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  • Essay / The Legacy of Marilyn Monroe

    Fame, fortune and glamour, three little words that crave every American. Marilyn Monroe was no exception in America's conquest to become a household name. Her legacy, love life, and charming beauty will forever be a part of American cultural history. Marilyn Monroe, a major social influence on American society, lived a short but astonishing life and influenced modern culture in many ways, both positive and negative. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay On June 1, 1926, Norma Jean Baker was born to Gladys Baker, a sick woman who could not provide stability for her child (lifetime 1), in Los Angeles, California. Norma Baker, too, had no biological father that she knew of, but she still made the most of what she had. “Her mother was a film editor at RKO Studios, who abandoned (Norma) to a series of foster homes” (IMBD 1). During her time in foster homes, she was nearly suffocated at age two and raped at age six (Alverson 15). During her teenage years, “Monroe dropped out of school at the age of 15 (American National 4). Norma quickly found a way out of foster care, marriage. Eventually, at the age of 16, Norma married a man named James Dougherty, who was 21 years old. “She married her first husband in Las Vegas, Nevada” (IMBD 1). The age differences have caused many problems for the two, including the jealousy factor. Dougherty and Baker also had many issues regarding Baker longing to become a mother. “Dougherty went to World War I and Baker stayed home. Before he left, she tried to convince him to get her pregnant, she was afraid he would die, but he refused because she was too young” (Hiskey 52). Ultimately, their differences led them to finalize a divorce. Their marriage was short-lived and only lasted from 1942 to 1946 (Grahn 20). Her marriage to him was truly her first taste of freedom, excitement, and what her life could be, even though the marriage ultimately failed (MTV 1). Fame was never achieved without effort and Norma Jean Baker was no exception. Although her life was difficult, Norma Jean Baker didn't know much; his life and career were about to take off. Towards the end of her marriage to Dougherty, "In 1944, an American photographer named Otto Ose took photos of Norma Jean, marking the beginning of her career as a pin-up model" (Hall). As an erotic female object, Marilyn Monroe's celebrity image represented "pure" femininity and "immoral female sexuality for postwar American culture" (Scheibel). Pin-up photos were the ticket that skyrocketed her career. In 1946, 20th Century Fox gave him a contract but let it expire a year later. In 1948, Columbia gave her a six-month contract and featured her in the B-movie Ladies of the Chorus (1948) in which she sang three numbers: "Every Baby Needs a Da Da Daddy", "Anyone Can Tell I Love You" . » and “The ladies of the choir”. In 1960, she had a small role in The Asphalt Jungle and later in All About Eve, leading 20th Century to re-sign her to a seven-year contract (IMBD 1). During her contract with 20th Century Fox, she starred in Niagara (). 1953) and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), which catapulted her to sex symbol superstardom (bio.com). In 1956, Norma Jean Baker decided to change her outlook on her childhood and became who she wanted to be, by watching the film. changing her name from Norma Jean Baker to Marilyn Monroe. The blonde bombshell, Marilyn Monroe, was an elegant woman,although she was the epitome of class, was a human like everyone else and of course went through many tribulations to stay. Shortly after her short-lived second marriage to Joe Dimaggio, Marilyn decided to concoct a mixture of Clorox and ammonia, which took her hair from a dark brown to the familiar platinum blonde. “Marilyn suffered so much from nerves that she would throw up before every scene and her skin would break out” (Donnelly). Her breakouts also proved that Marilyn was always very aware that she needed to take care of her skin. Her first husband, Jim, claimed that after washing her face, she would splash it 15 times to ensure her face was completely free of oil, dirt and soap or makeup. face as a moisturizer/primer It was also claimed that she took ice baths to keep her skin firm and used olive oil as a natural moisturizer (Henrikson) Her weight, often fluctuating, was so inconsistent. from some of her shoots that her costume designer had to create different sizes (The Sydney Morning Harold). “She also made time for glamor with her Chanel No. 5 perfume” (Lifetime 1). also played a major role in the roles she would play in films. Marilyn Monroe was featured in 33 films. His first to be was Scudda-Hoo Scudda-Hay (bio.com). She would be best known for the following films: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch. In each of the films, she would be portrayed as a stupid, uneducated blonde. Marilyn Monroe didn't really like these roles and actually hated this stereotype. She was also highly sought after by many authors, for example: "Monroe was Truman Capote's first choice for the Audrey Hepburn role of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's" (The National 32). Even though she hated the roles she played, they would lead her to nobility with many rewards. In 1954, she won the Henrietta Award for World Film Favorite-Female, and on March 8, 1960, Marilyn Monroe also received the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Actress (Grahn). Although acting was her main interest, she had many other activities/causes that she enjoyed/rallied for. Abraham Lincoln was one of Marilyn Monroe's best-known influences; “she often carried the book The Biography of Abraham Lincoln” (Stephan, 35 years old). “Because of her fascination, Monroe became an activist in the civil rights movement” (Home). Apart from her political activities, she also enjoyed reading and doing yoga. Marilyn was and still remains a role model for women. She proved that even at a size 18, not every woman has to be a size 2 to be considered beautiful. Although she was the most beautiful woman of the 20th century, Monroe also had her own imperfections and demons. Marilyn Monroe, the world's most important and sought-after sex symbol, knew no limits. Many men have fainted in front of her, including the President of the United States: John F. Kennedy. In what would be her final appearance at the John F. Kennedy birthday celebration in New York, she sang "Happy Birthday" to President Kennedy "while she was there she was fired from the production of Something's Got to Give (Guillory 1-3). The tabloids believed that Monroe had an affair with the President of the United States. Sadly, on August 5, 1962, at the age of 36, in Los Angeles, California, Marilyn Monroe was found in her hotel with a bottle of pills in her hand, lying face down in her bed. The medicine would most likely.