DigitalCommons@C.O.D.

The Prairie Light Review 
Volume 42 Number 1 Article 6 
Fall 12-1-2019 
Editorial Team 
Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr 
Recommended Citation 
(2019) "Editorial Team," The Prairie Light Review: Vol. 42 : No. 1 , Article 6. 
Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr/vol42/iss1/6 
This Prefatory Note is brought to you for free and open access by the College Publications at 
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Editorial Team
 Editor in Chief  
 -Eleanor Zilius 
 Production Editor 
 -Wren Dorris
 Marketing Editor 
 -Ronda Crawford 
 Assistant Editors 
 - Jolie Vega 
 - Olivia Voegtle 
 Faculty Advisor 
 -Adam Fotos
Since Beginning
Marilyn Peretti
Collage
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English

Editorial Team

Zilius, Eleanor

The Prairie Light Review 
Volume 42 Number 1 Article 9 
Fall 12-1-2019 
The Heroic Return - Editor's Note 
Eleanor Zilius 
College of DuPage 
Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr 
Recommended Citation 
Zilius, Eleanor (2019) "The Heroic Return - Editor's Note," The Prairie Light Review: Vol. 42 : No. 1 , Article 
9. 
Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr/vol42/iss1/9 
This Prefatory Note is brought to you for free and open access by the College Publications at 
DigitalCommons@COD. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Prairie Light Review by an authorized editor of 
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The Heroic Return - Editor’s Note
Thank you for picking up the resuscitated Prairie Light Review. If  
anything, it is the readers and authors that breathe life into the journal. 
As far as thanks go, many thanks are deserved. Adam, Ronda, Wren 
and all the associate editors, thank you for the many hours you have 
put in. Thank you to the past advisors and editors for shaping the 
philosophies and values of  PLR. Thank you for the continued support 
keeping the journal running and filled with quality content.
This journal, like the last, is organized thematically. As you read these 
pages, you will find that the pieces have been organized according 
to Joseph Campbell’s presentation of  The Hero’s Journey. Individual 
pieces are categorized into Call to Adventure, Challenges and 
Temptations, the Abyss, Transformation and Atonement, and the 
Return. 
The origin of  the hero is PLR’s setup for the Call to Adventure. Many 
of  the first pieces in the journal fit the themes of  identity and heritage. 
“Ode to My Hometown” vividly describes where the narrator grew up 
and the traumas they suffered there. “Personal” marks the threshold 
where the hero is being held back by a force that says “don’t go.” 
“Here in the Afterlife” is the introduction to the other world and the 
beginning of  the challenges and temptations. Within the Challenges 
and Temptations section, the characters in the stories are faced with 
challenges like a winding river or a tempting lover. With the black pages 
in the journal, the void begins. The void for PLR holds death, despair, 
and political trauma. Transformation and Atonement, while separate 
in Campbell’s version, are combined in PLR’s version to show growth 
caused by peril. “Druid’s Note” shows the anger someone feels after 
they’ve been hurt. This is placed earlier in the Transformation and 
Atonement section because they have not yet moved past the initial 
anger and fear caused by betrayal. The Return is symbolized by a 
return to origins and aging. “Benita” an aging woman who is very 
focused on heritage and relics. The hero has returned but they have 
changed. The reward the hero receives is love illustrated by the later 
pieces. “Deep Breathing” is the start of  serenity. The changed hero 
can begin a new life in his home with the rewards they have earned. 
An exhale of  triumph? A sigh of  relief ? With a final sigh, the journey 
has ended. 
               -Eleanor Zilius, Editor in Cheif
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The Heroic Return - Editor\u27s Note

Stone, Mike

The Prairie Light Review 
Volume 42 Number 1 Article 53 
Fall 12-1-2019 
Golden Moment 
Mike Stone 
College of DuPage 
Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr 
Recommended Citation 
Stone, Mike (2019) "Golden Moment," The Prairie Light Review: Vol. 42 : No. 1 , Article 53. 
Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr/vol42/iss1/53 
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has been accepted for inclusion in The Prairie Light Review by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@COD. For 
more information, please contact orenick@cod.edu. 
Unfinished
Between the lines I read these words
Scrawled across the pages of  a notebook
Never to be seen anywhere but here
Where nobody else would care to look
Carving the distance from my head
To my heart with the touch of  lead
On the paper surface of  this mirror
Reflecting on what I could do better
Stray marks and eraser bruises
Patch up the rough spots of  this list
Never did find a way to make it end
Faded it out and punched in an ellipsis
Through the eyes of  an empty face
That hid itself  within a blank white space
And when I tried to make it disappear
I realized that I was not so sincere
And now all that’s left is nothing
Joseph Krebaum
Golden Moment 
Mike Stone
Digital Artwork 
45
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Golden Moment

Bartle, Karen

The Prairie Light Review 
Volume 42 Number 1 Article 72 
Fall 12-1-2019 
Self Portrait 
Karen Bartle 
College of DuPage 
Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr 
Recommended Citation 
Bartle, Karen (2019) "Self Portrait," The Prairie Light Review: Vol. 42 : No. 1 , Article 72. 
Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/plr/vol42/iss1/72 
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has been accepted for inclusion in The Prairie Light Review by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@COD. For 
more information, please contact orenick@cod.edu. 
Self  Portrait. Karen Bartle, Jewelry
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Self Portrait

ESSAI 
Volume 17 Article 4 
Spring 2019 
Acknowledgements 
Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/essai 
Recommended Citation 
(2019) "Acknowledgements," ESSAI: Vol. 17 , Article 4. 
Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/essai/vol17/iss1/4 
This Prefatory Note is brought to you for free and open access by the College Publications at 
DigitalCommons@COD. It has been accepted for inclusion in ESSAI by an authorized editor of 
DigitalCommons@COD. For more information, please contact orenick@cod.edu. 
III 
Acknowledgments 
 
 
 
We warmly salute all submitting instructors for their dedicated and inspired teaching 
which has contributed to the successful writing of their students and make it possible for 
ESSAI to continue. 
 
 
We also offer our special thanks to 
Dr. Brian Caputo, President, 
Dr. Mark Curtis-Chavez, Provost, 
Dr. Kirk Overstreet, Assistant Provost, 
Dr. Lisa Stock, Associate Vice President, 
 
 
Mr. Chuck Boone, Dean, Arts, Communication, and Hospitality, 
Ms. Kris Fay, Dean, Business and Technology, 
Ms. Marianne Hunnicutt, Dean, Social/Behavioral Sciences and the Library, 
Dr. Sandra Martins, Dean, Liberal Arts, 
Dr. Jennifer Cumpston, Dean, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math 
For their constant, gracious support and encouragement. 
 
 
 
 
Our gratitude also goes to Karyin Boulom. 
Her meticulous and careful word processing expertise has been indispensable. 
 
 
 
 
Our special and heartfelt appreciation goes to Professor Blevins’ student, Aleksandra 
Szwagulinska, who designed the book cover.  The others who submitted designs were 
Joe Bruno, Guillermo Ferreira, Josephine Lo, and Marisa Vasquez. 
 
 
  
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Acknowledgements

ESSAI 
Volume 17 Article 7 
Spring 2019 
Table of Contents 
Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/essai 
Recommended Citation 
(2019) "Table of Contents," ESSAI: Vol. 17 , Article 7. 
Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/essai/vol17/iss1/7 
This Prefatory Note is brought to you for free and open access by the College Publications at 
DigitalCommons@COD. It has been accepted for inclusion in ESSAI by an authorized editor of 
DigitalCommons@COD. For more information, please contact orenick@cod.edu. 
VI 
Table of Contents 
 
 
 
Awards and Recognitions ..........................................................................................................  
 
II 
Acknowledgments .....................................................................................................................  
 
III 
Foreword ....................................................................................................................................  
 
 
 
V 
Layla Aldaas 
Are There Really That Many Fish in The Sea? .........................................................................  
English 1101 
 
 
1 
Ghena Almostafa 
A Theory of Freedom...............................................................................................................  
English 1102 
 
 
5 
Michelle Apreza 
Insecure ......................................................................................................................................  
English 1102 
 
 
8 
Kelly Grace Bast 
Virtual Reality: The Latest Bridge to Empathy .........................................................................  
English 1102 
 
 
14 
Ryan Bonn 
Good Theory Gone Bad .............................................................................................................  
Chemistry 1552 
 
 
17 
Caitlin Brennan 
White Feminism Falls Short ......................................................................................................  
English 1101 
 
 
20 
Timothy Bull 
Misconceptions About Ninjas....................................................................................................  
English 1101 
 
 
24 
Josiah Cohn 
Breaking Down the Fixing Up Industry ....................................................................................  
English 1102 
 
 
27 
 
  
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Chris Dineff 
Fraternity Brothers or Founding Fathers? Defining the Role of Whiskey and the Communal 
Binge on Native American Culture on the Frontier ................................................................  
English 1102 
 
 
 
33 
John Geary 
The Dark Money of Climate Change ......................................................................................  
English 1102 
 
 
36 
Alyssa Gentile 
A Vaccine a Day to Keep the Doctor Away: A Research Essay on Vaccinations .................  
English 1101 
 
 
41 
Frank Giunti 
Hot Spot Research Paper: Algeria ..........................................................................................  
History 2235 
 
 
46 
Melissa Gutierrez Garcia 
Euthanasia and Desire Theory: The Ethical Case for Assisted Suicide .................................  
Philosophy 1110 
 
 
54 
Syed Habibullah 
The Clean Power Plan ............................................................................................................  
Chemistry 1551 
 
 
57 
Savannah Hink 
Exploring the Auteur Elia Kazan ............................................................................................  
Motion Picture Television 1113 
 
 
61 
Veronika Janas 
The Significance of the Haymarket Tragedy Then and Now .................................................  
English 1102 
 
 
66 
Patrick Kelley 
Relationship of Dissolved Oxygen Availability and Chloride Contribution to 
Freshwater Macroinvertebrate Diversity Found in Various Ponds in Northern Illinois .........  
Biology 1152 
 
 
 
70 
Fahad Ullah Khan 
Box from Iran .........................................................................................................................  
English 1130 
 
 
77 
 
  
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VIII 
 
Faye Koch 
The Origins of the Opioid Epidemic ...................................................................................... 
History 2260 
 
 
79 
Jake Kola 
Film Auteur Sergio Leone ...................................................................................................... 
Motion Picture Television 1113 
 
 
82 
Bart Kubiak 
Fragmentary Survival ............................................................................................................. 
English 2820 
 
 
86 
Matas Lauzadis 
The Clean Power Plan ............................................................................................................ 
Chemistry 1551 
 
 
90 
Grace Ligon 
Turning a Hobby into a Life-Long Career: Making Genealogy My Profession .................... 
English 1102 
 
 
94 
Jade Maestas 
From Miasma to Microbe ....................................................................................................... 
Chemistry 1551 
 
 
100 
Rosanna Martinelli 
Help Heal Our Heroes ............................................................................................................ 
English 2820 
 
 
104 
Tom McQuade 
“…And Justice for All” Men: Gender Inequality in the Metal Community .......................... 
English 1102 
 
 
107 
Misha Nayyar 
The Influence of Religiosity on Subjective Well-Being ......................................................... 
English 1102 
 
 
111 
Caine Rees 
Willowbrook Wildlife Practices: Risks and Rewards ............................................................ 
Biology 2870 
 
 
114 
 
  
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IX 
 
Savannah Santos 
Fighting the Rise of the Anti-Vaccination Movement ...........................................................  
English 1101 
 
 
118 
Andrew Scranton 
The Effectiveness of “Money as a Weapons System” ............................................................  
English 2820 
 
 
122 
Jacob Williams 
Comedy and Controversy: A Close Look at South Park and Its Unique Approach 
to Satire ...................................................................................................................................  
English 1101 
 
 
 
 
 
125 
Tribute to Faculty ...................................................................................................................  
 
128 
Cumulative Index of Student Authors ....................................................................................  
 
129 
 
 
 
 
 
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Aldaas, Layla

ESSAI 
Volume 17 Article 8 
Spring 2019 
Are There Really That Many Fish in the Sea? 
Layla Aldaas 
College of DuPage 
Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/essai 
Recommended Citation 
Aldaas, Layla (2019) "Are There Really That Many Fish in the Sea?," ESSAI: Vol. 17 , Article 8. 
Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/essai/vol17/iss1/8 
This Selection is brought to you for free and open access by the College Publications at DigitalCommons@COD. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in ESSAI by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@COD. For more information, 
please contact orenick@cod.edu. 
1 
Are There Really That Many Fish in The Sea? 
 
by Layla Aldaas 
 
(English 1101) 
 
 
 
echnology is evolving and changing the way people interact with each other. This 
advancement has changed the ideologies of the dating world. With so little time on our hands, 
many of us have turned to online dating services. There have been copious amounts of 
different ways that one can find a significant other with so little effort nowadays. Still the issue that 
plays a key factor, is the danger that come with finding someone compatible. Online dating should be 
taken with an exuberant amount of precaution. Not only do these sites and apps make a profit from 
their users, there is little to no management on how these sites run. Therefore, a lot of people can be 
at risk for their safety. 
First and foremost, Online dating apps have rapidly become more accessible to the general 
public. Meltzer exposes that, “Participation by those 18 to 24 has almost tripled since 2013, and 
boomer enrollment has doubled” (39). That is a staggering amount of people that are becoming more 
involved in the online dating world. There are numerous different dating apps to choose from: 
Christian mingle, Grindr, OkCupid, etc., but one app in particular stands out over most, "Tinder." 
This app is used to find people with just a swipe right (like) and swipe left (don’t like). Once you and 
someone else swipe right on each other, you have matched! While this may seem like a simple well 
thought out app, quite a few things can go wrong. For example, this app is mainly used for hookups 
and non-serious relationships versus the other apps. 
Meanwhile, apps are gaining oodles of money. For instance, on Match.com the said cost is, 
“$21 per month for six months” (Meltzer 40). That is a large sum for maybe not even finding 
someone that you are remotely interested in. They charge a monthly fee, which can really add up if 
you don’t find someone quickly. As where apps like Tinder are free of cost (Meltzer 40), but are 
usually presented to those seeking a hookup. The apps charging users money are more aimed towards 
people wanting to have a lasting relationship. And when these apps are not charging money, they are 
placing ads in your feed in order to suck you into purchasing things to make the app seem more 
useful. Scott Kominers, Ph.D. mentions, “most dating sites have some misalignment between profit 
model and user experience because they are financed through subscription fees or advertising” 
(Meltzer 39). These sites could really care less if you found someone, all they are really after is your 
money and your time. 
The dating world can be a tricky place, but Tinder often makes that problem even worse. 
There have been a few incidences that have made this statement truthful. Hines states, “It's romantic! 
But as long as I'm still swiping through image reels, carefully cropped and culled, I'm mostly glad 
I'm the real me: ready to run a late-night background check” (9). She herself had a situation where 
she met someone on the dating app Tinder, and discovered that he was no more than an imposter 
himself. He lied about his educational status as well as where he works (Hines 9). This being a prime 
example of why you should always be a little apprehensive before you go on said date, and always do 
a brief background check. If she herself had done that before meeting her date, she would have saved 
herself the trouble of finding out the hard way who he truly was. Many users misrepresent who they 
are, leading to some users having trust issues on who they meet online. 
Furthermore, with online dating, you can come across people known as ‘Catfish.’ “Catfishing 
is an online scam where a predator impersonates someone else to deceive a third party” (Heck 3). 
Being “catfished” is very likely and easy to accomplish due to the advancement of technology. There 
T
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have been countless incidences that still happen today. Because this epidemic has become enough of 
a public interest, it has transformed into a reality television show made for others enjoyment. This 
production exhibits the reality that many online users face. This show, known as Catfish has become 
very popular with a more direct concern with a teenage population. The main hosts of the show are 
Nev Shulman and Max Joseph. Nev Shulman was directly affected by this epidemic, known as 
“catfishing”, which inspired him to assist others with the exact same problem. Rothman explains that, 
“the number of people asking for help is on the rise" (59). The problem that surfaces is that more and 
more people are becoming suspicious on who they really are talking to, it can be anyone 
reciprocating your texts, calls and even Snapchats. 
However, these sites are often deemed unsafe and cannot be trusted with the data that they 
collect, true or not. Meltzer exposes that, “the data breach in 2015 of the extramarital affair site 
Ashley Madison, which revealed user details including email addresses” (44). This epidemic led to 
the loss of peoples jobs, money and tampered identities. This app has also had the reputation to be an 
easy outlet for significant others to cheat on their spouses, because it is just that easy to hide behind a 
screen, and from your relationship. With these companies collecting your data, you are putting 
yourself at risk for hackers to seek out your information as well. “The FBI says Americans lost more 
than $82 million to online dating fraud in the last six months of 2014” (Meltzer 44). The amount of 
money that people have lost due to scams due to online dating is astounding. At this point there 
should have been something to stop this from getting to the amount that it has reached. 
In fact, there can be many issues with the way that users handle any online dating site. STD’s 
and other diseases can be transmitted if the users are not being safe and communicating with these 
strangers that they meet online. Many go on their first date expecting something that maybe the other 
was not intending to happen. Without communication, someone can be scarred for life. Jackson 
explicitly states, “20 MILLION is the estimated number of new cases of sexually transmitted 
diseases occurring every year, and more than half of them are in people under 25” (96). This is a high 
amount of people who are becoming affected by sexually transmitted diseases. If users are not 
becoming more aware and safe of what actually goes on during these dates, the number of people 
contracting these STD’s and anything else will surely rise. Geolocation also plays a huge role in the 
online dating world. “Apps like Bumble, Grindr, or Tinder use things like your location and sexual 
preference” (Meltzer 41). Basically you put what area you live in on the app. The app then generates 
people in the same area who are looking for hookups as well. With having geolocation on it has 
become increasingly easier for individuals to have casual sex and with the rise in STDs, this is 
something that is a cause for concern. 
Nevertheless, others have numerous intentions when it comes to online dating so, that you 
can not just trust anyone that takes an interest in you. Rothman exposes that, “A 2008 study she co-
wrote found that 81% lie about their age, weight or height” (9). This is a staggering percentage that 
many find very unlikely, but is indeed truthful. The fact that many people lie about simple 
characteristics stated above, is just to show that people are overestimating how safe these apps really 
are. This is quite surprising finding out that many are being misled by just simple facts, “Don’t 
hesitate to search online using a suitor’s full name, to see whether his or her photos and claims match 
his or her social media imprint” (Meltzer 44). This way you are not blindsided by the person you are 
talking to. 
Likewise, there have been a lot of reported incidents that have happened due to people 
becoming too trusting to the individuals that they meet online. Many have also become victimized 
and placed into uncomfortable situations which can be alarming, “Tinder is often blamed for killing 
romance. But given how easily the pursuit of “The One” can veer into stalking and violence, perhaps 
it is time for romance to get taken down a notch” (Robb). Some have gotten raped, brutally 
murdered, and stalked because they were not taking the correct precautions when meeting strangers 
off the web. One nurse was raped and murdered after meeting up with a man she met on Tinder. This 
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sparked the attention of many. “Just two weeks later, the police say, Mr. Drayton raped and murdered 
a young nurse he met on the dating app Tinder” (“Tinder Killer” 21). This story is very unfortunate 
and goes to show that not everyone is safe to be with. It was also mentioned by Southall that, “But 
law enforcement authorities say a Connecticut man used them to prey on women” (“Connecticut 
Man” 19). Not only did this only happen to one user on the app, he was preying on other women as 
well. These incidences all had something in common, lying and dating websites. 
It should be noted, that when going on a date there are things to look out for as well as be 
aware of. Meltzer clearly states, “Most sites offer common-sense tips on how to protect yourself, 
including not sharing personal contact information right away and going on first dates in public 
places. And if someone asks for money, don’t send it” (44). These are just a few of the many 
different precautions one should take if even remotely thinking of meeting up with someone. 
Mrs.Stewart was just one of the countless reported incidents that have been connected to the use of 
online dating apps. If she would have been more cautious with meeting someone off the web, the 
situation would have might turned out differently for her. 
Any online dating app that you take part in can be risky; the best thing to do is to make sure 
you are taking the correct safety precautions. Safety is the number one priority that anyone should 
really pay attention to when going on these apps. You never know who is out there and what their 
intentions might be. Finding someone is tricky, but making sure you are safe and secure is what 
really can be difficult. The journey to finding the “one” has many obstacles and loopholes to jump 
through. In the end when you are with someone it should be safe and never questioned. Be sure to 
make sure to do those online background checks and meet at a public place. However, the question 
still poses, are there really that many fish in the sea? 
 
 
  
 
Works Cited 
 
Heck, Zachary. “‘Catfish’ Added to the Sea of Litigation.” Young Lawyer, vol.21, no.2, 2017, pp.3. 
https://cod.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d 
b=a9h&AN=122729235&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed 10 Nov. 2018. 
Hines, Alice. “Swipe Right. Stalk. Repeat.” New York Times, 5 Oct. 2018, Late ed., p. 9. 
https://cod.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.cod.idm.oclc.org/docview/2116301458?accountid=10202. Accessed 18 Nov. 2018. 
Jackson, Charreah K. “The Data On Dating.” Essence, vol.48, no.11, p.96, 2018. 
https://cod.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d 
b=a9h&AN=128706405&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed 18 Nov. 2018. 
Meltzer, Marisa. “Match Me If You Can.” Consumer Reports, vol.82, no.2, 2017, pp.38-45, 
https://cod.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d 
b=a9h&AN=120215774&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed 18 Nov. 2018. 
Robb, Alice. “The Fine Line Between Romance and Madness: Why Reasonable People Can ‘go 
crazy’ Over Love.” The Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2018. 
https://cod.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.cod.idm.oclc.org/docview/2108724160?accountid=10202. Accessed 18 Nov. 2018. 
Rothman, Lily. “The Catfish Came Back.” Time, 1 July 2013, p. 59. 
https://cod.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d 
b=a9h&AN=88377694&site=ehost-live&scope=site. 18 Nov. 2018. 
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Southall, Ashley. “Connecticut Man Used Tinder To Prey on Women, Police Say.” New York Times, 
31 July. 2018, late ed., p. A19. https://cod.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.cod.idm.oclc.org/docview/2079656939?accountid=10202. Accessed 9 Nov. 2018. 
---. “Tinder Killing Suspect Was Free Because of Missing Court Paperwork.” New York Times, 23 
Aug. 2018, late ed., p. 21. https://cod.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.cod.idm.oclc.org/docview/2091538457?accountid=10202. Accessed 18 Nov. 2018. 
 
 
 
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Are There Really That Many Fish in the Sea?

Apreza, Michelle

Insecure

Nayyar, Misha

ESSAI 
Volume 17 Article 34 
Spring 2019 
The Influence of Religiosity on Subjective Well-Being 
Misha Nayyar 
College of DuPage 
Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.cod.edu/essai 
Recommended Citation 
Nayyar, Misha (2019) "The Influence of Religiosity on Subjective Well-Being," ESSAI: Vol. 17 , Article 34. 
Available at: https://dc.cod.edu/essai/vol17/iss1/34 
This Selection is brought to you for free and open access by the College Publications at DigitalCommons@COD. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in ESSAI by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@COD. For more information, 
please contact orenick@cod.edu. 
111 
The Influence of Religiosity on Subjective Well-Being 
 
by Misha Nayyar 
 
(English 1102) 
 
 
 
ell-being is defined as the integration of good health, happiness, and success into one’s 
life, something that all humans strive for; however, it is a multifaceted concept. Objective 
well-being is measured through “observable indicators including economic, social, and 
environmental statistics” (Achour et al. 985), with emphasis on the material aspect of life. Subjective 
well-being, on the other hand, involves feelings of pleasant emotions and a high satisfaction with life, 
and in simple terms, just feeling happy. Despite living in a materialistic world, people tend to 
perceive their environment subjectively rather than objectively, because they see a good quality of 
life being obtained through positive cognitive appraisals1 of everyday situations (Achour et al. 985). 
So if subjective well-being facilitates happiness, how does one increase their level of subjective well-
being?  
One answer to this question is through religion. An individual’s religiosity can be determined 
through their set of beliefs and how often they integrate religious practices into their lives. In Islam, 
for example, religiosity is “the commitment to the empirical and theoretical fundamentals” (Achour 
et al. 987) provided by God. Man is required to fulfill these fundamentals with faith demonstrated 
through rituals2 and maintenance of a “state of purity of heart” (Achour et al. 987), which also 
prepares Muslims for life after death. Religions vary socially and culturally, but despite the 
differences, it is understood that religion as a whole “provides social support, comfort, and strength 
for people” (Achour et al. 986) by giving meaning to the origin and purpose of life, as well as laying 
out a path to thrive in an afterlife. When considering the impact religion has on an individual, 
religiosity is positively correlated with the increase of one’s subjective well-being.  
Various studies have been conducted on Muslims, and how integrating Islam into their daily 
lives contributes to their well-being. In order to explore this concept, Achour, Grine, Nor, and 
MohdYusoff, a group of researchers from the Academy of Islamic Studies at the University of 
Malaya in Malaysia, surveyed 315 Muslim female staff, between the ages of 30 and 60, working at 
research universities across the Klang Valley of Malaysia. The University of Malaya, the National 
University of Malaysia, Putra University, and the International Islamic University, Malaysia were all 
selected, based on the encouragement they provided for students to pursue academic research and 
practice Islam.  
 The researchers of this experiment discovered that Islamic religiosity plays “a highly 
significant role in developing and improving the well-being” (Achour et al. 994) of Muslim women. 
The method used to obtain this finding involved, a questionnaire given to the female participants, 
asking them to rate their job, family, and life satisfaction, to measure their well-being. In order to 
measure religiosity, the questionnaire gave different scenarios on Islamic practices, and participants 
used a five-point Likert scale to respond: 1-Strongly Disagree to 5-Strongly Agree. The higher their 
scores, the stronger their religious faith. Overall, the results indicated that with every “unit increase 
in … religiosity, there [is also] an expected increase in … well-being” (Achour et al. 993). Data was 
obtained through statistical analyses of the results to conclude that there is a distinct positive 
correlation between religion and well-being. This study also discovered that Islamic religiosity was 
“used as a remedial tool for coping with life’s problems” (Achour et al. 994) for many of the 
experiment’s participants, further implicating that religion increases happiness and subjective well-
being by reducing stress.  
W
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 A similar study was conducted by Ahmed Abdel-Khalek, a professor of Psychology at 
Kuwait University. His purpose was to explore the connection between religiosity and subjective 
well-being, as well as religion’s effects on self-esteem and anxiety among Muslim adolescents. A 
sample of 499 Kuwaiti secondary school Muslims were asked questions that evaluated their religious 
beliefs, physical and mental health, happiness, and satisfaction with life (Abdel-Khalek 133). They 
were then asked to respond by rating each question on a scale of 1-10 that best associated their 
general feeling with each question. Similarly, students were given questions on self-esteem and 
anxiety, and used 5 point and 4 point Likert scales, respectively, to respond to each question.  
 After analyzing the data statistically, Abdel-Khalek concluded that religiosity is “positively 
associated with … happiness, satisfaction with life, physical … and mental” (Abdel Khalek 136) 
well-being. It was also concluded that religiosity is “negatively correlated with anxiety” (Abdel 
Khalek 136). This goes back to the finding in the previous study that religious Muslims have lower 
levels of stress because one way Islam advocates for inner peace is by displaying ethical acts of 
“honesty, precision, and conscientiousness” (Achour et al. 990). These actions heighten positive 
feelings and emotions, consequently, reducing anxiety and increasing well-being. 
The positive correlation between religion and subjective well-being is also highlighted in an 
experiment conducted by Naser Aghababaei of the Department of Clinical Psychology at Allameh 
Tabataba’i University in Tehran, Iran. This study differed from the previously discussed studies 
because Aghababaei looked at how belief in science, in addition to believing in God, can influence 
positive psychological functioning.  
Three hundred seventy-three university Muslim students in Iran between the ages of 18 and 
49 were administered various questionnaires about their satisfaction with life, subjective happiness, 
self-esteem, belief in hope, and belief in science. Aghababaei discovered that although scientific faith 
is negatively correlated with religious faith, both belief systems improve feelings of happiness; 
however, there was a difference in the extent of happiness felt. Even though belief in both science 
and religion had positive effects on well-being, results demonstrated that higher positive functioning 
was witnessed in those who had a stronger belief in Islam than in science. This can be attributed to 
the claim that there may be an increase in well-being of scientific based beliefs “in cultures where 
religion is not norm” (Aghababaei 739). Regardless, the participants reported higher levels of 
happiness, life satisfaction, and self-esteem (Aghababaei 737). The results present a broader 
indication that faith – whether it be in the natural or the supernatural – can instill positive 
psychological functioning.  
 The studies discussed above provide support for the notion that belief in religion is strongly 
correlated with the enhancement of one’s subjective well-being. Although Islam was the main focus 
in these studies, religion in general provides people with a social support network, helping them cope 
with the stresses of life. It enables individuals to establish a trusting relationship with God, or a 
higher being, to whom they look for help to solve their problems. As the burden of difficulties are 
lessened, anxiety is reduced, and happiness is increased. Higher levels of subjective well-being are 
seen in the religious; however, it is not to say that atheists or agnostics are not happy and content 
with their lives; religion is just one of the many influencing factors.  
 
 
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Notes 
 
1. A theory of emotion which refers to the personal interpretation of a situation, influencing the 
extent to which a situation is perceived as stressful. 
2. The rituals of Islam revolve around the Five Pillars: declaration of faith (shahadah), prayer 
(salah), fasting during the month Ramadan (sawm), charity (zakat), and performing a 
pilgrimage to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia (hajj). All five pillars are a requirement to be 
fulfilled by every Muslim. 
 
 
  
 
Works Cited 
 
Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M. “Religiosity, Subjective Well-Being, Self-Esteem, and Anxiety among 
Kuwaiti Muslim Adolescents.” Mental Health, Religion & Culture, vol. 14, no. 2, Feb. 2011, 
pp. 129–40. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/13674670903456463. 
Achour, Meguellati, et al. “Measuring Religiosity and Its Effects on Personal Well-Being: A Case 
Study of Muslim Female Academicians in Malaysia.” Journal of Religion & Health, vol. 54, 
no. 3, June 2015, pp. 984–97. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10943-014-9852-0. 
Aghababaei, Naser. “Scientific Faith and Positive Psychological Functioning.” Mental Health, 
Religion & Culture, vol. 19, no. 7, Sept. 2016, pp. 734–41. EBSCOhost, 
doi:10.1080/13674676.2016.1256383. 
 
 
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Table of Contents

Are There Really That Many Fish in the Sea?

Insecure

The Influence of Religiosity on Subjective Well-Being

Laura Koenig Reads Harlem and Dreams by Langston Hughes

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