8.

7 Symbolic Retribution

Reptiles – represent thievery in its secrecy.

Hands of the thieves - being what was used to commit the

crime, their hands are bound by reptiles, so they cannot use
them.

Pit – there is a pit for the thieves to be put in, which represents
how stuck they are in their situation. In real life, they are stuck
in thievery whether it be for survival or for fun, they are stuck
stealing.

Symbolic retribution is the punishment you receive in hell for

the actions you do in life.

Dante explains that since thieves use their hands to steal, they
are bound and can no longer use them.

He then explains that reptiles represent thievery, so they are

punished by reptiles that represent and are themselves.

He goes on to explain as to how the thieves in the form of

reptiles eat other thieves; he is then burned until he turns into
ashes, then is reformed and eaten by more thieves through a
vicious cycle forever. They steal life from other sinners, and
then get it stolen back.

My opinion, or view point, on Dante’s Inferno symbolic

retribution is that it does not exist. The way I look at things
explains as to why I believe that this book about hell should
not exist. Using logic, why would the all wise, all loving, all
powerful God need to create a place where he punishes people
for all eternity? What is this place called Hell anyway? Hell is
called, in the Bible, Gehenna. Gehenna was a place where they
put trash and other things that were not needed outside of the
walls of Jerusalem. It was just like a trash yard or a dump. Hell
is where people who are uninterested and have nothing to do
with God are placed. They aren’t eternally punished for doing
something wrong; they simply don’t get the warmth and
comfort of being with God.
99% of the time, humans think that they are in control, and
that they have free will. They also always believe that they are
right and others are wrong. It’s just how the brain operates. I’m
right, your wrong, that’s all there is to it. We don’t think of
situations as God wanted it to happen, God caused it, and
everything will be ok because God is in complete control. When
we go to heaven, we will be constantly reminded that God is in
complete control, and we will put love before we put what we
think is right first. This would cause heaven to have no
conflicts, and God would have all the authority, and give
unlimited supply of resources to the people. However, the
people in hell don’t get the concept of putting love before what
they believe is right, and are just roaming around in their
happy place thinking that they are right and others are wrong.
That is my way of thinking when it comes to Dante’s Inferno,
and what I was told to believe.