I'm going to go with a similar type of novel, The Crucible. Consider the character of John Proctor. Although he had his adultery troubles, he is a principled man. Proctor's inner struggle is filled with conflict over hypocrisy. In the end Proctor has the chance to save himself, his wife and Mrs. Corey. All he needs do is sign a confession stating that he spent time with the Devil. I'n mot sure what they were supposed to have done, perhaps lunch or something. In any case the confession is, of course, false. It is simply meant to validate the witch court and hysteria which it lives off of. Despite the lives of himself and his loved ones can be saved with his simple signature, John can't do it. He realizes that all a man really has is his name. As his hand shakes with his feather pen he screams in agony, "All I have is my name." Proctor, Elizabeth and Mrs. Corey are executed. Proctor had stood up for the only thing he thought was worth standing up for. A simple signature and confession would have let them go on as before but Proctor could not give up the one thing that made him a man and gave him redemption, his name.