Patrick 1 Meg Patrick Mrs. Clark Rhetoric I 30 Oct. 2017 Integrity Integrity provides a sense of honor and morality and remains one of the most important qualities a human being could possess. Integrity is defined as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness” (“Integrity”). Anyone who possesses integrity means that they possess strong moral understanding. Being an honest quality, integrity possesses a straightforward history. It derives from the Latin, integritatem which means “soundness, wholeness” (“Integrity”). This is generally believed to mean the soundness or wholeness of one’s character, their honesty. Integritatem then became integrite in French meaning “blamelessness” (“Integrity”) which eventually became “integrity” in English, or moral uprightness. Other words related to integrity include: ethics and sincerity (“Integrity”). Integrity, in its essentials, is doing what is right, when no one is looking. An example of this is Jean Valjean, in the book Les Miserables when he decides to tell the police that he is the escaped convict they’re looking for, instead of a different man. Valjean could have escaped and lived his comfortable life as mayor, but he chooses instead to do what’s right and turns himself in. Integrity defines a person, makes them reliable, trustworthy, likeable. It is doing the right thing when no one notices.