MORALS IN SOCIETY AND LITERATURE
- Always tell the truth
- Do not destroy property
- Have courage
- Keep your promises
- Do not cheat
- Treat others as you want to be treated
- Do not judge
- Be dependable
- Be forgiving
- Have integrity
- Take responsibility for your actions
- Have patience
- Be loyal
- Have respect for yourself and others
- Be tolerant of differences
- Seek justice
- Have humility
- Be generous
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments are often considered the basis for societies founded on Judeo-Christian principles. You'll notice some overlap with the list above, as many of these principles are still embedded in general society.
- Do not have any gods before me
- Do not make for yourself a graven image
- Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
- Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy
- Honour your father and mother
- Do not kill
- Do not commit adultery
- Do not steal
- Do not bear false witness against your neighbour
- Do not covet your neighbour's wife or possessions keep in mind that examples of morals in a story are different from the moral of a story. Remember, morals are rules that govern a person's behaviour. The moral of a story, however, is the overarching teaching the author is trying to present. Of course, the two can align but they are separate entities.
For example, a character might be fighting to release his wrongly-convicted wife from prison because his morals tell him a man's job is to defend his wife. In his quest to free her, he will do anything, including lying and deceiving (which we know to be in contrast to sound morals), to get her out. In this case, the moral of the story isn't, "Be honest," or, "Don't lie." Rather, it could be "Family comes first."
To Kill a Mockingbird
In Harper Lee's 'To Kill a mocking bird 'Atticus Finch is a white man defending a black man named Tom Robinson, accused of raping a young girl. In the Deep South in the 1930s, this was scandalous, due to pervasive racism. Nevertheless, his morals tell him to protect and serve every member of society, no matter the colour of his or her skin.
When the narrator, Scout, asks her father why he's defending Robinson, he says, "You really never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view -- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." Atticus was teaching her empathy and not to judge, both sound morals.
The Dark Witch
'The Dark Witch' begins a fanciful trilogy by Nora Roberts. In it, we read about an American girl named Iona who travels from Boston to Ireland to meet her cousin Branna, the renowned "Dark Witch." Together, Iona, Branna, and Branna's brother join forces to ward off an evil sorcerer who's been dogging the family for 800 years.
Breanna and her brother specifically tell Iona not to cross over certain vines and enter a part of the forest where the evil sorcerer could capture or injure her. One day, Iona hears her name being called and, in a trance-like state, starts to enter the forest. Luckily, she was able to break the trance before she entered the forest but when she returned home, she said this to her cousin:
I should tell you something first. I don't break my word. It's important. But today, walking back from the stables, I started to go through those vines. I didn't mean to, but I thought I saw a light, and I heard my name, over and over. It was almost like the dream I had. I felt out of myself, pulled in. Like I needed to go through, to whatever waited. Kathel stopped me -- again. I don't break promises, Branna. I don't lie.
Here, we don't have to deduce her morals. They're clearly stated. She doesn't break her word; she doesn't lie. Her morals go on to build a story filled with bravery and courage. Perhaps the moral of the story is to always be brave and do the right thing, but that stems from Iona's sound morals.
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