Arthur Miller Essay Example for Free

Arthur Miller Essay We then created a scene based on knowledge gained through the play text and the discussions and showed it to the class, and received in return their comments. However our teacher did not believe any one in our group had the characters as believable as they could, and thought they needed improving. She decided upon giving us an extremely beneficial exercise into do as a class, which would make us look deeper into our characters, as so there fore convey a better example of that character in our scenes. We all had to stand up, facing our teacher, in a way we believed our character would stand, also incorporating facial and bodily stance. At that time, the character I was playing was Eddie, a respectable legal Italian immigrant living and working amongst the Italian community in New York. I had from previous exploration into the character a visualisation of the type of character Eddie was. The type of man who was tight fisted and bolshy, yet thoughtful of those important to him. This exercise backed up my thoughts on Eddie, and allowed me to make an accurate physical and tonal picture of how Eddie should be acted; tight fisted, yet in no way a mad man, but with a cold expression on his face. We also used freeze frames in many of our scenes, whether it was to change, open, or close scenes, they were useful to us so we knew when to stop or pause. And they were also useful to the audience so they could see a clear distinction between different parts of scenes, or changes of scenes. In one scene we used a large amount of stage to allow the use of levels in a creative way around the stage. We were all in a group of four, and had only one speech from one character to create a scene out of. We devised amongst the group, which would be the most effective way of delivering the characters speech to the class. We decided upon cutting the paragraph in certain areas, into sentences, which could then be allocated to individuals. We then composed ourselves to being character involved, who happened to be Alfieri, and mapped out where each of us was to stand. We decided to start the scene in a freeze frame, but to let the end flow, with repetition of the final line, the voice dynamics getting quieter as the words trailed out. We thought this effect would be good in conveying an inner voice speaking, and would also allow for the next group to add their scene, the following in the play, onto it. The use of mime was also rather important in this scene as well. With hand gestures and facial expressions the climax could be reached, the true expression of the person could come out, making a more believable performance. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

The Beloved, by Toni Morrison | Summary and Analysis

The Beloved, by Toni Morrison | Summary and Analysis 124 was spiteful. 124 was loud. 124 was quiet. The house 124 that Sethes family lives in is haunted by the ghost of the baby who drives her two sons away as well as the rest of the neighbourhood. Paul D, an old friend from Sweet Home, visits 124 in search of Baby Suggs, Sethes mother-in-law, only to find she died eight years ago. Paul D is invited into the house where he meets Denver and senses the evilness of Beloved, however the ghost is soon sent away after Paul Ds arrival which upsets Denver and causes her to act coldly towards him. Recalling memories of Sweet Home of Sethes marriage to Halle, the other men at Sweet Home and Sethes escape, the notion of a future with Paul D crossed Sethes mind. That Thursday the three of them went to the carnival in town which made all three happy, however on return to 124 they found a woman sat on a tree stump who said her name was Beloved which excited Denver for she now had the company she longed for. Denver went out of her way to make Beloved feel better and although Denver loved her, Paul D thought there was something strange about her. Beloved continued to ask Sethe and Denver of their past and Denvers birth. Denver told Beloved about Baby Suggs, her Grandmother, and about the Clearing where Baby Suggs used to preach. The three women headed towards the Clearing for Sethe to think, however she was choked by someone or something who she thought was Baby Suggs. Denver thought otherwise and thought it was Beloved who choked her. Beloved seduces Paul D after he believes she has driven himself and Sethe apart. This leads Paul D to ask for him and Sethe to have a child together, thinking that this would relieve Beloveds power over him. Howev er, Paul D is infuriated by Beloved as she waits for Sethe to return home from work, which strengthens Sethes belief of Beloved being her child she gave birth to and breaks the romance between the couple because she wants Paul D to leave. In flashback, the memory of Sethe murdering her baby is then evoked. It was Stamp Paid, an old friend, who took the dead baby from Sethe and gave her Denver before Sethe was placed in custody. Then in present, Stamp visits Paul D and shows him a newspaper clipping of when Sethe murdered the baby. In disbelief, he insults Sethe and leaves her. Sethe took Baby Suggs advice; lay it all down and so she did. The three of them went ice skating and laughed endlessly resulting in Sethe to go late to work the next day, and she did so for the following weeks until she was fired. Feeling guilty for sending Paul D away, Stamp argues with Ella after finding out she didnt offer Paul D a place to stay and he was staying at the church, recalling memories of Sweet Home. Feeling she was responsible for the silence and hunger at 124, Denver felt it was only right that she left 124. All three grew tired therefore in search for a better life, Denver received help from Lady Jones and the rest of the neighbourhood. During the day she looked after Sethe She and in the evenings worked for the Bodwins. However, on the first day of work, when Edward Bodwin came to collect her, the ladies of the neighbourhood gathered together at 124. As Edward arrived, Sethe thought of him as a man who wanted slaves and attacked him with an ice pick, leaving Beloved standing on the porch alone but as everybody looked back, there was nobody standing on the porch. After the incident, Paul D came back into Denver and Sethes lives and they all forgot Beloved and thought of her as an unpleasant dream. Narrative Style This novel is written in third person singular with an omniscient style but however shifts to first person singular; Sethe had the amazing luck of six whole years of marriages to that somebody son who had fathered every one of her children and I never had to give it to nobody else and the one time I did it was took from me they held me down and took it. The pronouns he and she are frequently used and characters are continuously addressed by their names. The novel is also written in flashback whilst describing Sethes escape and the birth of Denver to Beloved. Flashback is also found when she recalls memories of Sweet Home with Paul D and when Paul D has memories of his brothers. Also there is a chapter written in stream of consciousness relating to Beloveds thoughts; I am not big small rats do not wait for us to sleep someone is thrashing but there is no room to do it in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Character Analysis Denver: is an independent, selfless young lady. This is shown through her care and devotion to Beloved when she arrives at the house sick. She is also a determined girl that devotes her time to her family, especially her mother when she is sick. Denver is an independent woman as her independence is shown when she seeks a job to support her family when her mother lost her job. Sethe: is a very kind and compassionate woman as she is devoted to her family, even during the hardest situations. This is shown because she was a slave in her past at Sweet Home and she escaped for her family. It is also portrayed when she went hungry and picked the crusts for her children to eat, especially Beloved. She is also a very proud woman as she is determined to endure the correct way of marriage at Sweet Home when marrying Halle this is shown when Sethe is adamant on having a wedding dress on the first night they are together. Beloved: at first is portrayed as a helpless woman, seeking attention and love. This is given to her by Denver as she cures her from her sickness by devoting her time. However, Beloved then becomes an untrustworthy, selfish woman. Her selfishness is shown manipulation, as she deceives Sethe by acting upon her guilt. She doesnt forgive Sethe for her past and forces power upon her to give her what she wants. Language Diction Beloved is a descriptive novel that uses informal language often including slang and vulgarity throughout dialogue. The language and diction also reflects the speech of Afro-Americans for example; Beloved, she my daughter. She mine. Long sentences are used to describe feelings and objects, for example; Although they had been polite to her during the quiet time and gave her the whole top of the bed, she remembered how it was before: the pleasure they had sitting clustered on the white stairs she between the knees of Howard or Buglar while they made up die-witch! stories with proven ways of killing her dead. Short sentences are used more often during dialogue such as; Now you. Come on, and Come on in here girls. Short sentences are also used to make impact and emphasize the meaning, for instance; 124 was spiteful. Full of a babys venom. Imagery The imagery is evident throughout the novel because all stimuli are aroused. Tactile imagery is evident when Paul D touches Sethe in the kitchen as he rubbed his cheek on her back and learned that way her sorrow. There is a sense of smell when the roses at the carnival are described; the closer the roses got to death, the louder their scent and stench of the rotten roses. Visual imagery is foreseen throughout the novel when the keeping room is described and how Baby Suggs was starved for colour. One can imagine the slate-coloured walls and the earth-brown floor and the dullness of the room. Auditory imagery is evident when Denver can hear chickens and the knock of a badly hinged gate as well as voices behind her as she walked. Taste imagery is evident when the numerous offers of foods are found on the tree stump each day, each meal provided by a different neighbour; sack of white beans, plate of cold rabbit meat, Taste imagery is also found during a memory of 124 of tonic mixed that cured a relative, as one can imagine the strength of the mixture. Themes The theme of evil is represented throughout the novel by Beloved, as a ghost and as a person. This is evident when the ghost of Beloved chases away her two brothers, Howard and Buglar as well as other people who use to walk along Bluestone Road. The evil represented through Beloved as a human being is when she manipulates Sethe and causes pain for Sethe, although Sethe only seeks forgiveness. A theme of religion is also apparent throughout the novel as God and Jesus are constantly being referred to. It is carried throughout the novel by Baby Suggs from her preaching at the Clearing then Paul D and at the end of the novel, by Denver who was given a Bible by Lady Jones. Setting This novel is set in America mainly 124 Bluestone Road. This is evident because Sethe escaped to Ohio to number 124 where Baby Suggs was living in Cincinnati. The novel is also set at a place called Sweet Home. Sweet Home is brought into the novel whilst Sethe has flashbacks of her past before she escaped. The setting is also evident because of the diction used whilst a character speaks. Genre The genre is a family drama because of the life experiences the family endure. All adult characters in the novel were previously slaves who had escaped and Baby Suggs was bought by her own sons earnings. Sethe also experienced her childs death before her own. After this, her dead daughter came back to 124 but tormented her by using her guilt against her. The novel is also an Afro-American genre because of diction used during speech and first person narrative style. Aspects I liked I enjoyed the fact that Sethe escaped from the hardships of being a slave at Sweet Home and that her present is better because she left the home. I also enjoyed the fact that Denver devoted her time to Beloved and that Sethe and Denver were accepting of her when they found Beloved sat outside their house. I didnt enjoy the fact that Paul D just left Sethe from his jealousy of Sethes love towards Beloved and his negativity and disloyalty towards Beloved. I also didnt enjoy the fact that Beloved turned against Sethe and starting making her pay for her past even though Sethe felt apologetic and guilty for what she had done and now only wanted to give Beloved the best. I was happy that Denver did everything she could to protect Sethe from Beloveds nastiness and glad when Denver and Sethe could forget the torment and pain Beloved caused. Recommendations I would recommend this novel to any high school children that is not easily offended by vulgar language but whoever understands the change from past to present as the novel is written in flashback making it a difficult read. I would also recommend this novel to one who enjoys reading about the hardships of life and devastation that can be caused in the future from mistakes in the past, affecting not just one person but a whole family.

Synthesis of Mesoporous Silica MCM-41

Synthesis of Mesoporous Silica MCM-41 Results and Discussions The present study included the synthesis of mesoporous silica MCM-41 and its modification by impregnation of different metals on the mesoporous to enhance the photocatalytic activity of metals i.e Cu/MCM-41, Fe/MCM-41, CeO2/MCM-41. FTIR analysis of catalyst MCM-41 has the ability to impregnate numerous metals on its surface. MCM-41 was modified with metal salts in order to dope the metals on the surface of mesoporous material was characterized by FTIR analysis. The FT-IR spectra furnished the information about the incorporation of metals on the surface of MCM-41. The FT-IR spectra of synthesized material in the region of 4000 400 cm-1 in transmission mode using platinium ATR, a single reflection sampling module spectrophotometr, and shown in Fig. 5. The uncalcined MCM41 and calcined MCM41 spectra (Fig. 5A. a, b) show intense band at wavenumber 1100 and 802 cm-1 which accounts for the asymmetric and symmetric stretching of the Si-O-Si bonds, respectively.[i] The bands at 970 cm-1 and 460 cm-1 was assigned to the stretching and bending vibrations of surface Si-O- groups respectively.[ii] The sharp peaks at 2864.72cm-1 and 2922.14 cm-1 were due to the presence of surfactant before calcinations of MCM-41.[iii] For calcined MCM41, the bands at 2852 cm-1 and 2921 cm-1 corresponding to the long chain of alkyl group of the surfactant molecules were disappeared after calcination shows the completely removal of surfactants molecules. The differences of the intensities of the peaks in the FT-IR spectra of MCM-41 and MCM-41/ CeO2, are abserved which resulted from the doping of CeO2. A strong absorption peak at 1,632 cm−1 is observed in the spectra of MCM-41/CeO2, and it indicates the formation of Ce-O-Ce.[iv] About copper and iron also add TGA analysis of MCM-41: XRD analysis of MCM-41: Photocatalytic studies by using the metal dopped MCM-41: The metal dopped MCM-41 was studied for the photocatalytic degradation of commonly used pharmaceutics including salts of diclofenac (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NAID)) and atorvastatin (antihyper lipoproteinemic drug). For this purpose the solutions od these drugs were prepared and degradation potential of metal dopped mesoporous silicate was studied by optimizing various parameters i.e the amount of catalyst, the pH, the light, substrate concentration, metal loading on MCM-41. Effect of pH The interaction between the pharmaceutics and metal dopped mesoporous are dependent on the pH of the solution therefore the optimization of pH is important to achieve maximum degradation efficiency. During the present study, the degradation process was optimized by changing the pH from 3.5 to 10.5 over 10 wt% M/MCM-41(M= Cu, Fe, Ce) with 1 g l_1 of 0.114 mM drug solution. The pH of the pharmaceutic solution is adjusted with 0.1 M HCl and 0.1 M NaOH. The results obtained are shown in Fig. 3d. At acidic pH, the rate of degradation is faster as compared to high and neutral pH. The results clearly show that acidic pH is ideal for the degradation of the pharmaceutics. Effect of light intensity on degradation of pharmaceutic: The photolysis of pharmaceutic was studied under UV irradiation and dark. The log natural decay curves (In Ct/Co) of pharmaceutic versus irradiation time were displayed in (Fig. 3-5). The data for dark control samples were also elaborated in Fig. 6. Photodegradation of diclofenac sodium and atorvastatin under UV light in distilled water and methanol respectively were determined during the summer season (March-september) as displayed in Fig.3. The determined half life of 50 ppm diclofenac sodium in distilled water under UV light was 2.5h and in dark it was observed as 3 h. The rate of reaction varied from 2.8Ãâ€"10-3 to 2.3Ãâ€"10-3 when pharmaceutic was shifted from UV light to dark. Effect of metal loading on MCM-41 The effect of metal loading over MCM-41 on the photocatalytic activity is investigated and the results are shown in Fig. 2a. The degradation studies are carried out with increase of metal (wt%)5, 10 and 15 using 1 g l_1 of catalyst amount in 50 ml pharmaceutics solution. It is observed that 5–10 wt% increase in metal loadings, the photocatalytic activity increases and there is not much degradation rate at higher loadings. Among all the catalysts, 10 wt% M/MCM- 41 (M= Cu, Fe and Ce) showed most efficient photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutics i.e., complete degradation within 90 min. The loss in the activity with increase in metal percent loading is due to the excess amount of metal oxide dispersed over MCM-41 that blocks the mesopores results a decrease in adsorption capacity. The turbidity of the solution also blocks penetration of light into the solution. Thus, the metal loading over the support clearly shows that one has to optimize the metal content, simultaneously re taining the active sites for adsorption in order to achieve the effective synergism. Effect of catalyst amount To optimize the amount of catalyst required for effective pharmaceutic photocatalytic degradation, different catalyst amounts (0.25–1.5 g l_1) are studied with 10 wt% M/MCM-41 and the results are shown in Fig. 3a. It is observed that 1.0 g l_1 is found to be the optimum. By increasing 0.25– 1.0 g l_1, the photocatalytic activity is increased and at higher contents the activity is not beneficial. This may be due to the fact that higher amount of the catalyst is obstructing the path of light penetration into the solution (i.e., scattering of light) thus reducing the OH radicals formation. Effect of substrate concentration The effect of 0.094, 0.1571 and 0.2829 mM pharmaceutics concentrations are performed over 10 wt% M/MCM-41 catalyst with 1 g l_1 amount for degradation. From Fig. 3b, it is observed that at lower concentrations, the adsorption is more compared to higher concentrations. There is a slight difference in degradation at 0.094, 0.1571 mM concentrations in comparison to 0.2829 mM. Also, it is acknowledged that the degradation is solely depends on the OH radical formation. The production of OH radicals is not sufficient in comparison to the amount of pharmaceutic adsorbed on the surface of the photocatalyst at higher concentrations. In view of this it suggests that, there should be equilibrium between adsorption of reactant molecules and OH radicals generated from the active sites. The 0.1571 mM concentration of pharmaceutic is found to be optimum for 10 wt% M/MCM-41 catalyst using 1 g l_1 amount. The experimental kinetic data are presented in Fig. 3c (inset) and in Table 1, along with time r equired for 50% degradation (t1/2) for each of the fitted lines. The degradation rate of pharmaceutic is decreased while increasing the concentration. The rate constant ‘k’ decreases with increase in initial concentration of drug. The effect of initial concentration of pharmaceutic on the photocatalytic degradation rate is described by pseudo-first order kinetics. The apparent rate constant for 0.114 mM IPU over 10 wt% TiO2/Al-MCM- 41 catalyst is 0.072 min_1 (R2 = 0.994). In the present investigation, 0.1571 mM concentration is found to be the optimum for degradation studies. [i] E.M. Flanigen, H. Khatami, H.A. Szymanski, (1971), Infrared structural studies of zeolite frameworks. In: E.M. Flanigen, L.B. Sand (Eds.). Molecular Sieve Zeolites. ACS Adv. Chem. Ser., 101: pp 201-227. [ii] E.M. Flanigen, H. Khatami, H.A. Szymanski, (1971), Infrared structural studies of zeolite frameworks. In: E.M. Flanigen, L.B. Sand (Eds.). Molecular Sieve Zeolites. ACS Adv. Chem. Ser., 101: pp 201-227. [iii] Taib, I.N., Endud, S., Katun, M.N Functionalization of mesoporous Si-MCM-41 by grafting with trimethylchlorosilane, International journal of chemistry, 3: 3(2011). [iv] Song, X, Qu, P, Jiang, N, Yang, H, Qiu, G: Synthesis and characterization of MCM-41 materials assembled with CeO2 nanoparticles. Coll. Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 313–314, 193–196 (2008)

Work Overload :: essays research papers fc

This paper will examine the common organizational stressor known as work overload. To begin, the stressor will first be defined and explained in terms of its causes. The paper will then focus on how to deal with the stressor by suggesting a variety of organizational approaches. Individuals who have specialized training in the field of work overload will then be introduced. Unique approaches designed by these professionals as a method of dealing with work overload will be examined. The paper will conclude by describing how scientific literature and research might be of assistance to the specialists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Having too much to do with too little time to do it is a common perception in the workplace. This problem, often referred to as work or role overload, can be caused by a variety of factors. Things such as unrealistic deadlines, lack of appropriate break periods, and increasingly heightened expectations are common causes of work-related stress that exist throughout a wide variety of occupations (Shimazu & Kosugi, 2003). Other harmful factors that are related to work overload include rapid change, disordered multitasking, uncertainty, and interruptions during work. While it is possible for many hours of concentration on a well-defined job to have a positive effect on a person’s mental state, it is also possible for less than an hour of chaos in the workplace to have a hazardous effect on a person’s health (Zohar, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People who serve as managers and supervisors are most susceptible to work overload. One potential explanation for this is the open-ended nature of the managerial job (Johns & Saks, 2001). The difficulties encountered when trying to juggle the demands of superiors with the needs of subordinates has the potential to provoke a lot of stress. Different personality types can also result in different ways of handling a heavy workload. For example, research indicates that introverts have notably different coping mechanisms for stress than extroverts (Dormann & Zapf, 2002). These mechanisms can vary in effectiveness when handling organizational stressors such as work overload. Another factor that relates to how people are influenced by heavy workloads is sex. For males, work stress is more strongly related to concerns about roles in the power structure of an organization, whereas female employees experience more severe stress when a conflict exists between job requirement s and family relationships (Vagg, Spielberger, & Wasala, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early warning signs of work overload include headaches, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, and low job satisfaction (Dormann & Zapf, 2002).

Greek Art :: essays research papers fc

Greek Art The portals to immortality-Greek Grave Steles To us who live in modern times the ‘melancholic look’ that we find in the sculpture of cemeteries throughout the world is something we take for granted. Although its authenticity has been lost to us, this so-called look can be traced back to 5th century Greek funerary sculpture. For us it is only natural to associate such a look with death. However, as the above verse elaborates, the Greeks viewed death somewhat differently from the way we do. To them death freed their souls and brought true happiness: then why does their grave sculpture look so pensive and thoughtful? It is because unlike today where the dead are only represented figuratively in a sobbing angel or mournful cherub, the Greeks depicted their dead as they were in life - life which was full of uncertainties and burdens but also with simple pleasures that made it all worth while. The Greeks successfully combined these two juxtaposed experiences, and harmonized it s contradictions to portray in steles the individual, whose simplicities and complications was a reflection of the bitter-sweetness of life. No where is this combination more successful than in the Greek grave stele of the 5th century before Christ. The 5th B.C. encompassed two distinct periods: the early classical and the high classical. However both these periods shared the uniquely contradicting, constantly explorative, and modestly idealistic vision of life, which made the subjects of the stele, at their moment of death, all the more human to the observer. Neither the previous Archaic period, nor the following 4th century, or the preceding civilizations quite so convincingly capture for the observer the poignancy of death the way a fifth century BC stele could. The period of the 5th century B.C. is sometimes referrd to as the golden age, which is the height for Greek art and civilizations; and ironically has its beginning and ending in war! â€Å"The 480 B.C. marked the defeat of the Persians and 404 B.C. the beginning of the pelopannasian war and the collapse of Athenian democracy. † Perhaps the culturally significant buildings and sculptures that were destroyed and the many lives that were lost during the long war with Persia might made grave monuments and stele all the more personal to the Greeks during this time. For whatever reason Greek stele of this particular period, between two historically significant moments (480-404), stand-alone in more ways than one.

In Search of Virtue in Honors Essays -- Aristotle Friendship Philosoph

In Search of Virtue in Honors Of the three forms of friendship discussed by Aristotle—the useful, the pleasant, and the good—the ideal seminar most resembles the perfectly good friendship between â€Å"good men who are alike in excellence or virtue† (Aristotle 1156b). A seminar, the Swarthmore website reads, unites faculty with â€Å"small groups of dedicated and accomplished students† committed to â€Å"independent learning† and â€Å"dialogue with peers, teachers, and examiners.† In light of Aristotelian and neo-Aristotelian thought on friendship, virtue and practical wisdom, this discussion will first examine how an ideal seminar promotes student virtues and then proceed to evaluate an e-mail I wrote in response to an imperfect seminar. Aristotle contends that friendship is instrumental for acquiring and maintaining moral excellence: †¦the friendship of good men is good, and it increases with their meetings. Also, it seems, they become better as they are active together and correct one another: from the mould of the other each takes the imprint of the trait he likes, whence the saying: ‘Noble things from noble people.’ (1172a) Similarly, a seminar composed of individuals with student virtues—including diligence, intelligence, curiosity, patience, and humility—can best maintain and encourage virtue. Rosemary Volbrecht’s â€Å"Mutual Apprenticeship in moral development,† Nancy Sherman’s â€Å"Making a Necessity of Virtue,† Laurence Thomas’ Living Morally and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics outline the means by which friendship encourages moral virtue. An extrapolation from moral virtues to student virtues frames their discussion in the context of an honors seminar at Swarthmore. Volbrecht highlights the importance of role models in experie... ..., but I erred in the delivery. A wiser, more amenable route may have included individualized messages. The real problem, however, was imperfect information and my lack of familiarity with the nuances of my classmates’ personalities. Aristotle writes, â€Å"[e]ach man can judge competently the things he knows† (Aristotle 1095a). His counsel offers little comfort when combined with rigorous epistemological standards. If flawless practical wisdom requires perfect information, then any decision by imperfect moral agents requires a search not for truth, but for the lesser evil. In my case, I hope the damage done was not too great. Works Cited Aristotle. Ethics. Sherman, Nancy. Making a Necessity of Virtue. Thomas, Laurence. Living Morally. Volbrecht, Mary Rose. â€Å"Friendship: Mutual Apprenticeship in Moral Development.† Journal of Value Inquiry, vol. 24 (1990).

How to Be a Good Muslim

Garrett Waidelich October 8, 2012 Islamic Civilization Dr. McGrath How to be a Good Muslim In the Quran and the Hadith of Bukhari there are many descriptions of what it takes to be a good Muslim. God gives very specific details to Muhammad about what Muslims need to do and what they can’t do if they want to get to paradise. The five pillars of Islam created a base for Muslims to follow in order to be a good Muslim. The five pillars are that there is no god but God, to offer prayer, to give charity, perform the hajj and to fast during Ramadan (HB 1: 7).The Muslims that follow the five pillars and follow Muhammad’s teachings will reach paradise. The first pillar is to accept that God is the only god and that he is the only one worthy of being worshiped (HB 1: 7, 25, 50, 63, 2: 594, Q 2: 176). This first pillar is very important in Islam because Islam is based around the idea of submitting to God and being God’s slave. God is the most powerful being that there is an d he created the Earth and all its inhabitants (Q 2: 163). God also hears and knows everything, including people’s thoughts and intentions (Q 2: 180).This pillar is so important because God is all powerful, righteous, and merciful. Disobeying this pillar is a terrible deed and Muhammad also said that the worst sin is to worship another god (Q 2: 190, HB 3: 821). The second pillar is to offer prayer perfectly five times a day. There are a lot of rules about how to pray and things that must be done for prayer to count as a good deed. Because God knows and hears all, a Muslim must be completely focused on God while they are praying and not be distracted by other things (HB 2: 307, 4: 504).Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day at specified times (HB 3: 115). Prayer is also better when it is done consistently instead of praying for a long time and then not praying again until the next week (Quran 23: 5, HB 1: 41). Muslims should not get drunk and especially should not pray while drunk (HB 1: 50). Cleanliness is also important when praying. It is good to clean your teeth before prayer and when women menstruate it is considered unclean and they should not pray (HB 2: 12, 1: 247, 1: 817, 3: 172, Quran 2: 222).Men are also not supposed to pray or be around women when the woman is menstruating (Quran 2: 222). Women were also told not to watch men pray because the sheets they wore were short and showed their private areas (HB 2: 306). Prayer is also considered better, 27 times better, when done in congregation than alone (HB 1: 618). Prayer also can reduce the bad deeds that a Muslim might commit, for example a man came to Muhammad and said he had kissed a woman unlawfully and Muhammad told him to pray and the prayer would remove the bad deed (HB 1: 504).Praying to please God and not to impress other people also will lead to all of your past sins to be forgiven (HB 1: 34). Charity is also a very important part of Islam. There are many different references to charity from Zakat, to the alms levy, to giving to the poor. It is considered a god deed to help the poor and it is required to give Zakat. Muhammad says that giving Zakat is one of the best deeds that a Muslim can do (HB 1: 7, 25, 50, 54, 502).Not only is paying Zakat a good deed but also giving to charity and helping the poor is a good deed (HB 1: 11, 27). There is a charity that can be given every day, called Sadaqa, and this charity consists of doing good deeds (4: 232). These good deeds count as the charity. Muhammad told a woman that giving the alms levy is especially important for women because a majority of the people in hell were women (HB 1: 301). Helping orphans, beggars, travelers, and anyone in need is considered a good deed (Quran 2: 215, 2: 177).Giving to help people in need has many benefits for Muslims. When a woman gives charity from her husband’s belongings without hurting his belongings, both the woman and her husband will be rewarded (HB 2: 518, 520, 5 21). While giving to charity is a good deed it is bad for someone to hoard their wealth and money for their personal benefit and can lead to punishment from God (HB 2: 513, 514, 515). If a person does keep all of his money instead of spending it in God’s cause, God will withhold his blessings from that person (HB 2: 513, 514, 515).Another form of charity is buying the freedom of a slave, or setting your own slave free. Freeing a slave can remove the worst of bad deeds including killing someone or breaking your oath (Quran 4: 92, 5: 88). It is good to pay for the rest of the freedom of a slave if you own a part of the slave and partially free him (HB 3: 672). Performing the Hajj at least one time during a Muslims life is another pillar of Islam. Hajj is the pilgrimage from Medina to Mecca that occurs every year in the last month of the Islamic calendar.Hajj is to be made during the specified months, and while on the hajj a man should not have sexual intercourse, should not swe ar, or get into disputes while on the pilgrimage (2: 197). If someone is ill or too weak to perform hajj, someone else can make the pilgrimage on their behalf, with the ill person receiving the reward (HB 2: 589). Muhammad also tells women that instead of participating in Jihad, a women’s Jihad is performing the hajj (HB 4: 43, 127). The final pillar is fasting. Fasting is best when it is done three days a month and during the whole month of Ramadan (HB 2: 274).When someone is ill or on a journey, they can fast the same number of days later when they return or when they are healthy again (Quran 2: 183). It is also possible to substitute feeding a poor person instead of fasting if a person is unable to fast, but fasting is the better of the two (Quran 2: 183). During fasting, you are allowed to eat and have sexual relations at night when the sun is down (HB 3: 139). Women that are menstruating when they fast do not get the rewards because they are considered unclean (HB 3: 172 ).The five pillars are the basis for Muslim actions that will get them into paradise, but there are also a few other things that make a Muslim good. Jihad is another very important thing for a Muslim to participate in and there are many benefits to Jihad. The Quran states that everyone has an obligation to take part in Jihad, but they should never be the aggressor (Quran 2: 216, 2: 190). Fighting for God’s cause is basically fighting to defend Islam and to make it superior to all other beliefs (Quran 1: 125, 22: 78). Jihad has many rewards for Muslims that participate in it.Some of these rewards are booty that is taken if you survive and for the martyr a place in heaven right beneath God (HB 4: 48). If a Muslim did not want to fight, Muhammad said that to equal the good deeds of Jihad that person would have to fast and pray during the entire time the soldiers were on Jihad (HB 4: 44). This would be impossible and enforces the idea that Muslims that participate in Jihad are co nsidered better than those that don’t, unless someone is injured and unable to (HB 4: 84). Women were not supposed to participate in Jihad but instead their Jihad was the hajj (HB 4: 127).Although women’s Jihad was hajj there are numerous stories of Aisha and other women helping the wounded and watering the soldiers during battles (HB 4: 130, 131, 132, 133, 134). Muslims are given very specific directions and helpful tips to be good Muslims. If Muslims accept and admit that God is the only God, pray, offer charity, make the pilgrimage, fast, and do other good deeds they will be considered good Muslims and will get into paradise on Judgment day. Doing good deeds also wipes away or cancels out bad deeds and will also help Muslims be better people and increase their chances of getting into paradise.