Eleanor+Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt is known by many people as the greatest first lady we've ever had, but it was very difficult for her to get to be known that. In her life she took on many hardships. She exemplified perserverance by overcoming being called ugly, her strict grandmother who demanded perfection, and her husbands disability.

Eleanor had never been called beautiful, even by her own mother who called her "granny" constantly including infront of others. Later in her life she was told by her Aunt that she was the "ugly duckling" of the family. It's heartbreaking to know a poor girl was told all this. All girls want to be told thier pretty, and if they aren't it can really take toll on their self-esteem. The only comfort and affection she recieved was from her father, who ended up bein banished from the family because of his alchohol adiction. But she didnt let that stop her and keep her down obviously because she wouldn't have gotten in her life to where she did.

Her strict grandmother wasn't much help eather. She was taught by her to hide her feelings and cry in private and it took its toll on her. Her grandmother was so harsh on her it caused her to be shy and to her self. Her grandmother also told her she was not allowed to go to college because of her "social obligations and responsibilities." Even though her grandmother was very neative in her life, she worked though it and continued living.

She also helped her husband in his political career, even after he was paralized by polio in 1921. She helped him become governer of New York in 1928, and then president in 1933. After he bacame president she toured the nation, becoming his eyes and ears to report the mood of the country, which must have been exhausting. Without her help, I don't believe he would have been president as long as he was.

Eleanor Roosevelt was an honorable person who all women should look up to. Even though she was called ugly by her own family, her grandmother made her shy and to herself because of her strict ways,and her husband becoming paralized by a devistating illness, she didn't stop her life of wonderful possibilities and have a pitty party for herself. She kept on living. References:

Humphrey, S. M. (2005). //Dare to Dream!25 Extrodinalry Lives//. (pp. 33-36). New York: Promentheus Books. //Eleanor Roosevelt: American Visionary// [Web]. (2006). Retrieved from http://[|www.nps.gov/history/exhibits/elro]//

Yong, T. (1999). Eleanor Roosevelt. In Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia //Retrieved from []//  Lash, J. P. (n.d.). Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962). In Encyclopedia America// Grolier Online. Retrieved from []