Essay: Oprah’s remarkable narrative

Oprah Winfrey, born in 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi, endured many hardships through her childhood before obtaining prosperity. “The larger-than-life success, fame, and fortune Oprah enjoys today did not come easy, however; she had much to overcome. But it’s clear to see how her childhood shaped the woman she would become”(Fry). She was never settled in a single place for long, always moving around to different places, different people. Being moved around and switching environments at a young age, Oprah assumes the role of a damsel in distress due to her living situations and the affairs she encounters due to them prompting her to have an obligation to be saved, even if she has to accomplish it herself.
Oprah’s life began in a tiny agricultural community in Mississippi with her mother, Vernita, who then abandoned her, leaving her with her grandmother so she could go search for work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Oprahs grandmother became very ill to the point where she could not take care of her anymore, so she was sent back to her mothers care in Milwaukee at six years old. Vernita struggled to support Oprah. She was sent away again, but this time to live with her father, Vernon, in Nashville, Tennessee. Oprah was moved around so much already and was still only seven. She was like an orphan throughout her own family, unwanted because no one could support and take care of her. Life was superior in Nashville. Oprah was wanted and had many things she had not before, like a bed and her own room. She was extremely advanced when it came to education, she skipped many grades because of her intelligence. Vernon took Oprah to visit her mother for the summer and when he came back for her, she chose to stay in Milwaukee and start fourth grade.
Oprah had many villains through her childhood. Vernita was gone a lot and payed little attention to Oprah. While Vernita was out, she had to watch her siblings, still only being nine years old. While doing so, she was raped by her nineteen year old cousin who told her to keep it a secret then took her out for ice-cream.This was her first but not last encounter with sexual assault. A family friend and Uncle abused her as well, leaving a big scar on Oprahs mentality. Vernita played a lousy role as a mother making herself a main villain along with most of the male figures in her life who took advantage of her ignorance.
Oprah had an incurable wound that would take time to be repaired. She did not know how to express her feelings about the abuse, and had little parental direction, so she started to act out due to her inner conflicts causing her to lose her innocence at a young age. She had parental problems causing her behavior to become so bad she was sent back to live with her father at fourteen. Good thing she was sent back because Winfrey said her father saved her life (Encyclopedia of World Biographies).
While back in Nashville, she figured out she was pregnant, sill being only fourteen. She hid the news till she was seven months along and gave birth to a baby boy who only lived for 2 weeks. Oprah had hit rock bottom. She realized she needed to be saved and turn her life around. According to Fry, Oprah read “I Know Why  the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou and it changed her perspective on life. “I read it over and over. I had never before read a book that validated my own existence”(Oprah).
Oprah started to make a change, rebirthing to be a better person. She moved her focus to education and public speaking. She had a realization that “doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” In 1970, she won a public speaking competition which earned her a four year college scholarship to Tennessee State University. About a year later she was invited to a White House conference. Oprah started a professional career slowly, starting by coanchoring the nightly news for a network with CBS. She moved around a lot to different talk show jobs on radio stations, etc. According to A&E Networks Television, she secured a role in Steven Spielberg’s movie, The Color Purple, from her success in talkshows and fame in the country. In that role, she was also nominated for an Academy Award. Oprah finally launched her own show which was the main cause for her spread of fame in 1986.
Due to success, Oprah became very wealthy, but she put her money to good use. Suffering through a rags to riches life caused her to want to help others lead a better life. She started the Oprah Winfrey Foundation to aid different charities, donating millions each year to about twenty-nine different foundations. One of her biggest charitable acts is the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy For Girls in South Africa where girls from low income households get to flourish in the classroom and lead a safer life at the boarding school. Oprah also takes the time to visit and mentor these girls to ensure they are getting the best education yet, making herself there hero.
Oprah’s remarkable narrative filled with opposition and success still persists to inspire girls and women in current society. Many young girls throughout the world still endure the same experiences as Oprah, causing them to need to be saved. Since these events are still occurring Oprah tries her best to be a hero and inspire these girls and other people as well. Oprah shows that your childhood doesn’t define your life and what you do about it is what can stir up success