Integrity Shown by Characters in to Kill a Mockingbird
Integrity is having a standard of morals and ethics, and living by them. It is a willingness and ability to do the right thing even when it is hard. The story To Kill a Mockingbird is filled with integrity. For example, many of the characters show different traits of integrity through doing what is right, and others show traits of integrity for doing what they believe in. Some of the characters portray no integrity at all.
Atticus shows integrity through his consistent legal defence of Tom Robinson. In the era Atticus was living, it would have been strongly in his best interest to poorly defend Tom Robinson in court. To defend a black man in a case as hideous as this one (the crime of a black man raping and assaulting a white woman was about as bad as you could get) he was putting his own reputation and safety on the line for even taking the case. But he stayed loyal to Tom and went the extra mile as often as possible to try to prove his innocence. Atticus tries to explain to Scout why he's doing what he's doing in this case, "If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?", "For a number of reasons," said Atticus. "The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again”. He does what he knows in his heart is the right decision and teaches his children to do the same, going against the cultural traditions they experienced regularly. Atticus shows integrity by remaining faithful and moral as a lawyer and a parent, even when just going with the crowd would be the easier and safer route. He sacrificed his reputation, and possibly even his safety and the safety of his children for no other reason that doing what he felt was right.
Bob Ewell as a symbol of racial hatred and lack of moral integrity. Bob Ewell suffers no guilt for the lies he spreads due to his abusive behaviour, disrespect for people and prejudiced outlook. When faced
Atticus shows integrity through his consistent legal defence of Tom Robinson. In the era Atticus was living, it would have been strongly in his best interest to poorly defend Tom Robinson in court. To defend a black man in a case as hideous as this one (the crime of a black man raping and assaulting a white woman was about as bad as you could get) he was putting his own reputation and safety on the line for even taking the case. But he stayed loyal to Tom and went the extra mile as often as possible to try to prove his innocence. Atticus tries to explain to Scout why he's doing what he's doing in this case, "If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?", "For a number of reasons," said Atticus. "The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again”. He does what he knows in his heart is the right decision and teaches his children to do the same, going against the cultural traditions they experienced regularly. Atticus shows integrity by remaining faithful and moral as a lawyer and a parent, even when just going with the crowd would be the easier and safer route. He sacrificed his reputation, and possibly even his safety and the safety of his children for no other reason that doing what he felt was right.
Bob Ewell as a symbol of racial hatred and lack of moral integrity. Bob Ewell suffers no guilt for the lies he spreads due to his abusive behaviour, disrespect for people and prejudiced outlook. When faced