BEING MARILYN MONROE (5): Belief System, by Alan Ewing

BEING MARILYN MONROE

 Belief System

The belief system of Marilyn Monroe is a complex one. As Norma Jeane, in childhood she would be exposed to the religious beliefs of her carers. In adulthood she would embrace religious conversion for the sake of marriage. In later life psychology became her prime directive, along with politics. It would be fair to say that Marilyn was influenced by those around her, as indeed most of us are in our life journey.

 

Psychology

Freudian psychology was the dominant influence in Marilyn's life. This came about later in her life when she began therapy and medication under Dr Ralph Greenson.  Prior to this she had developed a route towards psycho analysis through the method acting that she undertook training in through Lee Strasberg. Connections with Anna Freud, daughter of Sigmund also reinforced this in her. The later years of her life were spent in psychological regression to her childhood as an answer to her life.  It is left to the reader to wonder if a more outward looking theory such as Carl Rodgers self-existential theory, may have fitted better with her expression through the arts.

Politics 

Democrat. Asked to be a delegate at conference though film commitments ruled this out. Her friendship with the Kennedys is well known. This came about through her views on society. Marilyn believed in equality. Her support of Ella Fitzgerald is testament to that. Money was never an obsession for Marilyn; her final bank accounts were in debit.

Religion 

Christian Science in the early years.  Judaism due to marriage with Arthur Miller. These affilliations were formal in nature. They were never expressed as heartfelt in either her writing or interviews.

In the above bare factual analysis of Marilyn’s Belief System, deliberatly left that way for the reader to make up their own minds,  it can be concluded that her search for meaning was self-existential. It was within the human experience itself that she sought to understand existence. For her, art itself was spiritual expression, with her being quoted as saying that acting was like a religion. Freudian psychology undoubtedly gave her a lynch-pin on which to construct a psychological interpretation of human life. The earlier Christian Science and Judaism not having brought the answers that she sought, while mainstream Christianity was never for her. It is fair then to conclude that Marilyn was essentially a humanist, and open about that. Her left-wing politics of altruism towards the disadvantaged tend to confirm this. Overall then, the belief system of Marilyn Monroe was that of involving a caring human nature, involving society. 

Alan Ewing Msc, BA Hons, Cert HE

BEING MARILYN MONROE (4): Writing, by Alan Ewing

BEING MARILYN MONROE

Writing

The writing of Marilyn Monroe is to be found within the book “Fragments.” As the title suggests this is a series of notes gathered together. The writing gives deep insight into the woman. A wide-reading, and intelligent person, who grasped at the meaning of human existence. Any notion of the dumb blonde that she acted out on screen as actually being her is dismissed. The task here is to give a reading of a few excerpts and seek to understand the woman behind the pen: this is essentially a concise literary analysis rather than dissertation territory. The idea being to get behind the woman that image has portrayed to us through the years, and seek to know the complex person that lies beneath.

Only parts of us will ever
touch  parts of others —
one’s own truth is just that really — one’s own truth.
We can only share the part that is  within another’s knowing acceptable  so one
is for most part alone.
As it is meant to be in
evidently in nature — at best  perhaps it could make
our understanding seek
another’s loneliness out.

In the above segment of writing Marilyn explores the notion of human composites. Our personalities are split into varying areas of feeling.  Hence “Only parts of us will ever touch parts of others”, and that ultimately our truth is our own; this for instance can be found in relationship break-ups where two separate versions of events emerge. Marilyn went through a number of marital breakdowns. She goes on to state that all relationships involve interpretation, and that not all of our being can be accepted by another “so one is for most part alone.  This is a natural condition, she writes. A notable point is made at the end of the passge that human understanding can emerge through knowing this to be true.

Oh damn I wish that I were
dead — absolutely nonexistent —
gone away from here — from
everywhere but how would I
There is always bridges — the Brooklyn
bridge  But I love that bridge (everything is beautiful from there and the air is so clean) walking it seems
peaceful  even with all those
cars going crazy underneath. So
it would have to be some other bridge
an ugly one and with no view — except
I  like in particular all bridges — there’s some-
thing about them and besides  I’ve
never seen an ugly bridge

The second above segment deals with crossover. There are times when we all feel that a miserable existence could be exchanged for non-existence and that this might be better. Marilyn stalls that thought. She turns to bridges. Bridges in this excerpt become symbols of hope and peace.  Only an ugly bridge could turn her to despair, and yet no ugly bridges exist in her mind.  The bridge then holds an answer: we cross from one place to another, from despair to hope, from war to peace, from questions to answers.  We can be lost in a patch of land and then find a bridge that gives us a view of something better.

I’m finding that sincerity
and  to be  simple or direct as (possible) I’d like
is often taken for sheer stupidity
but since it is not a sincere world —
it’s very probable that being sincere is stupid.
One probably is stupid to
be sincere since it’s in this world
and no other world that we know
for sure we exist — meaning that —
(since reality exists it  should be met and dealt with)
since there is reality to deal with

To have your heart is
the only completely happy proud  thing (that ever belonged
to me) I’ve ever possessed so

Deep questions about the nature of the world appear in this third writing.  Sincerity itself is under question, in that to be genuine is to invite scorn by those who are fake.  The world values those that hide behind masks of deceit and rewards them, while mocking those who seek to reveal their true selves.  Marilyn faces this head on and asks why we cannot grasp the very essence of existence and be sincere with it.  Why should honesty be overshadowed by capriciousness and insincere motives in life.  The conclusion lies with integrity: to be in full ownership of your heart and be proud of your own genuine nature.

Overall, from this sample of Marilyn's writing, it can be seen that an astute, intelligent woman was at work. Her questions about existence, the nature of human intent, and about interconnection between people, show a mature understanding of the world that we live in and the reality that we face. It is how we embrace reality that is the ultimate question, and in that we create the world that surrounds us.  Marilyn's deep search for reason is one that makes her writing so rewarding to read.  It also gives us great insight into the woman herself.

Alan Ewing MSc, BA Hons, Cert HE