The British Character

The British Character

Great Britain is an island on the far edge of the European continent, & it’s geographical situation has produced a certain insular spirit among its inhabitants who tend a little more perhaps than the other people to regard their own community as the centre of the world. The British people have also been known as superior, snobbish, aloof & unsociable. These characteristics have been noted by people all over the world but are they typical of all Englishmen? The ordinary Englishman was seen to be friendly & sociable. There are indeed two nations with basically different outlooks & characters in Britain. The two nations are defined simply as the rich & the poor.

The British are often viewed as the most boring people in the word. They wear unimaginative formal clothes, eat tasteless food, practise slow sports and have a peculiar sense of humour which is usually not understood by foreigners. They are also said to be conservative, reserved and cool. Indeed, the British are not very open or spontaneous. They do not kiss or embrace by way of greeting so as not to allow familiarity. They always keep a certain distance and are not willing to manifest their feelings and emotions. They are even accused of being hypocritical because they might think one thing and say another. It is not easy to make friends with them but once you have made a friend, it is a friend for life.

The best British characteristics The British say thay their best characteristics are culture, courtesy and consideration for the needs of others. Indeed, they are very polite. They always queue when they are waiting and hold the door open for the person behind them. Also, the British bobbies have a reputation of being the friendliest and the most helpful policeman in the world. On the other hand, English football fans are regarded as hooligans and vandals able to tear stadiums into pieces. Generally speaking, however, the British are well-mannered. It is also true that they care for the needy, as there are a lot of charity organizations all over Britain. The English are practical & realistic, common sense is a most English virtue.

On Sunday mid-mornings most British people go in for gardening, washing the car, or taking the dog for a walk. Another most popular activity before lunch consists of a visit to a pub. The national drink is beer, & the pub (short for Public House) is a peculiarly English institution. The British people are the world’s greatest tea drinkers. They drink a quarter of all the tea grown in the world each year. Many of them drink tea at least on eight different occasions during the day.

Home sweet home ”There is no place like home” say the British. This phrase best expesses an Englishman’s traditional love of his home. About 70 per cent of British people have their own houses. Most homes have a garden in which the British spend a lot of time growing flowers and looking after the lawn which is a national pride. Many houses, especially the older ones, are surrounded by hedges, which sybolizes the desire of the British to protect their privacy. „My house is my castle” this well-known proverb reminds a visitor that unless he is invited, he may expect to be treated as an intruder. Pets The British not only love their homes but also their pets. Many people keep cats, dogs and other animals at home. They are completely crazy about pets and obsessed with their animals. There are more animal rights groups in Britain than anywhere else in the world. Animals are protected by law. If, for instance, any one leaves a cat to starve in an empty house while they go on their holiday they can be sent to prison. There are special dogs’ cemeteries. Paradoxically, the English still love the hunting of wild animals, such as foxes or hares, with the aim of killing them. To sum up It is not easy to decide on the typically British characteristics. Not all English people are cold, uncommunicative or boring, not all of them are crazy about lawns or animals. Still, there is one thing that is typically British: a strong attachment to tradition and a desire to keep their country’s uniqueness. Some people say that the British live in the past, but they are simply proud of their originality.