Everyone has something in their lives that makes them extraordinary, and though it might not always be the same exact thing for everyone, there are some factors that connect them. People like Carrie Fisher, James Baldwin, and Viola Davis are all notable figures who faced hardships such as adversity, troubled family relationships, and experienced epiphany which played crucial roles in their lives. Although they are on opposite sides of stardom, they are all connected through the challenges that they face, the ones that make them extraordinary. Throughout her life, Carrie Fisher often faced many challenges that had to do with her gender. People of power overlooked her strength and often took advantage of her and the fact that she was a woman …show more content…
Though Viola Davis deeply appreciated her family, there was always an underlying issue regarding the things she went through growing up that affected her in her adulthood. These issues mainly centered around her father. Growing up he was abusive, more often than not, severely hurting her mother. “He also regularly abused his wife after drinking binges, stabbing her in the neck with a pencil or thrashing her with a wood plank. At least once, Dan asked his daughters to help him look for their mother, who had run away in the middle of a beating, so he could kill her.” (Hughes) Despite the past actions of her family, she loved them dearly. The unbreakable bond and love that she had for her siblings was enough for her to want to succeed. “A few of her siblings, were struggling with drugs or money issues, and her parents, still together, cared for some of their children. Davis sent home as much money as she could, racked with a sort of survivor’s guilt,” Hughes said. “The feeling that she could help her family out and give them money, meant that she had truly made it as an …show more content…
Her previous overdoses had not included this emergency necessity. So I'm lying there and I'm thinking, I don't like this. I don't want to do drugs anymore.” (Weller 181) Carrie’s sudden realization of what her life had become gave her a scare, and she realized that she didn’t want to be that way anymore. So, she was determined to make a change, “Carrie seemed to observers to be very dedicated to recovery: subdued, vulnerable, tiny, and curled up in a chair, grateful for a program liaison to take her to AA.” (Weller 183) Carrie Fisher’s epiphany about her life and what she had become truly stayed with her, giving her room to grow and become the person that she wanted to be. James Baldwin’s naivety when he was younger allowed him to believe that racism wasn’t as big a thing as it was made out to be, but as he got older, he came to realize that what he thought to be true, wasn’t. Due to his father’s bitter nature, he never heeded his father’s warning, and it wasn’t until it was too late when he did “When he died, I had been away from home for a little over a
In June Jordan's essay “Many Rivers to Cross,” Jordan explains how multiple events in her life, including her mother’s death, led her to realize that women should “stand up” and not allow men to control them. The title of the essay is very indicative of the process that she had to go through before she came to this epiphany. Jordan’s husband is a man who is a part of the patriarchy that disrespects women. Her father is another example of a man who doesn’t know better than to oppress women, while Mrs. Hazel Griffin is the antithesis to his misogynistic ideology. Mrs. Griffin is a strong, independent women who doesn't need a man to be happy or successful. Jordan believes that women should be strong, like Hazel Griffin, and not give up when they are being persecuted, rather than being weak and submitting to oppression, like Jordan’s mother.
...er appreciate the world in this way because her mental and physical state was always impaired. When she wasn’t she could not make these same associations because bonding with alcohol repetitively was the only constant joy she had in her life.
Viola Desmond and Rosa Parks are very much alike for a number of reasons, however, they do have their differences. I will be comparing their stories, the result of their acts and how they influence/affected others. Both Rosa Parks & Viola Desmond had very inspiring stories, as they had done similar things and show great courage and determination.
The intervention was the first time that I noticed an emotional reaction out of Rose, at the same time a coping mechanism of protecting herself from pain and disappointment was exhibited. One heartbreaking statement Renee made was that she had not given birth to children yet because she was afraid that she would be an absentee parent and cause her children pain like her mother had did her and Rose. It seemed as though listening to her daughters explain the pain they experienced that was a result of her addiction became a reality for Gloria, she could no longer live in denial. After much reluctance, Gloria agreed to go seek
Family is a story about slaves, masters of the land, and the interconnectedness of what it means to be “family”. Loretta is the daughter of the Master of the Land and as a child spends time with Sun even teaching him to read. She was going against the law in doing this and she helped him to escape. Loretta was not a mean person; she risked a lot for Sun and truly cared about him. She knew he was her half-brother and treated him with respect. When Sun left he promised he would send for her, but he never did. He sent letters asking how his sisters were and she became jealous. Loretta had power over the slaves because she was the white daughter of the master and as she grew more jealous and learned the ranks in society she changed. She took out her anger and jealousy out on Peach, Plum, and Always. She became evil and all the goodness in her heart was gone. Due to the experiences in her life, she adapted to accommodate for her jealousy and to take on the role of Mistress of the Land. Under different circumstances in a different time period this might not have been the outcome. As a chil...
I tell her if she don’t look out, she’ll wake up one of these days and find she’s turned into a nigger” (pg. 67). The. The disrespect she takes from him in order to be financially successful is tragic, but it is very similar to what black people go through today. She just took it to a whole new level. I understand that people thought she was black and it was a different time
Courage is not simply about how well you deal with fear, how many noble deeds you accomplish, or how you overcome life threatening situations. Courage is the practice of determination and perseverance. Something like, an unwillingness to abandon a dream even when the pressures of society weigh down on your shoulders; society will make you feel tired, humiliated, broken, and confused. Actually, it can be effortlessly said that daily courage is more significant than bouts of great deeds. Since everybody undergoes demanding circumstances on a daily basis, and most of us will not be called to perform a great deed, courage comes from those daily struggles and successes. However, Kate Bornstein is one person who has been able to transform her everyday life into a brilliant deed of courage. She threw herself into an unknown abyss to discover truth that many others would never dare tread. Ingeniously combining criticism of socially defined boundaries, an intense sense of language, and a candid autobiography, Bornstein is able to change cultural attitudes about gender, insisting that it is a social construct rather than a regular occurrence, through here courageous writing.
Also, as they go through struggles later in life as they’re changing, it’ll help them realize how much they went through to be the kind of person they are. Solomon stated, “I survived that childhood through a mix of avoidance and endurance. What I didn’t know then, and do know now, is that avoidance and endurance can be the entryway to forging meaning,” to support that childhood struggles make you who are you are at the end. Jeannette Walls went through several struggles in her life as she was growing up; due to her parents, all those struggles just made her a better and stronger person. It prepared her siblings and herself as well, for the future. Although, it did not much change for the parents, especially her father whom was “broken,” as Douglas mentioned. It was not as easy to repair a strong man because the father was already stuck at his worst, while the children still had a lot more time to experience other events that can change them as they get older and
They have gone from being an object, that seemingly does nothing other than look pretty while making sandwiches in the kitchen to being scientists, amazingly talented surgeons not just the cute nurse, doctors, lawyers, teachers, artists, writers, professors, actresses, politicians in front of everyone not just behind closed doors, and the list goes on and on. Each mother, each woman has fought for her place, whether she knows it or not. She knows what exactly is at stake and she refuses to fail to become just another statistic, another number, and another blank face in a crowd that is full of desperation. It is in these times of struggle is when the true heroes are born. William Shakespeare wrote, “but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.” Hopefully he knew that these words would be remembered and said over and over by people for years and
Reading this I remembered, that I heard in AA meetings people referred to alcohol as their best friend, who is reliable and present. In case of Caroline’s mother death, she turned to her drink for the support and comfort, in the manner of a child who is afraid to be without a favorite blanket or a teddy bear. “Protect me. Shield me from being alone in my own head”, those thoughts were racing in her mind as she increased her daily alcohol intake after her parent’s death. Knapp got sober two years after, and it was sad for me (and I am sure for Caroline, too) to realize that her parents never have seen her daughter free from the addiction, never will have quality time with them and a brand new relationship that they could have been built if Caroline would not have been
These movies allowed female characters to embody all the contradictions that could make them a woman. They were portrayed as the “femme fatale” and also “mother,” the “seductress” and at the same time the “saint,” (Newsom, 2011). Female characters were multi-faceted during this time and had much more complexity and interesting qualities than in the movies we watch today. Today, only 16% of protagonists in movies are female, and the portrayal of these women is one of sexualization and dependence rather than complexity (Newsom, 2011).
“To me, beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin. It's about knowing and accepting who you are. I’m happy being who I am. I’m confident, I live honestly and truthfully.” (DeGeneres 6). This quote is crucial for the reader to keep in mind, for it completely embodies the essence of Ellen DeGeneres, her life, and what she stands for: confidence, honesty, and happiness. This is one example of the many wise and inspiring words of Ellen DeGeneres. The inspiring qualities of Ellen DeGeneres are not limited to her words; her actions inspire and influence the same. Many of these inspiring actions originated from her rugged road to fame. This leads the reader to question: In what ways have the life events of Ellen DeGeneres shaped her into the inspiring person she is today? Taking a closer look at her pre fame experiences, society’s view of her, and her personality, will help the reader answer this question. Thus DeGeneres continues to inspire as well as influence a generation of people in a wide variety of ways
In today’s advanced societies, many laws require men and women to be treated equally. However, in many aspects of life they are still in a subordinated position. Women often do not have equal wages as the men in the same areas; they are still referred to as the “more vulnerable” sex and are highly influenced by men. Choosing my Extended Essay topic I wanted to investigate novels that depict stories in which we can see how exposed women are to the will of men surrounding them. I believe that as being woman I can learn from the way these characters overcome their limitations and become independent, fully liberated from their barriers. When I first saw the movie “Precious” (based on Sapphire’s “Push”) I was shocked at how unprotected the heroine, Precious, is towards society. She is an African-American teenage girl who struggles with accepting herself and her past, but the cruel “unwritten laws” of her time constantly prevent her rise until she becomes the part of a community that will empower her to triumph over her barriers. “The Color Purple” is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Alice Walker which tells the story of a black woman’s, Celie’s, striving for emancipation. (Whitted, 2004) These novels share a similar focus, the self-actualization of a multi-disadvantaged character who with the help of her surrounding will be able to triumph over her original status. In both “The Color Purple” and “Push”, the main characters are exposed to the desire of the men surrounding them, and are doubly vulnerable in society because not only are they women but they also belong to the African-American race, which embodies another barrier for them to emancipate in a world where the white race is still superior to, and more desired as theirs.
In the past women have suffered from inequalities where women have been stopped from achieving their goals and dreams. One can argue that this is not true, they can simply say it was a different time period, a different set of social norms, different traditions, but the reality is that women back in the days compared to today are still facing many issues with inequality it can also be seen in the way female characters are displayed among television and film. For instance, in the film “Fifty Shades of Gray” Anestia is a female character that is portrayed as a female who has no voice for herself and has to learn how to be submissive just so she can remain by the side of the man she claims to love which is Christian Gray. Anestia eventually learns to not have a voice as to what she truly wants and desires from him, and becomes okay with the idea of following his orders. This film has sent a message to young females that it is okay to not take a stand and not have a voice for themselves with situations they are not happy with. This film is a perfect example to demonstrate how female inequality is still being persuaded among our society through films and television. But films like Amelie are changing females life into encouraging females to take action and follow their
Oprah did not have such a great upbringing, but despite the odds, she rose up and became who she had wanted to be. Oprah had dealt with many accounts of sexual abuse, the lack of attention from her mother, and moving from place-to-place for most of her early years (Fry, web). Not only did Oprah face sexual abuse, but she also became pregnant in one of the instances (Fry, web). This made things even more difficult for the young Oprah. Despite all of her troubles, Oprah is now very successful.