The Color Of Water Integrity Analysis

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Webster’s Dictionary describes the word integrity as “adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character, and honesty”. Is this really the definition of integrity? The definition of integrity should be associated more with an actual person than a person’s persona. Integrity is not just honesty and principles, it is doing the right thing despite the image it might create, putting the values most important above everything else, and selflessness no matter the situation. Integrity can easily be seen by the character of Rachel Shilsky in The Color of Water by James McBride, the character of James, and from the lives of those who are living around us, choosing to live up to higher standards every day. A vital characteristic to the definition of integrity is proving that the…show more content…
She is a great example of integrity because she is sacrificing her personal image to improve her character and succumb to her virtues, which include supporting her family, the Christian faith, and her relationship with her mother and sister. Laura Schlessinger once said “Don’t worry so much about your self-esteem. Worry more about your character. Integrity is its own reward”. Ruth, in The Color of Water, exemplifies this quote because she completely disregards her own self-esteem. Instead, she ignores what other people, including her own her family, think of her as long as she can accomplish succumbing to her values. Both her black acquaintances and white acquaintances do not understand her association with blacks and decide to ridicule her. Despite this ridicule, she continues to live independently so that she can support her children. Rachel also decides to keep up the church that her husband started despite the death of her husband. This is not an easy task to accomplish because the church is filled with many memories of her dead husband, but she continues the upkeep of
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