Over time human beings have constructed the universally accepted idea that integrity is strictly displaying honesty and being a person who can do no wrong. Integrity has become a moral trait, however, it is so much more than that. The powerful tale To Kill a Mockingbird by acclaimed author Harper Lee substantiates the fact that there is a wider definition of integrity than honesty and morality. From characters like the righteous Atticus Finch to the fierce Mrs. Dubose the real definition of integrity is exhibited throughout the novel. Integrity is not strictly about being honest or ethical, but it is about being able to pull everything together, to make it all happen no matter how challenging and about being consistent with values and principles.
The first exemplification of integrity in the novel is the illustrious Atticus Finch. Atticus was assigned to defend Tom Robinson, an innocent black man accused of rape. From the beginning, Atticus believed in seeing the world from others’ perspectives and believed that all people are equal. During the trial, he proves his integrity because he adhered to that belief. Atticus said “…Some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women- black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men” (Lee 273) Not everyone in Maycomb shared Atticus’ belief yet he followed it through, therefore, showing that he is a man of integrity. Another illustration of integrity in the novel is Mrs. Dubose, an old bad-tempered woman who had very strong beliefs and died battling a morphine addiction. Integrity means to follow through with a belief, which she did when she repetitively told Scout to not wear overalls, but it also means to stick with something and see it through in spite of the obstacles that are faced. Mrs. Dubose fought her illness, she saw it through and even though it was grueling she was able to pull everything together. Atticus was able to prove Mrs. Dubose’s integrity to not only Scout and Jem but the reader when he said “Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety- eight pounds of
Integrity stands for more than honesty, and it is about standing up for what you believe, it is about leadership, and it is about defining you as a person. Integrity is based on personal beliefs and seeing them through and being able to complete a task, to put it together regardless of the complication of said task. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a profound example of integrity in action in the real world and moreover, shows its importance. Being a person of integrity shows that you practice what you preach yet also shows that you are what you preach and it is a significant and advantageous quality to
Courage, integrity, and truth are three themes taught by the main characters in To Kill A Mockingbird and Mississippi Trial, 1955. The authors wanted readers to understand courage is what’s earned after completing something you thought was impossible. Integrity is shown by teaching readers to be honest, and believe in what you think is fair to others. Finally the authors’ outlined truth by showing you need to have knowledge in other’s actions in order to know the truth about them. Good authors get readers to connect similar personal experiences to the events in the book, and teach moral lessons from them. I have connected these two books to myself, and will continue to think about the themes throughout my life.
Integrity can be described to who a person is when no one is watching. A person with integrity does the right thing even when they are alone and they know no one else is around. An example in the Marine Corps would be standing a post by yourself. If you are all alone on a post and no one else is scheduled to come out for hours, does the person continue to walk their post or do they
Atticus Finch shows, in many ways, the true definition of a hero, but no situation was more important than the Tom Robinson trial. In Maycomb, the thought of taking a negro’s word instead of a white man’s was ridiculous to the citizens, especially over a matter as serious as a black man raping a white woman. Regardless of this information, Atticus still takes on Tom Robinson’s case and tries to make as big of a difference as possible. When Scout asks him if he thinks that he will win the case, Atticus subtly replies “No, honey” (76). Atticus goes on to explain, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and win” (76). Basically, Atticus believes that just because it is unlikely that he will win, it does not mean that he should just give up without trying. Throughout all the discrimination, Atticus remains tough and tries to achieve his goal, no matter how hard it is. This was an example of moral courage. Even Scout knows how hard her father is trying by comparing Atticus’ efforts to “watching Atticus walk down the street, raise a rifle to his shoulder and pull the trigger, but...
Integrity is when you know and do what is right. Atticus has integrity when he continues to represent Tom Robinson. This shows because the whole town is against Tom Robinson and believes that Atticus shouldn’t represent him. He did what was right by not caring about what anyone said, because he has a strong moral code. He knows and understands that it would be wrong if he didn’t represent Tom, only because of his race. Also, he continuously visits Tom’s family, to see how they are doing. This shows that he cares about the welfare of the people, and that he does not care about what anyone in town has to say about him behind his back.
In the essay “The Rules about the Rules,” Carter sets forth his views on integrity. Throughout this essay, he explains to readers the three rules of integrity. The first step is the difficult process of discerning one’s deepest understanding of right and wrong. The second step is knowing what one believes. This means one knows and understands what is right from wrong and puts what is right into effect. Last but not least, the third and most important step is the person must be willing to say that he or she is acting upon what he or she has decided what is right. Carter believes integrity is a moral virtue that should be consistently acted upon throughout readers’ lives.
Honesty is a rare trait that few people are able to perfect, but a trait more people should have to make the world a better place. Mrs. Dubois is harshly opinionated and honest leading to Scout learning more about herself, Atticus stays ardent in his morals and beliefs concluding in a new look on black folk in Maycomb, and Tom Robinson is honest with himself enabling him to die with dignity. Honesty is a prominent topic shown through many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Honesty is very brutal in the character of Mrs. Dubose, one of the subtle, more challenging characters Lee uses to show the topic of honesty. Mrs.Dubose shows the theme that brutal honesty is better than no honesty at all.
Integrity to me means going above and beyond with everything I do. I think this will fuel good grades and completion of assignments. Having good integrity also came with some confidence, because I had to do more and go outside of the crowd. I did and do more than everyone else, that made me fell a lot more confident about my actions. Confidence has pushed me to make suggestions that I otherwise wouldn't.
Courage in “To Kill A Mockingbird” is very hard to come by because of all the prejudice remarks and racist comments to the local African-Americans in the story, Atticus although puts aside the differences between white and black people and decides to help a black man in court. This is a very big part of the book, and shows a huge example of courage. In Maycomb finding courage is extremely hard, especially when it has to do with protecting another race that your entire town despises. Another example of courage is when Atticus protects Tom Robinson in the jail room. In the jail room, an angry mob of white men came rushing in to kill Tom Robinson. Atticus, Jem, and Scout stayed in the jail room all night to protect Tom Robinson and could have been killed by the mob. Instead of Scout, Jem, and Atticus running, Jem gets in front of the mob to protect Atticus from the mob. The mob then runs over Jem and Scout gets in their way, Scout then tries to talk some sense into the mob and she succeeds in doing so. This courageous act saved Atticus and Tom Robinson from being killed that night in the jail room. “Don’t you remember me, Mr. Cunningham? I’m Jean Louise Finch. You brought us some hickory nuts one time, remember?” This is a quote from the story on page 153; the quote tells the readers what Scout is trying to convince Mr. Cunningham to go home and away from Atticus and
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus demonstrates the trait of integrity by the way he lives his life in Maycomb County. For example, when Atticus has just finished announcing to Scout that he has taken up a case for Tom Robinson, “a negro,” he tells Scout, “Scout, you aren’t old enough to understand some things yet, but there’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I should not do much about defending this man (100).” Even though Atticus knew without a doubt, that he would lose this case, he takes it up anyways. He does this because in a town like this, he must keep his head high and this was a good way to ...
Jem's definition of bravery changes as he grows up; he gains insight and experience of the world around him. At the beginning of the story, Jem only thought of bravery as touching the side of the Radley house, only because "in all his life, [he] had never declined a dare. (pg 13)" However, as the story continues, Jem learns about courage from several events. Upon hearing about a trial where a black person's been prosecuted, Atticus decides, as a lawyer, to defend that person. Atticus chose to defend Tom Robinson, an African American, because it's the right thing to do, and no one else wanted to ,or had the bravery to. "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win, (pg 76)" he said to Scout and Jem when Scout asked. Atticus was courageous for doing something just, even though it's not encouraged. Jem also learns a different kind of courage after learning about Mrs. Dubose's fight with a morphine addiction. Jem and Scout disliked Mrs. Dubose because she was quite a mean person. Later, they were glad they didn't have to read to her anymore. Atticus told Jem that Mrs. Dubose simply had her own views on things, and that her fits were from her addiction. Atticus made Jem read to her and explained, "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway According to [Mrs. Dubose's] views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew. (pg 112)" This is similar to Atticus's choice to defend Tom.
Integrity, the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Most people who read Arthur Miller's “The Crucible” would agree that one of the main characters, John Proctor is a man of integrity.
Integrity is an idea that has been discussed by individuals with a verbal acuity far beyond anything I could ever hope for. With that in mind, I will not delve deeply or poetically into what integrity is or should mean. However, I will simplify the meaning of integrity; at the core, integrity boils down to doing what is right even if nobody is watching. See a piece of trash on the ground and nobody is around...pick it up. Driving down the road with no cops in sight...drive the speed limit. Arrive at a tollbooth and no attendant is working…pay the toll. An applicant is not readily available to sign a form for enlistment…track them down and ensure they sign it. I could write examples until infinity becomes paltry in comparison, yet I am sure I have made my point clearly; the greater good must be upheld regardless of who is there to ensure it is happening. It seems obvious that integrity should be a trait every individual is hardwired with from birth. However, integrity is a thankless trait; nobody is around after all. An individual cannot expect someone to clap, to smile, to thank them, to do anything actually. By definition, integrity should be something that is followed through with simply because an individual wishes to do what is correct, not because they expect accolades of any sort.
Scout believes at the beginning of the book that courage is all to do with physical feats like fist fighting. Scout and Jem though Atticus was courageous when he shot the mad dog, but Atticus just shrugged it off telling his children that that is not ?real courage?. The children soon see that moral courage is more valuable after Miss Dubose said "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" Chapter 11, Page 113 after they walked past her house. On the way back Atticus just walked by and told Mrs. Dubose, ?you look as pretty as a picture? Mrs. Dubose was so stunned that she could not say a word back to him. Later Jem and scout leaned how courageous Mrs. Dubose really was after Jem cut up her camellia bushes, the kids found out that she was a morphine attic brave enough to get off the drug that killed her.
Integrity is the quality of being honest. When you are honest about something or a certain situation you are considered a person of integrity. Also when you have integrity you have strong moral principles. When you have strong moral principles you know what is right and what is wrong. “Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way. It's a personality trait that we admire, since it means a person has a moral compass that doesn't waver. It literally means having "wholeness" of character, just as an integer is a "whole number" with no fractions.” Furthermore, having integrity is a quality that many strive to have because it often means that you are a good person.
In conclusion, integrity is a vital part of all our lives. Without a basic human integrity, we are animals. Integrity defines how we live, and who we are. Are we good people? Is our neighborhood safe? Is our college a great place to live? When trying to answer these questions, you first look at the integrity. In life and in death, a man will always be defined by his integrity. Is this neighborhood safe for me to my family to? Is this college a good one to send my child to? These questions are constantly being asked, and the answer always lies in integrity.