Rating Ethics

Prompt: The Alligator River Story

I would give Ivan a one because I respect him more than the other characters in this story. Ivan makes the most mature decision by avoiding the troubled situation all together. He isn’t rude or unjust to anyone he simply states that he wants nothing to do with the situation.

Next I would give Gregory a two. Although he loves Abigail and wishes to be with her he does not approve of what she did to get to him. Perhaps Gregory over reacted by permanently casting Abigail aside, but one could see where he is coming from. I would guess that Gregory wanted to be with Abigail just as bad as she wanted to be with him, but he would have taken different steps to make it happen.

I would give Slug a three. He is not a model citizen by any means, but in his mistake he doesn’t compromise his integrity like Abigail and Sinbad. I think Slug beat Gregory because he saw the pain that Abigail was enduring. Even if Slug was just looking out for Abigail and trying to protect her, that is no reason to brutally beat another individual. I think Slug was unjustified in his actions because he wasn’t directly involved in the situation to begin with.

I would give Abigail a four because she makes one of the biggest mistakes in my opinion. She compromises her integrity and her body by going along with Sinbad’s request. In my opinion Abigail is no different than a prostitute on a street corner. Abigail’s only excuse could be that she acted that way because of her love for Gregory; however I do not believe that love for Gregory justifies her actions.

I would rate Sinbad a five because he is the most unethical of the characters in the story. He uses his power (in this case a boat) to take advantage of a young girl. In my opinion Sinbad cannot be trusted. If Sinbad approved of what he did to Abigail, there is no telling what he would do to others wishing to cross the river. Sinbad uses the power that he has to manipulate others and take advantage of them.

Overall I think ethics plays a huge role in daily life. The manner in which people conduct themselves in difficult situations says a lot about their character. I believe that people should act morally and make responsible decisions all of the time, not just when it’s convenient or beneficial to them.