British Character. «The Englishman’s home is his castle»

«The Englishman’s home is his castle». This saying is known all over the world. The British people more strongly than other nations are attached to their country and to their homes. British patriotism is almost fabulous and is based on insular pride, on a deep sense of security. Englishmen as individuals may have been insecure, threatened with the loss of job, unsure of themselves or unhappy in many ways. But as nation they have been for centuries secure, serene in their national success. This national sense of security, hardly threatened by the Armada, or by Napoleon, or by World War I, has been weakened by World War II (the loss of the Empire) and by invention of the atomic bomb. But his home remains to his castle. For them there is no place like home, there they feel most comfortable and their privacy is guaranteed. Everyone in Britain dreams of living in a detached house (separate building) with a beautiful garden and a smooth lawn in front of it. Tower-blocks (or high-rise blocks) are the least popular housing, as they do not create a rural feeling and don’t suit British attitudes. Only 40 % of the population lives in high-rises, many of them hating those flats and dreaming of coming into possession of their own house with a «real fire». A fire-place is a traditional symbol of warmth, the atmosphere which is exceptionally dear to the British heart. Nowadays, those who cannot afford «real fire» can buy an imitation of open fire with plastic coal. A detached house is not only a status symbol for Englishmen. Together with a garden and a lawn it separates the owner from the world and ensures their privacy. The British are on guard of their privacy and respect privacy of other people. They prefer, whenever possible, sending a letter to making a telephone call which may happen to be untimely and intrusive.

Britain is supposed to be the land of law and order. The British deeply respect law, both written and unwritten, and strictly obey it. They never violate traffic order or game rules; they play fair and prefer to turn any conflict into a compromise. They are prudent and careful about almost everything. Cleanliness and orderliness are regarded to be next to godliness, so everything is orderly with them: streets and houses, lawns and flower-beds, gardens and parks. Drinks are carefully measured, seats are carefully assigned, closing and opening hours are vigorously observed. Queuing is noticed to be the national passion. An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one. On some special occasions (Wimbledon tickets, foe example) overnight queues may often turn into a party. Part of the British sense for law and orderliness is love of precedent. For an Englishman the best of all reasons for doing something in a certain way is that it has always been done in that way.