Since the establishment of our nation's history, there have been various famous and vital figures that came from it. Some of these figures came from privileged backgrounds, while others came from more humble beginnings. This is the magnificent thing about this country, you can come from all walks of life, but with hard work and dedication, you can overcome whatever obstacles are in your way and attain greatness. A person who achieved such prominence is Eleanor Roosevelt; at a glance one might feel her achievements do not mean much due to her privileged background, however she actually had a very upsetting childhood and faced many dispiriting personal tribulations throughout her life. She learned to use these problems to push herself and realize her spectacular goals in her political as well as her personal life. This would have been considered great by any man, but especially a woman in her time in history. Eleanor Roosevelt overcame tremendous personal problems early in life, but managed to become an ambitious political figure that fought for many significant causes.
             From early on in Eleanor's life she was faced with hardships from her family situation. Though she was born into a privileged family, not all was as good as it looked. Although her mother, Anna, was a wonderful wife who would do anything for her family's well being, her father Elliot, "drank too much, played too much, and worked too little" and did not give his family the attention they deserved (Youngs 36). Ana was a good wife and put up with his personal problems because she loved him very much, but this all changed when she found out he had an affair. When Anna found out Elliot had been unfaithful, they separated and her children: Eleanor, Ellie, and Hall were left without a father in their everyday life. This was especially hard for the young Eleanor who loved her father so much and longed to be with him all of the time. The sep...