Although, (subordinating) there were other iconic people during the Twentieth century Marilyn Monroe is arguably one of the most famous women of that time because she changed many people’s lives. While doing some research on (subordinating) her I’ve come to realize that she did change many people’s lives. Marilyn wasn’t afraid to be herself and (coordinating) be who she really was. She showed women that they didn’t have to be afraid to be who they were and taught them that they were beautiful no matter what. In this paper, I will explain how (subordinating) Marilyn Monroe changed people’s lives and became one of the most recognized faces in the world.
During her early years she overcame many hardships. Marilyn's father deserted the family before her birth, so she spent most of her childhood not knowing her father's identity. There are two possibilities - Edward Mortenson, who was named on her birth certificate, and Stanley Gifford, who worked with her mother Gladys. Marilyn moved between many foster homes, when her mother was sent to a mental hospital after developing psychiatric problems. Eventually, Grace McKee, her mom’s best friend, became her guardian.
Along side these, there are two women who have conquered most obstacles they’ve faced and, in addition, forced the music industry to become more of a female friendly environment. Those two women are Madonna and Brittany Spears. Madonna is an artist that most Americans are very familiar with. From rudeness to charity, she is always in the public eye. Madonna took women and sex through a quantum leap and her unique style and flair has been imprinted on pop culture forever.
Oprah faced other hardships early on, including sexual assault by close family members and a pregnancy at the age of fourteen, of which her son died shortly after birth. She was forced to move towns often, living with her mother, grandmother and father at different times throughout her childhood. This did not affect her obviously natural social abilities. She was nicknamed “The Preacher” for her ability to recite bible verses and was often found interviewing her dolls for fun. At the age of seventeen, Oprah won an oratory contest that granted her a full scholarship to Tennessee State University where she majored in communication.
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.
Marilyn Monroe, a woman whose name was a synonymous for Hollywood beauty, had a bold side to her (“About Marilyn Monroe”). It wasn’t just her looks that just made her popular it was how she stood up for herself in situations. Many decades after her death in 1962, at the age of 36, Marilyn Monroe’s reputation and popularity have not wavered at all. Marilyn Monroe, a beautiful yet confident woman, made a bold statement with her sex appeal and fashion on how women should be confident about their own bodies and not be looked at as just a child bearer. Marilyn Monroe started her career with twenty-nine films all together, in which twenty-four were made in the first eight years of her career (“About Marilyn Monroe”).
As a result, Norma lived in a number of foster homes until her moms’ best friend, Grace Mckee, took her in for a little while. Grace set her up to marry James Dougherty at the age of 16 to avoid another orphanage. James, a 21 year old air-craft plant worker, helped her escape her old life, however, she felt like the marriage meant nothing. “She felt as though she had been forced into a loveless marriage with no emotions” (Chuck). Although, she didn’t seem too distraught about this as her modeling career began.
On the other hand, how does a woman who passed away at thirty-six years old, after starring in only a handful of movies, have such an impact on society, especially young women, in the 21st century? The reason why Monroe is still relevant and even famous today shows the power of female charisma. Monroe had many feminist characteristics, such as being an independent professional woman, she was courageous to express herself, and she was always self-actualized. Independence, self-expression, and self-actualizion are all the ideas that feminists encouraged in the 21st century. The media created Monroe’s sexy image at first, but she used it to become famous.
Although this statement didn’t come true, Marilyn Monroe had a memorable life filled with many ups and downs. Who would think that such a successful young woman had such an unstable life? Whether you know her as “The Blonde Bombshell”, Norma, or Marilyn Monroe, she has had a large impact on the way people see women of the past. From her childhood, to her accomplishments, her downfalls and even her death, Marilyn Monroe had a huge impact on people all over the world. Norma Jeane Mortenson, most famously known as, Marilyn Monroe was born on June 1st, 1926 in Los Angeles, California.
While her work in the film industry has brought her world-renowned success, it is her captivating charisma and sophisticated style that has been regarded for nearly half a century. What seems to appeal about Audrey to girls today is not at all different from what women liked about her then. She was the link between three distant subjects back in her day:--femininity, strength, and ideology. She represented a figure all girls not only wanted to be, but could be. In other words, Audrey Hepburn was possible.