Rags to riches

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Rags to riches refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth, or sometimes from obscurity to fame. This is a common archetype in literature and popular culture (for example, the writings of Horatio Alger, Jr.).

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 confidence in the ability to move between social classes is an important part of the national identity, of which lays the foundation of the "American Dream".

Many stories feature a "rags to riches" theme.

Classic times

• Fairy tales, such as Cinderella and Aladdin
• Religious figures, such as Moses, Joseph and Muhammad
• The Roman Emperor Diocletian, born in poverty and whose father was a former slave (by some sources, the emperor himself was born in slavery) [1].
• The Arthurian story of Sir Gareth, who rises from a lowly kitchen boy to a prominent Knight of the Round Table.
• Pope Leo III was of commoner origin and attained the high position in spite of violent opposition from the nobility, who considered the papacy as their preserve.

Modern times

• Movies, such as Rocky, Citizen Kane, Scarface, The Pursuit of Happyness, Charlie Chaplin in The Gold Rush, and Slumdog Millionaire
• Video games, such as Rags to Riches, a 1985 computer game released for the Commodore 64
• 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 and Joe Millionaire.
• Rags to Riches (TV series)
• Rags to Riches (song), from 1953, by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, popularized by Tony Bennett
• Rags to Riches, a 1981 romance novel by Joanne Kaye (Rachel Cosgrove Payes)

See also

• Horatio Alger, Jr.
• Ragged Dick
• Lottery
• Nouveau riche
• Social mobility
• Starman Jones
• The Ugly Duckling
• Richard Whittington
• Self-Made Men (Frederick Douglass)
• Capitalism
• Poverty
• Wealth
• notes

References