Descriptive language. They describe things about that character.
This creates imagery, it calls to your senses and creates and image in your mind
A semicolons NEVER should be used to try to create a "pause" longer than that achieved by a comma. If you can use a period correctly, then you can use a semicolon correctly. A semicolon is used just like a period, but it is used to separate two complete sentences when the sentences are closely related in meaning.