Early childhood
Physical development
She learned to ride a bike at the age of 7 She grew steadily In her childhood her head was 90% of the size of an adult however her body was not developed as this happened in adolescence. By the age of 4, Oprah was able to throw and kick large objects such as a ball. She was brutally raped at the age of 9 and sexually abused from the ages of 9 to 13 (adolescence). She learned to use proper utensils like a knife and fork when she was 4-5. She lived in poverty growing up and it was hard to sometimes get food on the table - this will have affected her diet due to her not having the money to buy the food she needed.
Up to the age of six while living on her grandmother's farm she was expected to collect water from a well each day and take it to the house because she didn't have running water- this would have been a physically demanding job for a young girl she would have had to have been physically healthy. She was so poor that some of her clothes were made out of potato sacks. Despite her living in these conditions, she was a healthy and energetic child.
Intellectual
Under the strong influence of her Grandmother Oprah developed the skills to read and write at the age of 3 - her grandmother helping her let her do great things in the future. She was a gifted speaker and she would often speak in church, women's groups, and school. The lack of food could have affected her intellectual development as her brain wouldn't have had as much energy to learn. At a very young age, Oprah was able to recite complicated speeches without any problems - her brain learned quicker than most kids her age. She was used to the spotlight and the center of attention which is very normal for children aged 3-8
Emotional
Oprah and her mother moved around a lot when she was younger - this affected her emotional development as she might have not wanted to move around or may have become attached to a certain place and then forced to move.
At the age of 7, she moved in with her father and her stepmother and she received her first bed and bedroom - it was maybe scary for her to move again but this time with her father, and then a joyous day as she got something she probably wanted. When she was 9 she was first sexually abused - this probably affected her for the rest of her life and at the time changed the way she acted.
Winfrey attended Lincoln High School in Milwaukee, but after early success in the Upward Bound program, was transferred to the affluent suburban Nicolet High School. Upon transferring, she said she was continually reminded of her poverty as she rode the bus to school with fellow African Americans, some of whom were servants of her classmates' families.
Oprah was named after Orpah a character in the bible but her name was spelled wrong on the birth certificate so she was then known as Oprah - this could have maybe confused her true identity.
From the age of six, she lived between her parents and moved around a lot- this is because her parents weren't together this may have led to insecurity about where she belonged. She had a half-sister to her mother who was adopted - she only learned of her existence when she was an adult. Her mother gave birth to her sister Patricia but her mother was having a very hard time raising two daughters so Oprah moved to Nashville with her father - this may have made her feel unwanted and unloved as she was the one chosen to move away from her mother.
Social
She moved around a lot as a child. Her social development was assisted by the pageants that she joined because she was able to interact and form relationships with her peers. She started kindergarten and was quickly moved up to first grade - this probably affected her as she probably made friends in kindergarten and then was forced to make new older friends. As a child, she played games interviewing her corncob doll and the crows on the fence of her family property. Moving from place to place and living between her parents it was most likely she didn't develop strong friendship groups in her young years.
Did you like this example?
Yes
No
Cite this paper
Essay on Oprah Winfrey Childhood.
(2024, Jun 07). Edubirdie. Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://edubirdie.com/examples/essay-on-oprah-winfrey-childhood/
“Essay on Oprah Winfrey Childhood.” Edubirdie, 07 Jun. 2024, edubirdie.com/examples/essay-on-oprah-winfrey-childhood/
Essay on Oprah Winfrey Childhood. [online].
Available at: <https://edubirdie.com/examples/essay-on-oprah-winfrey-childhood/> [Accessed 22 Dec. 2024].
Essay on Oprah Winfrey Childhood [Internet]. Edubirdie.
2024 Jun 07 [cited 2024 Dec 22].
Available from: https://edubirdie.com/examples/essay-on-oprah-winfrey-childhood/
copy
Stuck on your essay?
