Essay on “Character Makes A Man” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Character Makes A Man

The word character has been the subject matter of discussion for centuries by psychologists educationists and religious leaders. The definition of character has been undergoing change according to the customs and conventions prevalent in a particular society. The words moral and immoral have been associated with character. What is considered to have no bearing on the character of a man in the Western society these days may be considered to be moral degradation according to certain values in the Eastern countries. The word character has very wide scope and environments have a very vital role to shape the very character of a person. The character is said to be the index of a person in society. 

What is character and what place has it in the assessment of the personality of a man has been the subject-matter of discussion for centuries on end by the 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 as well as the definition of character has also been undergoing changes according to the stage of civilization 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 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 bad now and what has been considered bad earlier may be considered good now. 

What is considered to have no bearing on 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 civilizations 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 Chambers 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 features of peculiarity: nature personal appearance the aggregate of peculiar qualities which constitute personal or national individuality moral qualities especially the reputation of possessing such: a formal statement of the qualities of person who has been in ones service or  employment official position rank or status: who has tilled such a person; a person noted tor eccentricity a personality as created in a play or novel.”

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 ones daily life. A certain category of persons are likely to give a very enhanced interpretation to character in shaping the individuals life. Certain people are of the opinion that character is not in the hand 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 been subjected. The psychologists of the modern time are apt to agree more with this trend of thought that the environments have a 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 adduced 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 have perhaps agreed on one common factor that is the character of a person whatever it is 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 meet. In other words it means the impact of ones behavior talk 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 certain basic characteristics in him and those characteristics form the sheer anchor of his suitability in a particular society for a particular responsibility and what not Just as therefore the face is said to be the index of mind the character is nightly said to be the index of a person in society.