Making Marilyn Monroe
I was SO happy to get Marilyn Monroe for this research project. She is someone I've always loved learning, and reading about. Which isn't hard since her image will remain long after her death, circulating through a study of who she was and who the media made her into.
Norma Jean Mortenson, that's who she was born as but not who she died as. She was sought out for her beauty and made into this glamour girl for the world to dive into. She was a profitable media exploited for her femininity, sexuality, and beauty.
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| Monroe 1958 |
In many ways she was technology, circulating through the eyes of the world and this is what I fell McLuhan included her in his book The Medium is the Massage. “Monroe is understood as a ‘representative character’, not a real person” (Konkle). Who and what was the true Monroe? We got glimpses of her in her smile, as seen in the picture above, but as the years carried on her true identity was lost in the sea of the ongoing world of mass media. Never truly allowing her to breathe and eventually lead to her demise.
I've also always had a profound interest in Monroe, and can relate to her on many levels, especially as I used to be a sex worker. I can't wait to see how you relate her work to McLuhan's and technology.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with you that Marilyn Monroe was sought out for her beauty. She is a representative woman. It is really interesting to say that "In many ways she was technology", I know her important role in media, but I'm started curious about how to see her as a technology.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your point that Marilyn became a piece of media instead of a full human being. As a Gender Studies minor I've learned a lot about female exploitation and objectification for the male gaze. However, I hadn't thought about how her image particularly was circulated as part of media and technology, without any of her real personality, likes, dislikes, passions, or opinions making it into the world. I am so bummed I missed your presentation! Hopefully you can tell me more about her on our own time.
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