"You've Got to Do, What You've Got to Do"
             "Simone De Beauvoir was one of the most important post- World War II French intellectuals." (173) She is a French socialist, feminist, and writer. She wrote Le Deuxieme Sexe (The Second Sex) in 1949. In which she concentrates on " women's lack of personal development to the institution of marriage and household responsibilities..." In addition, in this book she says most women heroines are oddities. Which lead me to ask myself, "Are most female heroines 'oddities?'" In order to answer this question we must define a heroine. A heroine is a woman of heroic character. Those whom I may consider heroines in modern day life would be Oprah and Princess Diana. May I add they were difficult to think of and the fact that they are rare may be the only oddity I can notice? Once I examined why these women heroines are considered oddities I came to one resolution. It is simply the facts that in order for Oprah and Diana to be the great heroines they are, they had to break society's gender roles.
             One woman who comes to mind as a heroine of today is Oprah Winfrey. "Oprah Winfrey has more influence on culture than any university president, politician, or religious leaders, expect perhaps the Pope." (Vanity Fair Magazine 42) Oprah is not just another famous entertainer; she is a friend to the world and a role model for all people, of any gender, of any race, of any group. "Her warmth as a human being inspires and influences millions worldwide." Yet as her progresses, she continues to adapt, grow, and become a stronger, deeper, and most spiritual person. She was black, southern, born out of wedlock and into poverty. "From her humble beginning in rural Mississippi, Oprah's legacy has established her as one of the most important figure in popular culture...Her contributions can be felt beyond the world o...