Rags to riches

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term "Rags to Riches" refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth. This is a common archetype in literature and popular culture.

Many stories feature a "rags to riches" theme, including:

• Fairy tales, such as Cinderella and Snow White
• Movies, such as Rocky, Citizen Kane, and Chaplin in The Gold Rush
• Video games, such as Rags to Riches
• Biblical figures, such as Moses and Joseph
• Game shows like The Price is Right, Queen for a Day, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
• Reality television shows such as American Idol, Joe Millionaire, and The Apprentice.

These stories give the poor hope that they can rise to fame and wealth. They are most popular in societies such as the United States, where belief in the ability to move between social classes is an important part of the national identity.

There are a number of historical figures whose lives followed a "rags to riches" path. These include:

• Bill Clinton
• John D. Rockefeller
• Andrew Carnegie
• Dhirubhai Ambani
• Emperor Xuan of Han
• Genghis Khan
• Han Xin
• Helen Keller
• Mohammed bin Laden
• Liu Bang (Founder of Han Dynasty)
• Marilyn Monroe
• Zhu Yuanzhang
• Li Ka Shing
• Henry Fok

See also: Social mobility, The Ugly Duckling, lottery, hope