"Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe"

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that Sarah Churchwell's work on Monroe could very well have redefined our understanding of this enigmatic figure. The writer maintains that Sarah Churchwell's book "The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe" is the most comprehensive look at the life of the iconic movie star ever produced. The writer relates that Churchwell's premise within the book is that the real Marilyn Monroe is an individual who had immense psychological and personal problems, which she dealt with through the glitz and glamor of her celebrity profile. The writer concludes that Churchwell paints a story that does not rely on fiction and mystique. Rather, in the final analysis, one encounters the story of the real Monroe and finds that the truth is in fact even more impressive than fiction.

From the Paper:

"She explores the central premise behind Monroe by examining her deeper motives. Monroe is exposed as an individual who is very uncertain of her identity. Perhaps because of her beauty, she is revealed to be an individual who has had little to no deep personal connections with others. It is only through the power of her body that Monroe possesses the fame that she won in her audiences. The strength of this power is also what alienated her from the rest of the world, as people treated her as a glamour figure and sexual icon rather than an individual with her own personality and thoughts. Churchwell dwells especially on Monroe's strong desire for motherhood. She interprets this action as a yearning for closeness with someone. Monroe saw motherhood as a mechanism to find the missing pieces within her life and to bind a truly cerebral relationship with someone. With the failure to become pregnant was when she seriously became depressed and eventually prepared for her death."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Churchwell, Sarah. The Many Lives Of Marilyn Monroe . Boston: Metropolitan Books, 2005.

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