Essay, Paragraph or Speech on “Character Makes a Man” Complete Essay, Speech for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Character Makes a Man

What is character and what place it has in the assessment of personality of a man has been a subject matter of discussion for centuries by psychologists, educationists, religious leaders and administrators. There have been no set conclusions as to the definition of character. The definition of character has been undergoing change or has been tilted by different thinkers according to their preoccupation of the mind. The scope and the place as well as the definition of character have also been undergoing transformation according to the stage of civilisation in which man was placed.

The definition of character and the place assigned to it in assessing the usefulness or uselessness of a man or a woman and his or her suitability for a particular profession has also been undergoing a change according to the customs and conventions prevalent in a particular country. The words—moral and immoral—have been associated with character. To elaborate this it means that to the acts of a man or a woman, external acts have been considered to be the outcome of the basic instincts that a man or a woman possesses within, and his or her character has been assessed as positive or negative. If positive, then it is moral; if negative, then immoral, on the basis of these acts.

The external act or thinking of a person is subject to not only his or her instincts but also the existing customs and conventions of a particular society and of the same society at different stages of its existence. The word ‘character’ has therefore remained absolutely flexible. A particular trait of a man’s character that has been considered good at a particular stage, may be considered bad now, and what has been considered bad earlier may be considered good at present.

What is considered to have no bearing the character of a man in the Western society these days may be considered to be degeneration or moral degradation according to certain standards and values set in the Eastern countries. For the people of these countries the older civilisations still hold good. Character has, therefore, been inevitably linked with the customs of a particular country and within a country of a particular society.

According to the Chamber’s 20th Century Dictionary, the word ‘character’ has a very wide scope and can be used in different ways and meanings by different persons. It has defined character as a letter, sign, figure. stamp or distinctive mark; a mark of any kind, a symbol in writing—writing generally handwriting, a secret cipher; any essential feature of peculiarity—nature, personal appearance; the aggregate of peculiar qualities which constitute personal or national individuality—moral qualities, especially the reputation of possessing them—a formal statement of the qualities of person who has been in one’s service or employment—official position, rank or status.

To what extent and in what manner does character. therefore, contribute to the making of a person depends invariably on the meaning that one attaches to this word and the place that one is prepared to give it in one’s daily life. A certain category of people are likely to give a very enhanced interpretation to character in shaping the individual life.

Certain persons are of the opinion that character is rot in the hands of a person to make or unmake, it owes its origin to the heredity of a person. to the environments in which he or she has lived and to the economic and social pressures to which he or she has been subjected. The psychologists of the modern time are apt to agree more with this trend of thought—that the environment has very vital role to shape the very character of a person. The place of character in the life of a man and the role that character plays is, therefore, adduce to a variety of reasons and it is difficult to imagine a situation where one single factor alone might have been responsible in shaping the character of a person.

There have been varied views and opinions, but all perhaps agree on one common factor; that is the character of a person, whatever, it is the index of the state of mind or is the index of personality of that person. Personality in this sense means the overall total sum effect that a person produces on another person when they interact.

In other words, it means the impact of one’s behaviour, talks, etc. that one leaves on the other person after they have met. The character is also the motive power in driving a person to his various dealings with other men and women around him. The details of role that the character has to play in the life of a person may differ in different people. But one thing is certain that every individual has some basic characteristics in him and those characteristics form the sheet anchor of his suitability in a particular society, for a particular post, for a particular responsibility and what not. Just as, therefore, the face is said to be the index of mind, the character is rightly said to be the index of a person in society.