Taco Hell?

One of the most interesting moments for me in class on Monday was the discussion about Dante's Inferno as part of a vernacular.  In most respects, the film was much more accessible, I think, than the poem by Dante, because it weaves in references to our culture, meaning contemporary Americans, especially college students.  It definitely knows its target audience and caters to the interests of that audience, perhaps because the people involved realize that the future of America rests mainly or at least largely in the hands of American college students, who are old enough to catch allusions and political references and young enough that they remain somewhat impressionable.  Since the film is satirical and aiming for social change, it makes sense that it would target an audience of young adults, many of whom are still in search of firm beliefs and just waiting for a convincing argument to take hold of them. 

By portraying Dante as a hung over young man trying to forget his troubles by binge drinking and partying excessively and--we suspect from Beatrice's concern and Virgil's subsequent appearance-- just making some bad choices in his life, the filmmakers reach out to people who either have personal experience in such matters or know someone who has personal experience, and it's no secret that the college lifestyle lends itself to such experiences.  It also lends itself to excessive experience with Taco Bell, the arguably delicious and unarguably cheap and fast food that plays an inevitable role in every college student's life.  The film places recognizable parts of everyday life, such as Taco Bell and airport terminals and kebab stands and Fox News, in the circles of Hell, and it makes the people who have experience (and a certain amount of disdain) for those things laugh.  I think it's partly a laughter of relief; maybe we already know Hell and consequently don't have to fear it, since it's generally the unknown that people fear in death.  But it's also a laughter of recognition that life on Earth can be cruel and difficult and confusing, and that awareness is key to inciting social change.