Essay On Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe even after being dead for forty-eight years has been and will be one of the biggest public figures known. Her name is recognized everywhere, all know Marilyn Monroe, her images gives us thoughts of scandal, sadness, beauty, movies, and loss. She captivated the world with her sex appeal and innocence; she had that special chemistry that a camera always seemed to find and love. Her personality characteristics enabled her to become one of the most famous stars of Hollywood but the same traits also brought about her downfall.

Norma Jean Mortenson/Baker or Marilyn Monroe as we know her, was born June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother Gladys Pearl Monroe suffered from mental illness and was not equipped to raise her three children, thus Norma Jean/Marilyn became a child of the state, and she never knew her fathers true identity. Her childhood was filled with insecurity and instability. She never had her own home but went from one foster home or orphanage to the next. Marilyn felt neglected and unloved. Her life was success and tragedy all in one.

At just the shy age of sixteen, Norma Jean, in an attempt to create a home for herself, she married twenty one year old James Daugherty an aircraft plant worker. The marriage ended four years later when Norma Jean found success in modeling. James went into the military, which is when she found the glamour life of modeling. He came home and made her choose between modeling or their marriage. They divorced in 1946. She then became Marilyn Monroe. Her career was built on her beauty, charisma, and most importantly her sex appeal. She began modeling for magazine covers, got small roles in movies, and was Playboy’s first centerfold, all while starting to date the ba...

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... the neurotic need for social recognition or prestige. The neurotic need for social recongnition or presige meaning some battle their anxiety by trying to be important, or by attracting attention to themselves. I imply this because, once a model Monroe cared about nothing more, making her choose her modeling over her marriage. She needed the whole world to recognize who “ Marilyn Monroe “ was. She needed the world to know how great she could be. It became all about Monroe being on top, this way her depression would be on the side track. As one of Horney’ s neurotic trends the one that best fits Marilyn would be moving towards people. Meaning Marilyn had a need to protect herself from the feeling of helplessness. Marilyn seemed to be seeking acceptance and love outside of herself, her own thoughts were not pleasant, and she required others to make her feel special.