Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe in one of her movies. (Google.)

Who is my Hero? Norma Jeane Mortenson, also known as Marilyn Monroe was born June 1st 1926 in beautiful Los Angeles. At a very young age she was neglected by her birth parents and sent to a foster home. While she spent most of her childhood in a foster home, she was finally adopted as Norma Jeane Baker. Monroe’s inspiration came from a guardian she admired, Grace. Grace told Monroe that someday she would be a movie star. They went to movies, went shopping, let Monroe wear make-up and curled her hair. Monroe was sexually assaulted by her Great Aunt’s son, which they think is where she gets her personality from.

Shortly after 18, she began her career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. She started off with a minor part in “Love Happy” in 1949. Monroe impressed the producers whom sent her off to New York where she soon starring in “The Asphalt Jungle” and “All About Eve” which were both filmed in 1950 were very well received for Monroe’s career. While Monroe had many successful actress roles, in March of 1952 a scandal hit Monroe and could have ruined her careers. In 1949 a photographer, Tom Kelley, took nude photographs of Monroe for a calendar. The press was appalled at the problem, and decided to end Monroe’s career. However, Monroe claimed she did to the posing… but only because she had no money for her rent. Monroe didn’t let this interfere with her fame… but many people started against Monroe, calling her names and starting rumors.

She soon made another big appearance on ‘Life Magazine’, as well as ‘Playboys’ first issue, which was in December of 1953. Monroe wasn’t just one of the biggest woman symbols; she was also contributed to the world in a positive way as well. Since Monroe was an orphan herself, she cared about children… especially ones without parents. She gave up much money to orphan organizations, foster homes, and charities. Monroe helped shape the world as we know it today. While the Great Depression was in process, Monroe stayed happy and positive throughout the whole thing; Which made people think being happy and positive can lead to great things, and during those times… sometimes that’s the best thing you can do. She made a wonderful statement for other woman, and still to this day woman of all ages admire her. Marilyn Monroe starred in many other famous movies like: Niagara, The Seven Year Itch, Some Like It Hot and The Prince And The Showgirl. She even performed in “Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend”, in one of her best films Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Monroe’s career took a wrong turn into sickness, personal problems, and a reputation of being unreliable and difficult to work with, and ending her final film The Misfits directed by John Huston. On August 5th, 1962 police officer, Jack Clemmons received a call by Monroe’s psychiatrist that she was found dead in her home in Brentwood, California. Marilyn was 36 at the time of her death. Doctors had done an autopsy and found eight milligrams percent of Chloral Hydrate and 4.5 milligram percent of Nembutal in her system. Nobody knows exactly why this was found in her system, if it was murder, suicide or overdose… and some think John and Robert Kennedy, who both died shortly after Monroe’s death. Press also thinks her death could have involved the CIA or Mafia. Several days later, on August 8th Monroe was laid into her casket. Her casket was wrapped in light pink ribbon, she was wearing her favorite green Emilio Pucci dress and she had a small pink bouquet of teacup roses. Monroe’s crypt was set up for auction in August 2005, and sold for over 4.5 million to Hugh Hefner, for Playboy, who never met Monroe. She rests in peace at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. Long live Marilyn Monroe, a legend, a hero. My hero.

Marilyn in

Why is she my hero? Ever since I started public school back in early 2000’s, I was always teased, called names, and hardly had any friends. We have lived here in Chatham, Ohio for several years, and it was finally time for me to experience that horror they call school. I was always quite an outcast, was very shy, and never really talked to anyone. I sat on my own at lunch, talked to myself in the halls, and always called off school because I dreaded the day ahead of me. Not only was I teased by other peers, but also the teachers. I still tried to remain happy and confident, but it was hard. I also had gone through a rough childhood with my parents both being gone a lot for work, the death of my Grandmother, the almost death of my Grandfather, the endless nights I struggled with homework and nobody to help, and growing up with a disabled brother was extremely hard for me. I know most people would say that other people have it worse, but I was young, and at the time it was very hard for me. I was also was overweight, so I got teased about that a lot by a lot of people. I soon learned a lot about Marilyn Monroe, who I saw as someone who I was beautiful and she didn’t care about what people said about her, she kept being herself. Not only was she beautiful, she wasn’t a size 0 like most models and singers are. I always wanted to be small, but due to my body style, it wouldn’t happen. She made realize that you don’t need to be a size 0 to be beautiful. She was a fighter. I was reading books, magazines, articles, and websites about her… and soon it motivated me to become the same. Her childhood was in a way, the same as mine… and I bet if I knew her, we could have shared the same thoughts and emotions. It got worse however, I started associating with people whom were known as the “drug heads” and “low lifes”. My Mother saw me changing, and pulled me out of school to become homeschooled in the seventh grade. I thank her still to this day, because if she hadn’t, I don’t know where I’d be today. I didn’t go out much, but it gave me a chance to really get into horses… which I did, and work on myself-esteem. I started showing the American Quarter Horse league and I started winning often. I met people whom were into horses like me, and they accepted me for me. I started to work out, and soon lost over 50 pounds. No more dreading to look in the mirror! After about four years, I was a confident, independent young lady; and my Mother was glad. I thank Marilyn Monroe, even though I never met her, I feel a connection between us somehow. I have books, pictures, posters and movies of her in my room too! Not only did Monroe inspire me to be a better person, but she also inspired me to do more community service. She donated to many charities and foster homes, so I decided I wanted to become a firefighter, do at least 10 hours of community service a month and donate used clothes and supplies to homeless, and ill families and children. Still to this day, I continue to follow through with being confident, and not caring about what other people say to me, and think of me. I am who I am, and I will be who I am. And nobody will ever stop me. She frames who I am today. Marilyn Monroe… you are… indeed my Hero.