Integrity In To Kill A Mockingbird

The general statement made by Harper Lee in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird is that once one has personal motivation to gain and help others, the unfavorable results can be faced more confidently and can be easier to accept. More specifically, when Atticus was faced with a battle he could not win, it was easier to carry out the case once he thought about the lesson he was teaching others and how it would nurture his integrity; as stated when Atticus mentioned how he “...wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.”
Atticus Finch was a man who showed that having personal integrity often requires courage. Having to go through with the case to not only to support his integrity but to help set an example for his children about his morals showed just how important those things are to him. By taking a risk with an inevitable misfortune, he showed great amounts of courage and responsibility. Even if Atticus’ only intention was to support his integrity, others watching would also learn and most likely acquire those characteristics. After taking up Tom’s case, he used the goal of being a better person and creating a
Each of the characters in their tough situations mentioned had used another person as motivation to help reach their own personal goal. Even though each of them were aware of their end results, by thinking about leaving behind an amazing example, the unfortunate conclusion seemed slightly less relevant and daunting in their eyes. Although the resolution of their situations was unrewarding considering the original goal, they were rewarded something much more important to them; a legacy that others can look back on and learn