After reading Dante’s Inferno, with all of its gruesome imagery, many students will wonder what point Dante was trying to make. Was he trying to scare all of his readers into making sure they led Christian lives? Was he trying to attack the political opponents who exiled him in a passive-aggressive manner?
Help students focus on the universal journey Dante is trying to explain here, by pointing out that there are many times in life where we might be headed down a wrong path, and there are lessons that need to be learned in order to straighten us out. This is especially true for many teenagers, who may be faced with peer pressure and the responsibilities that come with increased freedoms.
Have students create their own personal Inferno journeys. Stress that it should not be religious, but it should reflect a real-life situation they may have faced or might face, that highlights a time when guidance might be needed to reach a better understanding. Have them choose a guide into their Inferno, and have them explain why they have chosen this guide. An 8-cell sample storyboard of this assignment can be found below.
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(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Objective: Create a 6-8 cell storyboard that illustrates and describes your own personal Inferno journey.
Student Instructions:
Set clear expectations for respectful listening and supportive feedback before students present their journeys. Explain that sharing personal challenges requires trust and kindness from everyone.
Divide students into groups of 3–4 to encourage active participation and reduce pressure on individual presenters. This makes sharing feel safer and ensures every student is heard.
Provide discussion starters like “What did you learn from your guide?” or “How did your journey change your perspective?” to promote meaningful reflection and deepen understanding.
Ask students to highlight something they admired or found relatable in each journey. Reinforce empathy and celebrate creative thinking within the group.
Lead a short discussion on common themes or lessons noticed across different journeys. Connect individual stories to the broader idea of personal growth, just as Dante intended in his Inferno.
A personal Inferno activity asks students to create their own journey inspired by Dante’s Inferno, focusing on real-life challenges and lessons learned, rather than religious themes. Students choose a guide and illustrate scenarios where guidance leads to better decisions.
Encourage students to identify situations where they or their peers faced tough choices or negative influences. Have them design storyboards showing personal struggles, guided by a mentor, mirroring Dante’s journey but set in today’s world.
Students should: 1) Write an introduction summarizing their experience, 2) Choose and explain a guide, 3) Break down key moments as storyboard cells, 4) Describe and illustrate each scene, and 5) Save and submit their work.
Choosing a guide helps students reflect on who influences them and why. It encourages them to think about positive role models or voices of conscience that can lead them to make better choices in difficult situations.
Examples include resisting peer pressure, making safe driving decisions, handling academic honesty, or learning from mistakes. The activity works best when students pick scenarios relevant to their own lives and growth.