The Life of Marilyn Monroe

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Murray 7

Megan Murray

Mr. DeAngelis

English 10

May 8, 2013

The Life of Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe once said, "I was never used to being happy, so it wasn't something I ever took for granted. You see, I was brought up differently from the average American child because the average child is brought up expecting to be happy." Norma Jeane Mortenson, otherwise known as Marilyn Monroe, was born in June 1, 1926 at Los Angeles General Hospital. She was named after Norma Talmadge, one of the most popular screen idols during the 1920's. Marilyn's mother, Gladys Baker Mortenson, worked as a film cutter for Hollywood Studios at the time of her birth. Although no one knows the true identity of Monroe's biological father, her birth certificate states him to be Edward Mortenson, Gladys' second husband. Many believe, though, that C. Stanley Gifford, a coworker to Gladys, is Monroe's biological father (Doll 1).

Monroe felt a loss never having known her father. This left a scar that never healed (Doll 2).

Norma Jeane's mother, Gladys, placed her as a newborn in the care if Ida and Wayne Bolender. Gladys gave Norma Jeane to the Bolender's just twelve days after birth. This was due to financial difficulties and not mental ones. Baker would pay the Bolenders five dollars each week to look after Norma Jeane. In the early stages of Norma Jeane's life she remembered her mother as "the lady with the red hair" and not her own mother. In Gladys Baker's past marriage she had two children, Bernice and Hermitt Jack, who were taken away from her by her ex-husband Edward Mortenson. Without her two children, Gladys was caused great pain which made her unable to take care of Norma Jeane. The Baker family has a history of mental...