Marylin Monroe Essay, Research Paper

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, one of the most celebrated women of the twentieth century, was the woman every man dreamed of, and the lady every woman desired to be. She is known as Hollywood s most unforgettable sex symbol. Marilyn s lifelong dream was to be famous, and she was not going to let anything stop her from achieving her goal. Despite her successful career, Marilyn suffered a tragic, hard life.

Norma Jeane Baker, Marilyn Monroe, was born out of wedlock on June 1, 1926, to Gladys Monroe Mortenson Baker. Because her mother s life was unsuitable for mothering, at two weeks old, Norma Jeane was put in a foster home with Ida and Albert Bolender. Norma Jeane once said, They brought me up harshly (Biography p. 22). Inside Norma Jeane lacked the love of real parents, and longed to be truly loved. Ida was very strict and never became close to Norma Jeane. She made Norma Jeane believe that dancing, playing cards, singing songs other than gospel, and movies were sent from Hell. Marilyn once recalled, Every night I was told to pray that I would not wake up in hell. She had to say: I promise, God helping me, not to buy, drink, sell or give alcohol while I live. From all tobacco I ll abstain and never take God s name in vain. I always felt insecure (Biography p. 21). To add to Norma Jeane s diffidence with Ida, Albert sexually abused her. Every time Albert abused her, Norma Jeane would tell Ida but Norma Jeane would be scolded and accused of lying. After being abused on several occasions, Norma Jeane learned to accept it, and Albert would buy her presents and candy to make up for what he had done. As a natural part of maturing every child finds a way to rebel, but because the Bolenders did not tolerate mischief, tantrums, and disobedience, all Norma Jeane could do was dream, and everyday she dreamed of being loved. Throughout this seven-year period in Norma Jeane s life she felt deserted and alone, and this feeling of emptiness portrayed her lifestyle.

When Norma Jeane was ten years old, she moved in with her real mother, Gladys, and her friend, Gracie. This was a total change of lifestyle for Norma Jeane. Gladys and Gracie love to dance, have parties, play cards, and drink whiskey. Norma Jeane was given money daily to go to the movies and concerts or to do anything to entertain herself. Because of her religious upbringing, Norma Jeane believed movies were a sign of evil, so she would spend hours praying to God to forgive her mother for her sins. Eventually Norma Jeane learned to love movies and dreamed of being a movie star. Gracie was Norma Jeane s biggest inspiration and encouraged her to be an actress. Often Gracie would ask Norma Jeane what she was going to be when she grew up and she would reply, I am going to be a Movie Star (Movie).

At age sixteen, Norma Jeane married her twenty-one year old high school sweetheart, James Doughtery, who was an aircraft plane worker. While visiting her husband at the Radio Plane Company factory, Norma Jeane had pictures taken of her. After Howard Hughes and Ben Lyon of 20th Century Fox saw these pictures, her modeling career began. When Norma Jeane became public, the agencies believed she needed a more striking name. They chose Marilyn Monroe, Marilyn after Marilyn Miller and Monroe after President Monroe. Her hair was died from brown to blond and she had plastic surgery to make her nose better. Marilyn was now molded for the modeling world. The life of Norma Jeane was in the past, and the life of Marilyn Monroe began.

While married to James Doughtery, Marilyn s career was succeeding fast. Doughtery hated other men looking at Marilyn and was often jealous and angry. While Doughtery was at war, Marilyn continued her modeling career and became very famous. By the time Doughtery came home from war, he and Marilyn led totally different lifestyles and eventually divorced.

Marilyn Monroe would do anything to achieve her lifelong goal of being a big star. She slept with music and acting teacher, presidents of huge corporations, pro-baseball player, and leaders of our country in order to get to higher places in her career. Marilyn once said she had undergone fourteen abortions (Why Norma Jeane Killed Marilyn Monroe p. 7). Marilyn believed that with her beauty and charm she would reach the top.

With her extraordinary modeling career, Marilyn was noticed and soon began acting. In 1948, Marilyn made her debut in Dangerous Years. She played small roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve, both in 1950. Marilyn s most successful dramatic roles were in Bus Stop (1956) and The Misfits (1961). She also appeared in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), The Seven Year Itch (1955), and Some Like It Hot (1959). Marilyn acted in twenty-eight films.

In 1954, Marilyn married the famous baseball player, Joe DiMaggio. They both believed that their meeting was love at first sight because they both immediately fell in love with each other. After they were married, Marilyn decided to give up her acting and modeling career and became a homemaker. She wanted to cool and clean and do all the normal things that women of her time were doing. A few years later Marilyn realized that Joe was holding her back from achieving her dream. She missed her life of acting and modeling and being America s Sex Symbol, so Marilyn decided to leave Joe. Once again Marilyn began sleeping around and landed her bigger modeling and acting jobs.

In 1960, Marilyn married a third time to Arthur Miller, a movie producer. This marriage put Marilyn on a higher level in her career because Arthur got her big movie jobs. The American people began to think that Marilyn did not have the passion in her anymore to be a star. At this point, Marilyn s career fell downhill, and she divorced Arthur.

From the time Marilyn divorced Arthur until the time of her death, Marilyn became extremely addicted and dependent on drugs. She also had several affairs with the Kennedy brothers. Marilyn believed that one day she would marry a Kennedy and be looked upon as a queen, but it never happened.

On August 5, 1962, an anonymous caller phoned the police station and said, Marilyn Monroe is dead, she committed suicide (Biography p. 578). After thorough investigation by Sergeant Jack Clemmons, it was agreed that Marilyn had overdosed on barbiturates which are sleeping pills. After several more autopsies were performed it was thought that Marilyn was murdered. Some people believe that the Kennedy family set up the murder so that John F. Kennedy would be re-elected president. The question that puzzled America was: Was Marilyn Monroe murdered or was it really suicide (Scandal)? Marilyn Monroe s body was buried but her face has never been forgotten.