Marilyn Monroe Essay

Is the name Norma Jean Baker familiar? Maybe, but due to a suggestion Ben Lyon provided, the name Marilyn Monroe is sure to gain recognition as the 1940’s thespian (Encyclopedia of World Biography). Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean Baker and grew up to become the sex icon Marilyn Monroe, a singer, actress, and comedienne. She is remembered mainly for her talents and her nude photos from the 1940’s, which helped her to become an icon. One article states, “Legendary film actress Marilyn Monroe will be remembered for her sensuous beauty, her acting talent, and her psychological torment” (DISCovering Biography). Along with her talent she was also known for her declining mental state. She eventually died due to a barbiturate overdose, not too

Monroe spent her childhood in orphanages, struggling without her mother yet she still worked to become a star. Her efforts landed her a star on the Hollywood walk of fame for her phenomenal acting skills. Marilyn is noted for these and her iconic shots in Playboy Magazine, which aided her in becoming a sex icon. Even though Monroe gained so much in her short life, she still ended up overdosing on barbiturates, also known as sleeping pills. She had been dealing with her mental health while trying to maintain her career and it ended up in a tragedy. Marilyn was dismissed from working for Fox because of her change in personality, due to her ill mental health, which likely aided in her untimely death (Wills). Despite this Monroe left her family a way to be cared for, “In her will, Monroe set up a trust to care for her mother until she died. She left money to her half-sister who Monroe didn't even know existed until she was 12” (“Monroe’s Legacy”). She was a skilled actress and a kind woman, even if she was marketed as a purely sexual star. Furthermore, Marilyn Monroe said, “A sex symbol becomes a thing—I just hate to be a thing. But if I'm going to be a symbol of something, I'd rather have it sex” (Encyclopedia of World Biography). This was referring to her becoming a sex idol. Marilyn Monroe’s prowess as an actress and her image has kept her alive for over half a century in people’s hearts and minds, and she will continue to be an American