Florence. Matter of fact, most of the people that he talks to or about are from Florence. He is very much a patriot to his land. He probably saved himself from being shunned by his own peers by constantly mentioning Florence. Its just like if I had wrote a book about George Bush going to hell but every few sentences I would stop to say " I love America!" Its funny. At least to me.


Round 3

Violence Against Nature


"Ser Brunettto are you here?"


Poor Brunetto, from what the notes said, Brunetto was a writer who Dante really looked up to. What they aren't able to understand, which I can't understand either is why he is in hell. The thing is there was never any written evidence of him ever being guilty of sodomy. No rumors no nothing, so exactly what is Dante getting at by putting Brunetto here? Its really weird. if Dante was still alive this is probably something I would ask him about. By he way this might really piss off some people today. In the SEVENTH circle of hell guess who's there, Sodomites (anyone who has any type of sex besides vaginal sex which is basically more than half of the planet).


Round 3


Violence Against Nature and Art


" Do as they ask" he said "For these are forms to whom respect is due."


This was a real eye opener, This is the first time since the outer rings of hell that Dante has ever been told to respect any of the Dead souls living there. Why do certain souls still have enough clout to deserve respect in hell. That does send out a good message, respect others wheter they deserve it or not because normally we wouldn't expect people to be treated with respect in hell of all places.



Violence Against Art

"From each neck there hung an enormous purse, each marked with its own beast and its own colors like a coat of arms."

I at first didn't really catch on to the fact that the purses were coats of arms that represented feuding families. I wonder now if Romeo and Juliets family would have been included among those sinners. However I wouldn't consider that so ba that it was in the final circles of violence. I would think that violence against God would come last if anything. This is once again another example of Dante's different approac to certain sins.

Circle 6 (The Heretics)

Circle 6

Canto 10

The Heretics

(Just to let you know: a Heretic is a person who hold unorthodox opinions in any field.)

"These are the arch-heretics of all cults, with all their followers," he replied,"Far more than you would think lie stuffed into these vaults. Like lies with like in every heresy, and the monuments are fired, some more, some less; to each depravity its own degree."

The way Dante described the Heretics punishments got me thinking about the type of people that fall under that class. When I thought about I realized that a lot of people are in that category. That Includes rebels without a cause, people who have different interpretation of a religion, like Christianity and Judaism , who disagree just to disagree. That kind of sucks though because I know a lot of people like that. What I like about this quote is that it is finally clearer to me now that the severity of the punishments in Dante vary by the sin. I think thats pretty justifiable. Also, I love the fact that the leaders burn with their followers. I think its only fair that they do. They had them united in sin so now they must be united in punishment this time I think the punishment fits the crime.

Circle 6

Canto 11

The Heretics

"And if," it cried, "you travel through this dungeon of the blind by the power of genius, where is my son? why is he not with you?"

I'm not trying to give away plot or anything, but just to explain where this quote came from, Dante encounters another soul which asks to know why his son isn't with him. This line made me laugh and at the same time made me feel bad for the poor soul. Whenever I read this quote I just want to blurt out, "I guess he's not as smart as Dante now is he!" This is just another example of arrogant Dante is. He thinks he's such a genius that he can travel through hell? I think that was another way of Dante saying "Look at me I'm a poet and I'm sooo super smart Naa Naa Naa Boo Boo!" Poor guy, he thought his son was on Dante's level? Not. But seriously Dante is really conceited.

Circle 6

Canto 12

The Heretics

"And he: "Why does your understanding stray so far from its own habit? or can it be your thoughts are turned some other way?"

This quote came from Virgil after Dante started questioning the severity of the punishments. This is one of the first times that Virgil gets sort of an attitude toward Dante. This confused me at first because I thought that Dante was allowed to ask questions about the punishments but I read what Dante said over again and I realized that Dante was questioning Gods decisions and for that Virgil was scolding him. I sort of like how Virgil keeps Dante in check it pushes the whole Father/Son and Teacher/Student theory that I have about them. However i am really starting to wonder if Virgil is just as dependent of Dante as Dante is dependent of him. Every now and then you see these weak points in Virgil wear he gets scared and Dante notices and I always wonder if Virgil would be able to stand strong if it wasn't for Dante. Virgil's character is the true mystery.

WELCOME TO HELL! Circle 1-5

Circle 1



Limbo: The Virtuous Pagans

" I wish you to know before you move on that these souls were sinless and there merits fall still because they lacked baptisms grace,"

I'm not one to question God but doesn't seem a little harsh to be sent to hell even though you were a god person. I mean really, these guys couldn't help the fact that they didn't know God. Why should they be punished Dante? That is so not fair. I really can't understand why they should be punished. I guess thats because I know and have heard of so many good people are not christian. However, I just have to remember that this book was written back in the days when you could PAY to go to heaven if you wanted to and the pope still had the right to keep you out of heaven. I'm glad this just a book though because there would be so many good people in hell right now. Think about it; Ghandi, Buddha, John Lennon, that really would suck for them. Also something in the book that makes me laugh is the fact that he doesn't notice how arrogant he is being by writing this stuff about himself.

Circle 2

The Carnal aka. People with Romeo and Juliet Complex

" Here, there, up, down they whirl and, whirling, strain with never a hope of hope to comfort them, not of realese, but of even less pain."

Alright there are some really famous people in this Hell. Cleopatra and Acheilles are some of them. The Setting of the lovers torment is very symbolic. They are forced to be blown around by wind so strong that it lashed at them like a whip. The wind represents all the things the drama they went through in order stay lovers. N So now they live out eternity constantly straining to keep themselves together while the wind is blowing them around. Sort of Ironic ay?

Circle 3

The Gluttons

"Gluttony was my offense, and for it I lie here rotting like a swollen log"

Ok, this is totally another Dante moment. So the guy likes to eat.....does he really deserve eternal damnation? The way glutttons are punished is ironic to the crime. They forced to lie in foul slush and wallow until they sink through into nothingness, or Cerberus eats them. The setting is symbolic to that part of the story because it reflectstheir life. they spent their whole life wallowing in foood and wasting timeand now in Hell the do the exact same thing. Except they dont get food and instead they wallow in this disgusting slop.

Circle 4

The Hoarders and the Wasters/the Wrathful and the Sullen

"These tonsured wraiths of greed were priest indeed, and popes and cardinals, for it is in these the weed of avarice sows its rankest seed."

This quote does not only develop Dante the charater but of Dante the author as well. the fact that in that day and age he DARED to say that popes were avaricious was probably considered slander, even if it was true. Real and fiction Dante now seem to brave, outspoken and somewhat judgemental. In actuality now that I have gotten into the book Virgil seems to have to make the most moral choices. he is the one who has to protect Dante and teach him about Hell. He is his guide and just bydoing that he is making am important moral descion. Virgil like I said in the first post is the smarter mor well rounded one and Dante is his young wide eyed student. Its almost like a father/son thing.

Circle 5

The Wrathful, The Fallen Angels

"O my beloved guide in peril, who time and time again have seen me safely along this way, and turned the power of evil, stand by me now."I cried "

For the first time you hear Dante voice his fear. He seems lost and bewildered his words to Virgil only prove my above point. Dante and Virgil love each other in this father/son, big brother/little brother way. He calls on him in his time of need. What get me most is that last two words: I cried. Normally I wouldn't take that ending so seriously but right now I'm wondering exactly how he might of said it or what his facial expressions might look like. Exactly what is it like to cry out? I still can't seem to grasp what that emotion feels like. Is he crying or is yelling in Desperation or someting? Thats whats confusing me most.

Cantos 1-3(the woods, the descent, and the vestibules of hell)

The Woods

"How shall I say what wood that was! I never saw so drear, so rank, so arduous a wilderness! 

Its very memory gives a shape to fear."

                     -Dante's Inferno[Canto 1] Line 3 through 5

"But at the far end of that valley of evil whose maze who's maze had sapped my very heart with fear, I found myself before a little hill."

-Dante's Inferno[Canto 1] Line 13 through 15

The setting of the woods has very symbolic meanings. Dante describes them as dark, rank, arduous, and dreary. He uses those descriptions as part of a metaphor for how he strayed from the path of righteousness and into to the wilderness. Dante also reveals his character by the way he describes that he lost his way from the True Way. He seems to believe himself to be a noble person who has been distracted from his true calling. Kind of contradictory to Fate huh? Then he sees a hill and the way he describes the hill it seems as if the hill is his way back home or at least into a better place. Its his way of saying that he is special, that he still has a chance because of something in him or something he was meant to do. When he tries to get up the hill he is stopped by three animals that represent Malice, Violence, Incontinence,and Ambition, which I guess isn't considered positive in this situation.  I wonder exactly why he choose these beast to be the ones that bother him most. Maybe they represent the problems he faces in his life. Or maybe it represents what he might represent the things literally that are holding him back from being the things he was meant to be. The way Dante characterized himself is so unrealistic. He sees himself as a saint among mere mortals. He thinks that what ever he has to do is so important that GOD is going to tell everyone in hell to back off because he's just so important. His concept of himself is very arrogant.

The Descent

                                 

" I understand from your words and the look in your eyes," that shadow of magnificence answered me "your soul is sunken in that cowardice  that bears down many men, turning  their course and resolution by imagined perils, as his own shadows turn the frightened horse."

                              -Virgil Canto 2 line 43-48

This shows not only the character of Dante but the character of his guide Virgil.  Virgil is also considered noble by Date but Virgil ,as you can tell by the quote, has a bit more spitfire in him. He tells the truth but he doesn't hold back. He is very strict and wise. He is Dante's teacher figure and he has all of the answers that Dante needs. What strikes me as odd though is the fact that even though Dante places him in such high regard he still is in hell. Virgil represents well rounded people I think based on how he talks and the emotions he show through out the Canto. He seems to have his head on his shoulders and he's probably the type of guy people look up too. 

 

                           The Vestibules of Hell 

The Opportunist

"I am the way into the city of woe

I am the way to a forsaken people

I am the way into eternal sorrow

Sacred justice moved my architect

I was raised here by divine omnipotence

primordial love and ultimate intellect

Only those elements time cannot wear

were made before me, and beyond time I stand

Abandon all hope ye who enter here"

-The sign on the Entrance to hell Canto 3 

Firstly I have heard this quote before, but I didnt know that it was from Dante's Inferno.  Its really a intimidating poem. Then again it DOES happen to be hell.  What confuses me though is the middle stanza, it goes from scary to positive. Its almost as if it is Dante's way of saying even hell is one of God's great creations. Even though it isn't as nice as heaven or purgatory it still is something he made, therefore it still deserves a certain level of respect. However, thats just me. The first and last stanza is pretty much put there to gain suspense from the audience because after that stanza even I was excited to see what was awaiting Dante. It certainly is appropriate writing for hell welcome mat.

Canto 1

Dante gets lost in the woods, aka (sin) after his girlfriend dies and has gone so far that he can't come back without being stopped by these hungry dangerous animals. One is a starved female lepoard the other is a lion and the last is a wolf. I'm pretty sure they represent something but i haven't really found out what yet.

Things to Know about Dante's Inferno as your reading

• Dante's Inferno lives and breathes symbolism. So any description or Name you hear in this book contains dualism or some deeper meaning.
• In this book Dante encouters with people are very contreversial. Many of the people he meets are real life historical figures. thing such as finding kigs or popes in hell are things to pay great attention to.
  
• Dante is using his book to express is opinions about other people and himself. Thats why he made himself the main character. 
• This is NOT your average book, so if you read this get ones that say they have notes and interpretations, or you will be seriously lost.