Iconic Death by Kayla Abshier

Postwar, baby boom era, suburbs, glory day and the rise of the rock 'n' roll 50s-60s. Norma Jean Mortenson in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926, took up modeling. In 1944 and 1946, she signed a short-term contract with 20th Century Fox, taking as her screen name Marilyn Monroe (Marilyn Monroe Is Found Dead). She was America's 1950's sex symbol and playboy magazine's first centerfold. She had a few bit parts and then returned to modeling, famously posing nude for a calendar in 1949 (Marilyn Monroe Is Found Dead).  Since 1962 several conspiracy theories have developed about the: famous screen icon death of Marilyn Monroe in August 5, 1962:

1.      She was killed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Central Intelligence 

2.      Mafia hit

3.      Suicide 

However, let's take a look into the remarkable conspiracy theory of Marilyn Monroe suicide attempt. Who was Marilyn Monroe? Better yet, who was Norma Jean Mortenson, or Norma Jean Baker? They’re all one in the same person; both Norma Jean Mortenson and Norma Jean Baker are Marilyn Monroe before she was famous. Marilyn had multiple personalities, which caused her to be beautiful and flawless on the outside yet conflicted on the inside. 

Marilyn had multiple personalities, and her mental disorders caused her internal conflict. Dr. Ralph Greenson had some very specific opinions about Marilyn’s mental problems, describing her as “borderline paranoid addictive personality” and said she “exhibited “classical signs of the paranoid addict” (Taraborrelli). Gladys was 24 years old when she had Norma Jean Mortenson, whose name was later changed to Norma Jean Baker, and baptized as so. This is where her first two personalities and personas come into play. Financially and mentally incapable to take care of Norma, Gladys was later placed in a mental institution (Wild ) With no father figure and a very unstable mother, young Norma was left in the care of foster parents. This caused her to be deeply conflicted in the sense of domestic use and establishing a sense of belonging.

Marilyn was happy; however, Marilyn was what’s known as a people pleaser, this being a survival instinct. Marilyn had to learn how to adapt to her environment to survive; she became what people expected her to be, beautifully flawless. Marilyn captured the interest of many with her sky-blue eyes and brown hair an unusual, yet beautiful combination. Multiple families interested in her adoption, but she couldn’t find a place of belonging. Marilyn struggled with relationships in distinguishing the love and attention given to her whether it was sincere or was it her outer beauty that generated this desire of her, because she was sexually assaulted multiple times.  She was sexually assaulted by Doc her foster father, in addition to when she was forced into the care of Aunt Olive, where she was again sexually assaulted by Olive son (Marilyn Monroe Biography).

Multiple personalities? In 1946, Norma Jean Baker had a successful career as a model. she had changed her name to Marilyn Monroe in preparation for an acting career (Marilyn Monroe Biography). This is where Marilyn’s third personality came into play where she took on a different view of the world and her ability in it. Her name brought beauty and sensuality, with a note of innocence, to the minds of those who heard it. The public heard her speak or took one look at her and wanted her. She was loved and wanted by the public and the world. Which as a child is something she never experienced furthermore, struggled to achieve.

Monroe didn’t realize how beautiful she was. She saw actress and models plastered in tabloids, magazines, movies and ultimately, and she decided that the image she had to portray. Marilyn strived to be the beautiful bombshell: From a young age, she knew she wanted to be a movie star, she dreamt of becoming an actress like Jean Harlow and Lana Turner (about Marilyn Monroe). She dyed her hair blonde and played parts in movies like “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “Noir Niagara” “The Dumb Blonde”. “I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful, but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else."- Marilyn Monroe (about Marilyn Monroe). “Marilyn dealt with a very difficult childhood and an adulthood where she was typecasted as the "hot, dumb blonde" and often overlooked as nothing more than a “beautiful body" or the next someone else, such as her frequent comparisons to Jean Harlow.

Who is the real Marilyn Monroe? Was she and actress, a model, or the everyday girl? The Marilyn Monroe that was displayed to the public wasn’t the true Marilyn she put on an act for the public hiding who she truly was to attain this flawlessness, because she was your everyday girl. “The person I saw when I went in was quite different from the Marilyn I thought I was going to see, I saw somebody who was she could have been my sister. You know it was like a real person the girl next door you name it, but it was not expected.”- Douglas Kirkland (Marilyn Monroe life after death documentary). Marilyn suffered emotional instability and impulsive behavior of borderline personality disorder which initiated her to be at risk of drug and alcohol abuse.

The first-time Marilyn took a sleeping pill, it was to keep up with the fast pace of show business, it didn’t stop there: Suffering from emotional instability and impulsive behavior of a borderline personality disorder caused her to be at risk in addition, she became heavily dependent on them to sleep so much to the point where she could not even take a nap without them. “Grace became alarmed because of Marilyn’s reliance on sleeping pills, she saw that Marilyn couldn’t sleep at night without them and she couldn’t even take an afternoon nap unless she was medicated, then there were “uppers” Marilyn was taking to stay awake during the day” (Taraborrelli, J. Randy). Also, Marilyn became addicted to prescription pills and alcohol she became known for doctor hopping and collecting as much of a prescription from one doctor before going to another doctor and doing the same repeatedly. “Marilyn had become so adept at the art of “doctor shopping” that the two doctors Dr. Greenson and Dr. Hyman Engelberg were unable to keep track of the medications in her system” (Taraborrelli, J. Randy). Getting the highest quantity of medication availed from those doctors before finding another and so on. “She demanded confidentiality from another doctor and get it, she would stock up on as much medication she could get from one before that doctor would refuse her anymore” (Taraborrelli, J. Randy).  However, Marilyn’s problems didn’t just stop with the drugs she was also addicted to drinking, it's known in typically Marilyn fashion for her to be seen with a drink or known for her drinking. “Marilyn drank plenty of champagne every night, as always the more she drank, the more disoriented and even boisterous she became” (Taraborrelli, J. Randy)

Undeniably, Marilyn was a very passionate individual, who by attempting to attain flawless beauty found herself in the glamorous world of Hollywood, a beloved star. Marilyn had multiple personalities, and her mental disorders caused her internal conflict. Marilyn’s mental problems, describing her as “borderline paranoid addictive personality “and said she “exhibited “classical signs of the paranoid addict” deeply conflicted in the sense of domestic use and establishing a sense of belonging. On August 5, 1962, Marilyn Monroe was found dead at her home in Los Angeles. She was discovered lying nude on her bed, face down, with a telephone in one hand. Empty bottles of pills, prescribed to treat her depression, were littered around the room (Marilyn Monroe Is Found Dead). Since the iconic death of Marilyn Monroe in August 5, 1962, there have been multiple conspiracy theories that swarm this topic. Here are four of the many conspiracy theories that have developed over time.

Theory number one states that Marilyn Monroe was killed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or The Central Intelligence Agency for Communistic ties killed Marilyn. The Hollywood blacklist which began in 1947 summoned certain Hollywood entertainment professionals on the suspicion that their work was communist-inspired (Hollywood blacklist) (the history of the FBI’s secret enemies). Back in that time people were was afraid of communist threats against the United States. In the 1950s a Red Channels (Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television) pamphlet was published, which listed Arthur Miller as a communist (Carlson 1). When Miller started dating Marilyn in 1955, The Government, also known as “the man”, started to keep an eye on her, as well. Now, the FBI has released an unreacted classified file, showing how the agency tracked her ties to the Reds (1).

 July 11th, 1956 “the New York Daily News” received an anonymous telephone call that stated Arthur Miller had been, and was a member of the cp and was their cultural front man. The anonymous caller said that the  religious marriage ceremony to Marilyn and  public statements were a cover up. Per the anonymous called the actress had drifted into the Communist orbit and money from the Marilyn Monroe Productions was being used to finance communist activities (Marilyn Monroe). For all the focus on Monroe's closeness to suspected communists, the bureau never found any proof she was a member of the party (New FBI Files on Marilyn Monroe Reveal Lefty Pals, Little on Death).

Theory number two, the  Mafia had Marilyn killed. “Speculations that mob boss Sam Giancana, possibly paid off by one of the Kennedy brothers, ordered a hit on her (Tristan). Marilyn and the Kennedy’s brothers had pillow talk in addition to affairs with one another, however it’s said that afterwards, when she was rejected by the Kennedy brothers that she was willing to go public about the affairs.

Robert F. Kennedy had gone to Marilyn’s house that day and gotten into an argument ( Tristan 1).  This argument was most likely about her wanting to go public with the affairs after her rejection. After he left, a partner of Gianacana, named Johnny Roselli, visited her at 10pm, When he left, he unlocked the front door, and then let five Mafia hit men in (1). This is where the Kennedys plans to cover up the affairs take care of their problem. One of the hit men sneaked up behind Marilyn while she was in the front room, and then slipped a chloroform-soaked washcloth over her face(Tristan).

 They undressed her, administered an enema of barbiturates, and moved her into her bedroom. This is how she was found in every theory ever read also, this is how she was found because this is a proven by police record and FBI files. They left after hearing Eunice Murray walk into the house, After the police were called, Peter Lawford arrived at the scene and stole a little red diary, which was said to have been filled with details about Marilyn’s affairs and sex encounters” (Tristan). Even though she did have barbiturates in her system none of the comments about the mafia hit was ever proven; therefore, it was overlooked.

Theory number three Suicide. Marilyn Monroe suffered from depression, which in turn made her commit suicide.  Marilyn was discovered lying nude on her bed, face down, with a telephone in one hand as told in everything written involving her death, because this is the only certain incident that can be proven about how she was found. “Empty bottles of pills, prescribed to treat her depression, were littered around the room after a brief investigation. Los Angeles police concluded that her death was “caused by a self-administered overdose of sedative drugs and that the mode of death is probable suicide.” (Marilyn Monroe Is Found Dead ). In addition to her use of prescribed depression pills, she was taking sleeping pills at first to help her sleep, but then she became dependent on them.

“Grace became alarmed because of Marilyn’s reliance on sleeping pills, she saw that Marilyn couldn’t sleep at night without them and she couldn’t even take an afternoon nap unless she was medicated, then there were “uppers” Marilyn was taking to stay awake during the day” (Taraborrelli, J. Randy). However, Marilyn’s quandaries didn’t just stop with the drugs she was additionally addicted to drinking, it’s in typically Marilyn fashion for her to be optically discerned with a drink. “Marilyn drank plenty of champagne every night as, always the more she drank, the more disoriented and even boisterous she became” (Taraborrelli, J. Randy). In 1961, Monroe, overwhelmed by depression, was under the constant care of a psychiatrist, increasingly erratic in the last months of her life, she lived as a virtual recluse in her Brentwood, Los Angeles, home (Marilyn Monroe Is Found Dead).  Marilyn was known for doctor shopping so even while she was in the care of her psychiatrist the last months of her death know one know what drugs she got or had on hand to accommodate the depression she had.

These conspiracies are plausible theories, However the facts all point to death by suicide. Hard cold evidence and prove facts back the suicide theory up. Marilyn killed herself.

Genetics and psychological factors play a major role. It’s not about what she let the public perceive, it’s what she repressed about herself, and what she deemed herself to be.  

Conspiracy theory beliefs poll

Topic Name: Marilyn Monroe

Topic: Marilyn Monroe’s death

Poll 20 people to get their responses to your poll question:

Name	Conspiracy theory 1	Conspiracy theory 2	Conspiracy theory 3
			P
	P
			P
		P
		P
	P
		P
			P
	P
			P
			P
	P
			P
	P
			P
			P
			P
	P
	P
		P
Total	7	4	9

Question: which conspiracy theory do you believed happened?

Since 1962 several conspiracy theories have developed about the: famous screen icon's death of Marilyn Monroe in August 5, 1962:

1.      The federal bureau of investigation or central intelligence killed her 

2.      Mafia hit

3.      Suicide 

What happened to Marilyn Monroe? Marilyn killed herself genetics and psychological factors play a major role. She suffered depression, Addiction to multiple medication, alcohol abuse, Multiple personalities. In addition to her, her mother and grandmother also had psychological problems such as hearing voices, this is something passed down from gene to gene in her family.  Marilyn Monroe committed suicide in the year 1962 and she was not the only actress to died that year, more than 200 actors and actress died that year. An estimate approximately one million people die from suicide each year and in the 1960’s more than one hundred thousand died from suicide while more than twenty thousand died from a drug overdose.

Works Cited

  "About Marilyn Monroe." Modern American Poetry.  Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Branson, Serene. "New Allegations Emerge About Marilyn Monroe's Final Hours." CBS Los Angeles. , 11 May 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

 Jen ,Carlson "FBI Finally Releases "Communist" Arts & Entertainment on Dec 28, 2012

"Hollywood Blacklist." Hollywood Blacklist.  Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

 “ Marilyn Monroe Biography." Bio.com. Ed. Biography.com Editors. A&E Networks Television, 26 Apr. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

“Marilyn Monroe Death." Bio.com. Ed. Biography. A&E Networks Television, 26 Apr. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

“Marilyn Monroe Is Found Dead." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 03 Oct. 2016.

“Marilyn Monroe." FBI. FBI, 06 Dec. 2010. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

Marilyn Monroe: Life After Death. Dir. Gordon L. Freedman. 03 Oct. 2016

“Marilyn Monroe's Unredacted Files." Gothamist. , 28 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.     

Monroe: Life After Death (1994). United Artist Theater Circuit, 1 June 1994. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

“New FBI Files on Marilyn Monroe Reveal Lefty Pals, Little on Death." Fox News. FOX News Network, 28 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

Spillius, Alex "Mafia Plot to Smear Kennedys Using Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 14 June 2010. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

Taraborrelli, J. Randy. The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe. London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 2009. Print.

“The History Of The FBI's Secret 'Enemies' List." NPR. NPR, 14 Feb. 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2016. Tristan. "5 Conspiracy Theories About the Death of Marilyn Monroe." Bizarre and Grotesque. , 01 Nov. 2016. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.

Wild, Chris. "A Young Marilyn Monroe with Her Mother at the Beach." Mashable 03 Oct, 2016