“Integrity is doing the right thing. Even when no one is watching.” C.S. Lewis
In the story “Horton Hatches the Egg” by Dr. Seuss we see the good and the bad of integrity. Since I love reading and I collect children’s books, I thought giving an example of a children’s book would be a unique way to show how integrity is important to me in my classroom. In this story, Horton promises to watch the egg for Mayzie and he exhibits integrity by standing by his word throughout treacherous weather, a relocation; being forced into a circus, and ridicule from his peers. I think this story exhibits how integrity is an honourable trait and Horton most definitely has a ton of it, however he is not happy when he feels stuck by his word. This shows the importance of language, and how sometimes people say things they do not mean, and that it is okay to change your mind. With the juxtaposition of Mayzie, readers can see the clear dichotomy of the two main characters and their relationship to integrity. This dichotomy shows readers that you must be responsible for choices and their outcomes. Mayzie used Horton’s kindness and took advantage of him. She could have gone on a week long vacation while Horton watched the egg. Instead she abandons her responsibilities and puts them on Horton. This is not right. This is not what it means to have integrity. Do not be a Mayzie! Be a Horton, but do not take on more than you can manage.
The best way for people to learn is through reading, and then analyzing the story they’ve been told.
Do you have integrity? How can you have more integrity? Take a look at this article: https://www.success.com/9-tips-to-help-you-strengthen-your-integrity/