WLIRP+PeterP

=Independent Reading Project= Quarter 1 2009-2010
 * Title: Inferno
 * Author: Dante
 * Author’s Nationality: Italian
 * Setting (only list the primary settings): Hell
 * Total Pages: 288
 * Original Publication Date: 1314
 * If your book is translated, who is the translator? If not translated write “NA”: John Ciardi
 * Do you currently have a physical copy of the book?: Yes
 * If you do not have a physical copy, how soon can you get one? (Write “NA” if you have a copy.): NA

How many pages do you need to read per week to be completed by 15 October, 2009?: 288 Week 1: 31 August - 4 September: 1-41 Week 2: 7-11 September: 41-82 Week 3: 14-18 September: 82-123 Week 4: 21-25 September: 123-164 Week 5: 28 September - 2 October: 164-205 Week 6: 5-9 October: 205-246 Week 7: 12-15 October: 246-288

Reflection Week 3

How is your World Lit. reading going? Are you keeping up with your reading plan? What do you think about your book so far? What are the main conflicts? Are there any particularly interesting characters? Why? Have you noticed any major themes developing? Do you see any connections between your World Lit book and anything else you have read recently?

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep up with my reading plan; I am currently on the reading I should have finished on Week 2. So far, the book is somewhat dense with information and symbolism, and contains innumerable allusions to historical figures. I thought the main character to be intriguing, for he serves as the observer of Hell, the descriptions of which is the main focus of the book. He is often appalled and horrified when he witnesses the various types of sinners and their respective punishments, which are often brutal and ruthless. So far, major themes of the __Inferno__ include the definition and elaboration on the diverse sins present before and during Dante's time. The main thing __Inferno__ and __Romeo and Juliet__ have in common is that the respective main characters of the two novels are in search of eternal happiness: the main character of __Inferno__ seeking paradise (Heaven), and Romeo and Juliet in pursuit of continual companionship until death does them apart.

Reflection No. 2

How is your World Lit. reading going? Are you keeping up with your reading plan? What do you think about your book so far? What are the main conflicts? Are there any particularly interesting characters? Why? Have you noticed any major themes developing? Do you see any connections between your World Lit book and anything else you have read recently?

The Inferno was an interesting book to read. Even though I wasn't aware of many of the historical figures who Dante mercilessly lampooned by scattering them in various levels of hell, it was still intriguing to see how the sinners could be distinguished into different categories and levels, and how a unique punishment could be attributed to a specific type of sinner. Dante's idiosyncratic development was particularly interesting; before, he was horrified by and felt pity for the brutality and cruelty inflicted on the sinners in Hell, but after much of his journey through hell, he grew phlegmatic towards them. Some major themes of Inferno include the absolute omnipotence of God, the justness of his punishments, and the overall political and social satire present in the plot.

Introduction
 * Brief summary of __Inferno__
 * Brief summary of __The Death of Ivan Ilych__

Similarities
 * Both __Inferno__ and __The Death of Ivan Ilych__ explore the theme of sin.
 * In __Inferno__, Dante the character observes how various types of sinners are each punished in Hell.
 * In __The Death of Ivan Ilych__, Ivan Ilych undergoes a realization that living a meaningless life determined by one's superiors and characterized by a dearth of genuine relationships is equivalent to wasting one's life and therefore, is a sin.
 * Love is a major factor in both the journeys of the main characters in the __Inferno__ and __The Death of Ivan Ilych.__
 * In __Inferno__, Dante's journey from hell to heaven is triggered by his profound desire to find Beatrice, the woman he loves, as well as love for God.
 * In The Death of Ivan Ilych, Ivan Ilych realizes that relationships, especially those between family members, should be comprised of love, not other motives such as decorum and propriety.
 * Both literary works were originally written in a foreign language.
 * __Inferno__ was originally written in Italian by Dante; it was translated into English by various authors several centuries later.
 * __The Death of Ivan Ilych__ was written in Russian by Tolstoy. It was also translated into English by various authors.
 * In both literary works, God and Christianity serve as major elements of the plot.
 * In __Inferno__, Christian elements were virtually present in the entire plot. The story takes place within Hell, a location defined by Christian doctrines. The sinners, who endure a myriad of different punishments as retribution for their sins, are under direct punishment by God.
 * In __The Death of Ivan Ilych__, God and Christianity are less important, but nevertheless significant. During his mortal and moral peril, Ivan Ilych continuously questioned God why he was undergoing his excruciating pain. Near the end of his life, Ivan Ilych freely forfeits his life to God, happy that 1) his empty, meaningless life has been terminated and 2) his physical and psychological tortures have ended.

Differences
 * Although Inferno and The Death of Ivan Ilych share a number of key themes in their stories, they are different in the sense that these themes are represented differently and play different roles within the plot.
 * For instance, the two literary works each portray sin in a different manner.
 * In Inferno, Dante classifies and distinguishes the different types and degrees of sin and attributes a unique punishment to each sin according to its nature and gravity.
 * In The Death of Ivan Ilych, on the other hand, Tolstoy specifically focuses on a single sin: the sin of living a hollow, meaningless, and emotionless life.
 * Also, love, despite being present in both Inferno and The Death of Ivan Ilych, plays a different role in each book.
 * In Inferno, love is the catalyst of the entire plot; Dante the character embarks on his journey to heaven in his desire to see Beatrice, the woman he loves.
 * In The Death of Ivan Ilych, however, Ivan Ilych is initially devoid of love and emotion. All the same, Ivan Ilych’s character journey eventually results in his recognition of love as an indispensible component of life.
 * Not only that, but God and Christianity are represented differently in Inferno and The Death of Ivan Ilych.
 * In Inferno, God is omnipresent throughout the entire plot, since all the punishments that Dante the character observes are all consequences of God’s will.
 * In The Death of Ivan Ilych, God is not necessarily present in the entire plot, but is still a significant element in the plot, as Ivan Ilych often blames and protests to God about his excruciating physical and mental pain.

Conclusion
 * Recommendation - Positive
 * Great work of poetry
 * Beautiful language
 * Descriptive writing
 * Deeply allegoric
 * Illustrates Dante's wild imagination
 * Displays the political situation of Florence, Italy

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