The Meaning of Character

A detailed Summary of The Meaning of Character


A cursory glimpse at the Oxford English Dictionary enlightens the reader to the fact that there are no less than nineteen definitions of the word character - of which, six focus on a person's moral fiber and overall nature. A person's character, it seems, is a compilation of the moral qualities - or lack thereof - that he has developed over the course of his lifetime and, more important, are strongly or strikingly displayed in his actions. Thus, a person of "favorable character" would exhibit, in his conduct, a fundamental nature that has, at its core, a high moral makeup. On the other hand, a person of "low character" would display the activities and behavioral manners that one would only expect to find amongst the 'lower echelon' of society. In essence, when used to describe the qualities of an individual, the term character is wholly dependent upon the adjective that precedes it. As a student of history therefore, I believe that character plays a dominant role in any evaluation of historical events.

There have been and continue to be scholars who view history and conclude that there are forces in nature that transcend man. There are certain economic, political and social forces that move like a tidalwave, ferrying man from one


To me, history is all about the study of people. It is the individuals within each age that mold the economic and political landscapes that lead to the next age. War, economic turmoil, social change and political revolution are the upshot of the people who bring about change in society, not the effect of society bringing change to the people. As such, the character of the men and women who mold an age, and leave a lasting imprint on history, is of significance. This is true not only for those of high moral character, but for those of low character as well. For if, in fact, it is the people who shape an era, then the character of the men and women who have a lasting effect on that era reveal to us the moral fiber of the culture as a whole.

age to the next. At best, those who are lucky enough to be born at the right time and in the right place - and are possessed of the proper skills - can ride this wave of history to its highest peak. They are, however, unable to change the course of history.

Character is all about who we are as a people. What makes it difficult to assess, however, is the fact that morals change from generation to generation. Was it of 'low character' for Jefferson to own slaves, or was that simply not deemed immoral by the age he was a part of? Was it immoral for Galileo to go against the church,

Some common words found in the essay are:
English Dictionary, President United, Genghis Kahn, Alexander Hamilton, , character women, low character, economic political, term character, favorable character, student history, moral fiber, character people, moral character,

Approximate Word count = 894
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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