World Lit. Unit 5: Dante’s InfernoLiterary Analysis Essay

Thesis:
In the Inferno, the symbols of darkness, the seventh circle, and the beasts illustrate the thematic message that God has perfect justification against all evil.
Try to use the thesis above, with the 3 symbols listed as darkness, seventh circle, and the beasts

World Lit. Unit 5: Dante’s InfernoLiterary Analysis Essay (100 points)
Prompt: A large portion of our time in class was dedicated to examining how the author, Dante Alighieri uses symbolism, contrapasso, and allegory throughout his work. Craft an essay of 3-4 pages in MLA format examining how, in the Inferno, Dante Alighieri uses symbolism to convey an overall allegorical message (moral, religious, or social/individual) OR an important theme of the work. You may choose 3 symbols from the Inferno, OR you may choose to elaborate on how 1 symbol is developed in three separate instances. Make sure to explain how each object, person, or location has a deeper meaning, and how that meaning adds to the overall theme or allegorical message of the work. 
Reminders on Lit. Terms:What is symbolism? ● Symbolism is a literary device that uses symbols: objects, people, marks, or locations to represent something beyond the literal meaning.Examples: ○ The Great Gatsby: The color green symbolizes material wealth and greed. ○ “Masque of the Red Death:” The clock symbolizes a person’s lifespan and the mortality of human life.● Symbols shift their meanings depending on the context they are used in. ○ A chain, for example, may stand for union as well as imprisonment. ○ A red rose can symbolize love, romance, delicacy. However, the thorns on a rose can symbolize the fragility of love, emotion, and even life.○ Thus, symbolic meaning of an object or an action is understood by when, where, and how it is used. It also depends on who reads the work.
Some symbols to consider in the Inferno: Darkness, Light, The Forest, The Path, Virgil, 3 Beasts of Worldliness, Beatrice, Blood, Ice, Fire, Pits, Satan’s 3 Heads, and many more. For example: The dark wood of error = Worldliness/Sin; Beatrice = Divine Love; Light = Hope/God
What is allegory and how is it present in Dante’s Inferno?An allegory is a literary device that uses symbols to convey a hidden meaning (usually religious or moral) hiding just under the surface. People, places, things, and even the plot all contribute to the allegory. The main allegory in Inferno is Dante’s descent into hell, which represents every man’s descent into sin. Dante’s experiences in Hell with the various circles, characters, and punishments lead him towards God, which is similar to how every man must acknowledge his sin in life and repent to be saved.
What is a theme?A literary theme is the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a literary work. In simpler stories, the theme may be a moral or message: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” In more complex stories, the central theme is typically a more open-ended exploration of some fundamental aspect of society or humanity: “Physical and social isolation creates devastating consequences.”Some thematic topics to consider in the Inferno: Good vs. Evil, Justice, Isolation, Alienation, Redemption, Humanity, Reason, Hope, or your own choice. 
OUTLINE FOR LITERARY ANALYSISSee this link for the outline format due B. 11/20 and G. 11/21
● Introduction (from general to specific)○ Hook○ Introduce the poem. Include the title (in italics), the author, and the genre (TAGing)○ Include any relevant background information.○ Strong thesis statement development (answer: which 1 or 3 symbols will you focus on and how do they add to a theme or allegory from the work?)
● Body○ Write at least three body paragraphs to explain how 1 or 3 symbols in the poem add to a theme or allegory. Include the following information for each body paragraph:■ The topic sentence should address one symbol you will focus on in the paragraph. How does this symbol add to the theme or allegory?■ Use a minimum of two (2) direct quotes from the text to support the main idea of each body paragraph in your essay. Don’t rely on the quotes to explain themselves.  Lead your reader into the quote with context (who is speaking, which circle are they in, what part of the journey, etc.), analyze the quote, and show how the quote supports your main idea (how does it show that the object, character, or location is a symbol; why is the symbol important?). Rule of thumb: Analysis should be longer than the quote you choose. ■ Each concluding sentence/s should analyze how the symbol you focused on in the paragraph enhances the theme or allegory in your thesis.  ● Conclusion (from specific to general)○ Restate your thesis, summary of main points, but also give lots of analysis here○ Answer the so what - Is there something you learned about symbolism, theme, or allegory? Why do these matter? Is there a lesson that is applicable today? Is it more or less relevant today in our society? ○ What should your audience do with the information you presented - change their minds, modify their understandings, etc.?○ Strong closing statement.