Final answer:
Atticus in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' believes in defending Tom Robinson to the fullest due to his strong belief in justice and moral integrity. His character represents consistency in ethics amidst a society filled with racial prejudice. Literature often explores flexible moral standards, the evolution of legal systems, and the balance between law and emotion.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus feels he should defend Tom Robinson to the fullest extent, which is option (a). Atticus believes in justice and equality, and though he is aware of the prejudices in society, he maintains that every individual deserves a fair trial. His dedication to the law and moral integrity drives him to provide the best defense possible for Tom. Atticus stands against the racial injustice prevalent in the setting of the novel and feels it's his duty to uphold the principles of justice, despite the challenges he faces from the community.
Exploring ethics in literature, it's clear that moral standards can sometimes be portrayed as flexible, especially when discussing characters from novels like Huckleberry Finn or Charles Dickens' works. In such narratives, characters may commit crimes with good intentions, forcing readers to question the rigidity of law and order. However, Atticus' character represents a barrier of consistency in upholding the legal and ethical ideals of the time, even when society's norms are against him.
Looking at the legal system's evolution from Dickens' Victorian England to the democratic systems of today, we acknowledge changes stemming from the need to prevent abuse of power and ensure fairness. While abuse of power in courts can still occur worldwide, democratic systems strive for transparency and accountability, with efforts to protect against political corruption. Literature can be a lens through which we examine these themes and evaluate the balance between emotion and law, as seen in the destructive force of love and jealousy in Wuthering Heights.