Audrey Hepburn Research Paper

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” (Winston Churchill). Everyone dreams of reaching success, but only some are willing to endure the necessary means to get there. It takes great perseverance and a certain drive to reach a set goal. Many successful people have the mindset that progress is its own reward. The simple dedication of working toward a goal can be satisfying. Countless successful individuals have been inspired by the wise voices of the past, namely, ancient philosophers. “True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing. I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing. I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think” (Socrates). People who have

As a shy introvert of only five years old, Audrey was sent off to boarding school as her mother’s idea of ‘shock therapy’ (Paris 30 of 730). To avoid witnessing conflict between her parents, Audrey became a significantly inhibited child. Consequently, her mother, Ella began to worry; she never imagined her vibrant daughter would become withdrawn. Her mother and father decided a change of scenery would aid her. After a few years, Audrey was welcomed home by discovering that her parents had separated, and her dad had abandoned them altogether. Because she lived during the forties, she experienced the tremendous horrors of World War II. When people think of this period in history, they recall the inhumane persecution of Jews. However, Jews were not the only people that suffered during the war; the entire population of Germany was nearly starved to death due to the war effort. “She was sixteen years old, five-foot six and weighed ninety pounds. After five years, she was suffering from asthma, jaundice, and other diseases stemming from malnutrition, including anemia and severe edema, a swelling of the joints and limbs in which the blood literally turns to water. ‘It begins with your feet,’ Audrey recounted clinically, ‘and when it reaches your heart, you die. With me it was above the ankles when we were liberated” (Paris 66 of 730). Her near death experience as a

Her story of conquering both internal and external battles, gives people the motivation to persevere. Her resilience to tragic events exhibited how strong of an individual she was. Audrey believed that she was successful because of her attitude; she was confident, and wasn’t going to let anything stop her from achieving her goals. “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible” (Paris 212 of 720). Her simple outlook on life shows her wisdom, even as a young adult. After suffering three miscarriages and two divorces, all at different points in her life, she became very depressed and withdrawn once again. She took a break from acting, and focused on finding herself. During this time, she could’ve easily fallen into the depths of despondency; however, she didn’t give up on the idea of love or children. Because of her perseverance, she finally gave birth to a son, and had a successful third marriage. Without fortitude, she would have given up her dream of acting, and subsided to the dark desolation of depression. She believed that anything is possible if you work for it. Things do not simply happen on their own; you have to earn your achievements. In her acting career, she fought for every role she embodied. For instance, her career began only a few years after World War II, during which she was recovering from malnutrition and edema. After overcoming the perils of the