Natalie Fortunato

Introduction
1. [Hook/Expander] Growing up in an immoral society makes it hard for citizens of that
society to develop or follow contrasting opinions. Those who do not conform to a
society’s injustice do so because their beliefs and morals outweigh the support of
injustice in their community.
a. It is difficult for citizens to develop a contrasting opinion from those in their
society because they may be afraid of the backlash they will face. This fear can
result in the mob or herd mentality. However, some have very pronounced beliefs
and therefore are willing to stand up for their morals.
2. [Transition/TAG, Background] In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout
grows up in a racist town where she learns her morals from her father Atticus. Their
family is facing disapproval in Maycomb County because Atticus is defending Tom
Robinson, a black man, who is wrongly convicted of raping a white woman. Racism is
also evident in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Huck Finn, and later Tom
Sawyer, are helping Jim, a slave, to gain freedom.
a. Examples of citizens with strong morals can be found in Harper Lee’s novel ​To
Kill A Mockingbird​ and Mark Twain’s picaresque novel ​The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn​. Both take place in extremely racist communities.
3. [Thesis] Both ​The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn​ and ​To Kill a Mockingbird​ support
the claim that a sound heart is more important than a deformed conscience because
people stand up for their beliefs and disagree with their society's’ morals.
a. NO CHANGE

Body Paragraph 1
1. [Topic Sentence] In particular, both Tom Sawyer and Scout do things that are typically
considered wrong because they have strong morals.
a. In particular, people’s may act in a way that is typically considered wrong, but
justify it with their strong morals.
2. [Context of Evidence #1] More specifically, Tom Sawyer from ​The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn​ believes that it is okay for he and Heck to steal a knife because they are
using it to help free Jim, a slave.
a. Jim needs a knife in order to escape, so Tom believes that it is acceptable for him
to steal it as long as he is helping Jim.
3. [Integration of Evidence #1] Huck says, “Tom said that what he meant was, we could
steal anything we needed … He said if I’d a wanted it to hide a knife in, and smuffle it to
Jim to kill the seneskal with it, it would have been alright” (Twain 272).
 a. Huck explains Tom’s reasoning saying, “Tom said that what he meant was, we
could steal anything we needed … He said if I’d a wanted it to hide a knife in, and
smuffle it to Jim to kill the seneskal with it, it would have been alright” (Twain
272).
4. [Quality of Evidence #1] Tom believes that Jim needs protection to gain his freedom.
This contradicts the ideas placed in his mind that blacks should be slaves.
a. Despite the fact that Tom has grown up in the deep South, he does not agree that
Jim should be held in slavery because Jim is black. In fact, Tom believes that Jim
should have a knife to protect himself when he is escaping.
5. [Transition] Similarly, in ​To Kill a Mockingbird​ Scout disagrees with Maycomb County’s
prejudice against blacks and stands up for her own morals.
a. Although Maycomb County does not practice slavery, Scout still disagrees with
her town’s racist mentality.
6. [Context of Evidence #2] In fact, she even beats up her classmate Cecil Jacobs for
making fun of Atticus because he is defending a black man.
a. She beats up her classmate, Cecil Jacobs, because he is making fun of her father,
Atticus. Cecil is just one of many who mock Atticus for defending a black man,
Tom Robinson. When her brother, Jem, tries to explain that there are different
“types” of people in Maycomb County, Scout disagrees.
7. [Integration of Evidence #2] Later, she says to Jem, “‘Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one
kind of folks. Folks’” (Lee 259).
a. She replies, “‘Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks’” (Lee 259).
8. [Quality of Evidence #2] Scout supports her morals so much so that she is willing to beat
up those who oppose them even though beating a classmate is usually a bad thing.
a. Scout clearly disagrees with Jem’s proclamation that there are different types of
people. In her mind, everyone is the same and should be treated the same. She
fails to understand the unjustified hate in her community. She is so negatively
affected by this hatred that she lashes out and attacks her classmate Cecil Jacobs.
Because everyone, in her eyes, is equal, she feels that fighting Cecil is justified.
9. [Analysis] Both Tom and Scout have strong morals. Their action could be described as
immoral, but they do them to support a cause that their society doesn’t support. Clearly,
their actions are influenced by their strong morals thus proving a sound heart is more
important than a deformed conscience.
a. Like Tom Sawyer, Scout feels that her actions are warranted. Both know that their
intentions are moral, so they self justify the means necessary to accomplish their
goals.

Body Paragraph 2
1. [Topic Sentence] Furthermore, both Huck and Atticus disagree with the immoral ideas
supported by their societies.
a. Furthermore, some people declare that they do not support the immoral ideas and
actions around them.
2. [Context of Evidence #3] None
a. It is difficult for Huck to make sense of Tom’s re enslavement.
3. [Integration of Evidence #3] Huck admits his frustration with racism when he states, “If I
had a yaller dog that didn’t know more than a person’s conscience does, I would poison
him” (Twain 260).
a. He admits his frustration with racism in the South when he declares, “If I had a
yaller dog that didn’t know more than a person’s conscience does, I would poison
him” (Twain 260).
4. [Quality of Evidence #3] Huck does not follow the mob mentality. He exaggerates this
point by suggesting that the typical dog knows more than a person’s deformed
conscience.
a. In contrast to those around him, Huck is able to see the equality that should exist
among all people. He blames racism on people’s lack of intelligence. According
to Huck, the typical dog is smarter than a person’s deformed conscience.
5. [Transition] Atticus also opposes the group mentality found in Maycomb County.
a. Atticus is as equally disturbed with the racism in his community, so he rejects
others opinions and follows his own personal beliefs.
6. [Context of Evidence #4] He defends Tom Robinson because he refuses to go against his
morals.
a. He refuses to go against his morals and decides to defend Tom Robinson. Scout
wonders why her father is willing to be publicly shamed in order to defend a
client.
7. [Integration of Evidence #4] When talking about supporting Tom he says to Scout, “‘ …
if I didn’t I couldn’t hold my head up in town, I couldn’t represent the town in the
legislature, I couldn’t tell you or Jem not to do something again’” (Lee 86).
a. He tells Scout, “‘ … if I didn’t I couldn’t hold my head up in town, I couldn’t
represent the town in the legislature, I couldn’t tell you or Jem not to do
something again’” (Lee 86).
8. [Quality of Evidence #4] Atticus claims that he would not be able to live with himself if
he rejected his own morals and followed the unjust thinking in his society.
a. Atticus tries to teach his children to follow in his footsteps by pursuing moral
decisions. In his heart, he knows that defending Tom Robinson is the correct
choice, even though he will be hated for it by his peers. His moral compass is so
strong that he believes he would not be able to go on with life if he abandoned
Tom, like the rest of Maycomb County.
 9. [Analysis] Both Huck and Atticus dramatically explain their opposing thoughts with their
neighbors. Huck claims that even animals know better than people about equality, and
Atticus believes so strongly in equality that he would not be able to bear the guilt if he
went against his morals. It is clear that both Huck and Atticus are disgusted with the
injustice in their society and would go to great lengths to support their own morals.
a. Both Huck and Atticus dramatically reveal their thoughts against racism. They are
able to see the disadvantages blacks face in their communities. Unlike other
citizens, they see each individual as equal, ignoring financial status and race.
Their morals are strong enough to resist the judgment of others in their
community. To them, following their heart is more important than being accepted
by their societies.

Conclusion
1. [Rephrase Thesis] Thus, because characters stand up for their beliefs and disagree with
their societies’ morals, ​The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn​ and ​To Kill a Mockingbird
support the statement that a sound heart is more important than a deformed conscience.
a. No Change
2. [Insight] In any society, the children living there are impacted by the constant opinions
being pushed on them, positive or negative. It is extremely difficult for citizens to
identify the injustice found in their own community. Books like The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird shed a light on the change societies must
undergo for equality.
a. No matter the environment they are raised in, children absorb the opinions forced
upon them for the better and for the worst. Each child perceives these opinions as
the “right” belief. As a result, it is extremely difficult for citizens to identify the
injustices found in their own community after many generations of corrupt
thoughts. Although social ideas have changed, literature can shed a light on
prejudices by taking on different perspectives.