Oprah Winfrey is a Hero - 672 Words

What do you think of when you think of a hero? According to the Oxford dictionary, a hero is a person who is admired for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Heroes are especially popular in Greek myths and legends. Most showed generous behavior, even if it was not obvious until the lesson was learned. Oprah Winfrey is one of the most generous people of our time. I believe Oprah Winfrey is a hero because she uses her past experiences to inform, support, and help others, uses her money, fame, and time to help people, and shows incredible emotional and spiritual strength. Oprah Gail Winfrey grew up in a small farming community. A nineteen year old male cousin raped her when she was nine. She was molested by a family friend and an uncle until she was fourteen. She became pregnant and gave birth to a baby that died soon after. She then went to live with her father. She blamed herself for these incidents and it took her many years to realize it was not her fault. Winfrey told her history of sexual abuse on air when one of her guests told her story. Later, eight hundred viewers called in with their stories and to receive referrals to counseling. Oprah had even decided to commit suicide in September 1981. She later felt that she was not really serious about taking her life, but she had even written a note to her friend, Gayle King Bumpus. Her passion and commitment on the issue of sexual abuse came from her own childhood experience, but she had not allowed herShow MoreRelatedOprah Winfrey, famous talk show host and philanthropist, can be considered a hero by any standards.700 Words   |  3 PagesOprah Winfrey, famous talk show host and philanthropist, can be considered a hero by any standards. Her life is an almost perfect representation of the mythological hero archetype. Commonalities include; overcoming extreme obstacles through her rise from a rough childhood, early recognition of talents in her career and an accomplishment of great deeds throu gh her work as a philanthropist. Oprah is an inspiration to young women everywhere, proving that anything is possible. She will be rememberedRead MoreOvercoming Obstacles Of Oprah Winfrey751 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 8 9 November 2015 Overcoming Obstacles Oprah Winfrey should definitely be many females hero. Overcoming many obstacles and tasks especially early on in life. She is really an amazing person to listen or read about. As a child, Oprah’s family was hard on her. When Oprah was fourteen years of age she got raped by family friends. This was stacked high on the list on problems she had. â€Å"The poor, urban lifestyle had its negative effect on Winfrey as a young teenager, and her problems were compoundedRead More Oprah Winfrey Essay1696 Words   |  7 Pageshistory, we find a life story that is truly remarkable. Oprah Winfrey ventured forth from the agonizing childhood, that was her world of common day, to a region of supernatural wonder. Oprah’s road to success was not an easy task. From her early childhood, Oprah challenged many fabulous forces that she encountered. Oprah Winfrey tells the life story one of Americas richest and most successful show business personalities. â€Å"The fact that Oprah Winfrey is also black and a woman makes her rags to richesRead MoreCompare and Contrast Two Leaders1255 Words   |  6 Pagesfollowers. From 1954 to present, Oprah Winfrey has proven to be one of the greatest female business leaders in American history. The Oprah Winfrey Show was nationally launched in 1986; having aired in 144 countries with 44 million US viewers each week the show ended after twenty-five years. This swiftly led to the launch of OWN: the Oprah Winfrey Network. Her company, Harpo, builds brands like Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and Nate Berkus, master of design. In 2003, Oprah became the first African-American womanRead MoreLet s Start By Talking About Winfrey s Childhood1134 Words   |  5 PagesLet s start by talking about Winfrey s childhood. According to Oprah Gail Winfrey (2014), Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi on January 29th, 1954. As stated by Entrepreneur (2008), her parents weren t present during the first few years of her life since they drifted apart right after her birth, leaving her with her maternal grandmother. Under her tutelage, Oprah already had a speaking talent by the age of 3 which is why she often recited poems at church and different social clubsRead MoreOprah1648 Words   |  7 Pages2013 Oprah Winfrey Erin Phillips ECO2123 2013 Oprah Winfrey Erin Phillips ECO2123 Oprah Winfrey is more than just a talk show host, a celebrity or a cultural figure. She is a genius entrepreneur. She has made some of the smartest decisions. Every now and then in history, we find a life story that is truly remarkable. Oprah Winfrey ventured forth from the agonizing childhood that was her world of common day to a region of supernatural wonder. Oprah’s road to successRead MoreWhat Makes a Hero?1209 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is a Hero? What is a hero? What makes him or her different from everyone else? In Phillip Zimbardo’s article â€Å"What Makes a Hero?† he states that heroes surround us. One in five or 20 percent of people qualify as heroes. Seventy-two percent of people report helping another person in a dangerous emergency. Sixteen percent report whistle blowing on an injustice. Six percent report sacrificing for a non-relative or stranger and fifteen percent report defying an unjust authority (1). AlthoughRead MoreOprah Winfrey s Role Model985 Words   |  4 Pageswho succeed are monumental. We hold them in high regard, they’re very inspirational, and we wish that someday soon we can become someone of guidance and direction to others. The individual who brought nothing but eminence became my hero. Her name is Oprah Winfrey. Oprah has been an inspiration and a role model to me for years upon years. This woman is definitely the most prominent persona in the world, better yet of this cen tury. She’s overcome the positives and negatives of popularity while remainingRead MoreBiography of Nelson Mandela1334 Words   |  6 PagesAfricans. The authorities started using even more brutal methods to enforce the law. In south Africa, Blacks could not vote, own property, marry whites, work in white-only jobs, or travel through restricted area without carrying a passbook (Oprah Winfrey). In 1960, there was a huge protest outside of the police station in Sharpsville. A large crowd of about 5,000 people had gathered, without passes demanding to be arrested. As the protest grew throughout the day, armed police support rushed inRead MoreThe American Dream: A False Sense of Hope Essay1543 Words   |  7 Pageshopes regarding the American Dream. Many of these hopes are extremely misleading to those who are restricted economically. Television shows, movies, and other things, such as the lottery, create a faà §ade that they have the power to make, â€Å"a zero to a hero,â €  (Zippel). Fox’s American Idol, â€Å"promise[s] to take a ‘nobody’ on a ride from obscurity to fame and fortune,† and NBC’s The Biggest Loser takes some America’s heaviest citizens and gives them the chance to lose their extra weight, (Andersen 285)