In the 1st Circle of Hell, we find the un-baptized virtuous who weren’t sinful but had yet to be baptized. The individuals here grieve are grieving their separation from God. I chose Laci Peterson’s unborn son Connor. Because this is a contemporary situation and Connor was a completely formed person when he was made to join God with his mother.
I felt that my choice for a contemporary who could be in the 2nd Circle of Hell because he or she was overcome by their sin of lust would be “Girls Gone Wild” producer Joe Francis. In going to spring break spots with a camera and a roll of money in hand while young women and sometimes under-aged females often drunk and wearing very little agree to be filmed, would be a good contemporary for one who could be blown about needlessly and aimlessly in the 2nd Circle of Hell.
In the 3rd Circle of Hell, the Gluttoness lie in mud while excrement and filth rain down upon them. To find a contemporary for this, it was somewhat difficult. Fortunately, this circle didn’t require that the person be evil or cruel, just gluttoness. For the contemporary in this area, I chose Christopher Boykin, otherwise known as “Big,” in the popular MTV reality show, “Rob and Big.” Although “Big” seems like a good friend, he really does define the word “gluttony” through all of his actions and inactions.
My immediate choice for the 4th Circle of Hell is the choice I will stick with is Paris Hilton. When the words, “high concern for material goods” and “squanderers” come to mind, I think of Hilton and others like her who think it to be unfashionable to be seen more than once with the same outfit or even the same pair of shoes.
The wrathful fight each other on the surface of the swamp-like water of the river Styz. Since no one really were able to defend themselves on earth during the Virginia Tech Massacre, for the 5th Circle of Hell I will elect the perpetrator of this massacre, Seung-Hui Cho. He can fight with others in the swamp-like water after killing the 32 people, wounding many others including the family and friends of those he killed before ending his own life.
In the 6th Circle of Hell where the heretics reside, I would put all cult leaders in general, but one of the more recent cases would be the leader of New Mexico’s “Doomsday Cult” compound, Michael Travesser. Travesser led his followers to Strong City, New Mexico 7 years ago while declaring himself the son of God. They formed The Lord of our Righteousness Church where Travesser declared himself the sect’s messiah. According to Travesser on their website, naked, underage virgins lie with him on his bed bringing them closer to God.
The violent are housed in the 7th Circle. I know some might have placed Michael Travesser here, however, Travesser didn’t have a violent past history unlike the person I have chosen for this circle. Jeffrey Dalmer tortured all forms of nature, molested and murdered children and ate human flesh. Jeffrey Dalmer defined violence in all the things we knew about him and probably more so in the things we never knew.
Since conscious fraud and misleading others leads those to the 8th Circle of Hell where the punishment fits the crime, this candidate was somewhat a tough choice with the rising level and/or focus on fraudulent practices. However, I chose American televangelist Jim Baker for this Circle of Hell. Baker made it somewhat easy in that many individuals feel that those presenting themselves as Christians on the media should have higher standards than the average Christian. In addition, Baker was fraudulent in so many areas. He was fraudulent to his wife, to his marriage, his children, to his supporters, the public who thought they were buying lifetime timeshares in real estate and it just goes on and on.
In the 9th Circle of Hell, the individuals are frozen in the lake of ice, Cocytus. Biblical giants that became traitors are some of those that find their last home here. Because our political leaders have been given or given themselves the power that Biblical giants had in the past, I must nominate George W. Bush to be welcomed down into the 9th Circle of Hell. Although he delegates that some on his staff do a lot of his fraudulent acts for him, he is still responsible since his position makes the ultimate call. The fraudulent power he has given to himself by making irresponsible and irrational and short-sighted choices has claimed the lives of so many innocent people and many of those people still have the rest of their lives to live.
I didn’t realize before preparing this assignment how difficult it could be to choose individuals for the 9 Circles of Hell. Many candidates for these circles can easily be interchangeable. I feel if one takes the assignment seriously, it is difficult because none of us want to be judged or be a candidate for a Circle of Hell whether it is in a writing assignment or in reality.
