Topic Research for Dante's Inferno

I have chosen to research Dante's Inferno more in depth for my storybook project.

Story Ideas:

Hell on Earth:  This story will focus on how Dante's Inferno is not a place where one goes, but rather a hell that one brings upon themselves through their life choices.  I am thinking I would either do this as a style like that in the song "Guilty Conscience" by Eminem, where the hell is described from a first-person point of view from each person at different levels, or in a style similar to A Christmas Carol where it is more of a third-person perspective.  I think the best basis for the different levels would be Dante's Inferno's 9 circles of hell, because there are quite concrete requirements for each level of hell.  I would modify the exact requirements, but it would be based off this and have fewer levels to keep things shorter.

Ghost with Scrooge in A Christmas Carol: sourced via Wikipedia

Hell in Higher Ed:  This story will be a more comedic style where it is once again either a first-person or third-person perspective of students in college and the different levels of hell that they might experience.  This would either be based upon the major chosen or the year in college they are in.  It will cover the struggles college students go through with their daily lives.  I would obviously be creating my own standards for the different levels of this sort of "hell".

A Way Out: This story will be focused on the concept of a system of hell with different levels and ways out of each of them.  I have found it quite hard to find other literature that cover a topic such as this, which makes things difficult, but also quite exciting!  The closest I could think of or find is the concept of Purgatory, which is more of a limbo state where one can still repent from their sins and save themselves from hell.  This system will not be purgatory, but an actual hell with multiple layers and ways out of them.  This will be either descriptive or from a first person account.

My Topic Brainstorms

Dante's Inferno:
The concept of this story will be that the inferno isn't somewhere where you go, but rather a place that an individual creates themselves.  It would be silly to think that consciousness would continue along with memories and personality outside of the body, but while inside, there is certainly a distinction of who is happy and who is suffering.  This story will outline the four layers of hell that a person can bring upon themselves.  It will be told in a fashion of someone such as an angel of god itself presenting 4 different specimens of humans in the different stages of hell.

The Devil:
The Devil introduces his various cunning techniques on how to trick people into doing what he wants.  I have always been interested in the devil and his devious ways.  His stories of coercion are fascinating to me.  He is the ultimate trickster, and I want to research the various and most useful techniques he does to get what he wants.  The story might also be told from various people who were coerced by the devil, explaining their tragic incident.

The Bachelorette: Drama on Mount Olympus
I want to do a "The Bachelorette" style story based off Greek God and Goddess relationships.  I want to research all the affairs and qualities of many Greek gods and goddesses, choose one goddess to be the bachelorette and she has to go through and through a few rounds of dates/activities that are also related to the Greek mythological world and decide who is the right one for her.  Much drama will ensue between the Greek gods as they compete for the goddess.

Magic Mushrooms: The Real Forbidden Fruit
I have always loved creation stories, and would like to elaborate on a combination between the forbidden fruit myths and the "Stoned Ape Theory".  This isn't exactly a completely new idea, but I have never seen any sort of creation-type stories written about it.  I will research various stories that include a forbidden fruit, choose my favorite and spice it up quite a bit by making the forbidden fruit psychedelic mushrooms which act as the mechanism that drives humanity toward a more intelligent society.

Magic Mushrooms sourced from Wikipedia