Charles Manson

2767 Words6 Pages

Charles Manson

Charles Manson has been named "the most dangerous man alive." Society referred to him as the devil. They believed he was the reason society was so bad in the 1960's. The 1950's to the 1960's was uncontrollably filled with violence. Our culture was shattered by the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. At the same time, body bags from Vietnam were building up from a war that was tearing our nation apart. Riots and antiwar protesters marched across America. Many people worried that the US was getting out of control. "The Sixties ended abruptly on August 9, 1969..." wrote Didon in The White Album. On August 8,1969, director Roman Polaski's housekeeper found five bodies, slashed and bloody. Manson was the metaphor of evil! To many, Charles Manson symbolized the end of civilized society and the dawn of a new age of terror. (Lagarde)

On November 12, 1934, Charles Milles Manson was brought into this world by Kathleen Maddox and Colonal Scott. At the time Kathleen was a 16 year old troublemaker. Charlie never knew his father and never really had a "father figure." His mother was the kind that children are taken away from and put in foster homes. Kathleen had the habit of disappearing for days and weeks at a time, leaving Charlie with his grandmother or aunt. Kathleen Maddox was sentenced to a penitentiary for armed robbery, Charlie was sent to live with his aunt and uncle; who were going to try to straighten him out. When Kathleen was released from jail she didn't want Charlie as her responsibility, preferring her life of drinking. At this point in time she was willing to trade Charlie for a glass of beer. Charlie was adapted to a life of violence and loneliness. He kept to himself and didn't have any friends. Charlie was an observer, he never got involved or talked to people. Soon Charlie was following in his mother's foot steps. He began stealing and causing trouble. By age nine he was sent to a reform school. In less than a year he ran away from his school. He tried to run to his mother but she wanted nothing to do with him. Charlie was in and out of reform schools, jails, and institutions. By 1958, Charles Manson was released on parole only to cause more chaos. (Newsweek,55)

On the streets Manson chose pimping as his career. In 1959 he was arrested once again on two ...

... middle of paper ...

...d impersonated all of Charles actions. To many, Charles Manson symbolized the end of civilized society and the dawn of a new age of terror.

Book of Revelations.Online Available http://www.umkc.com,1 May.2000.

Buglioso, Vincent. Helter Skelter. New York: Bantam Books,1974.

Charles Manson.Online Available http://www.crimelibrary.com, 1 May.2000.

Filmer, Deborah K. Forensic Science and Charles Manson Murders. Online Available http://www.concentric.net, 2 May. 2000

Galanter, Marc. Cults:Faith, Healing,and Coercion. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

"In '69: Manson". Newsweeks. 3 July. 1989: 54-55.

Lagarde, Deborah. The Manson Murders, 30 Years Later. Online Available http://omegaserve.com, 30 April.2000

Porterfield, Kay Marie. Straight Talk About Cults. New York: Facts on File,1995.

Sanders, Ed. The Family. New York: Avon, 1971.

Singer, Margaret.Cults and Our Midst. SanFrancisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers,1995.

Open Document