Icon Analysis

I chose three people that I admire. All three were not born into well-known families and have managed to reach icon status by hard work. They have been profiled on TV news shows, magazines, and talk shows. Their backgrounds are varied. One is a writer, one is an actor/politician, and one is a businessman.

J. K. Rowling was a single divorced mother with a big idea. She wrote her first book and struggled to have it published. No one could have imagined how this type of book would appeal to the masses. Harry Potter quickly became popular with the young people. The popularity of the books led to a movie deal and the rest is history. I would guess that the Harry Potter series is one of the most successful series because it appeals to all ages. J. K. Rowling has managed her success very well mostly out of the harsh spotlight and lives a normal life.

I have been a great fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger since he appeared as Conan the Barbarian. He could not even speak English well at that time and was terrible actor, but he fascinated me. My favorite movie was Commando. The thing that most impresses me about him is that he came to America with practically no money and a few body building contest wins. He appeared rather dumb at first. He quickly proved to be smarter than he seemed. He took the money that he made, invested wisely, and turned it into a fortune. Along the way, he married into the Kennedy family and got into politics. He is in his second term as governor of California. This just goes to show that America is the land of opportunity. With determination and hard work, you can be successful. He fooled everyone that thought he was dumb and had the last laugh.

What started as a new item and hobby in school has lead to a life-long project for Bill Gates. He is a Harvard College dropout who has made millions with a concept he and a friend thought up in their late teens and early twenties. Microsoft is practically a household name and changed the face of business. My greatest respect for him comes from his ability to give back to the community. He and his wife have a foundation that donates millions to projects such as world health and education.