Among the vast array of sexual symbols our country has known, Marilyn Monroe has remained the most important provocative figure of the twentieth century. Born Norma Jean, the aspiring movie star, singer and actress leads an escapist life, which author Fred Lawrence Guiles demystifies in his biography Legend: The Life and Death of Marilyn Monroe. The author takes his audience through the struggles and successes that Monroe faced, starting from his early years to his final years filled with chaos and, finally, death. Guiles particularly describes Marilyn's dependence on others, as well as her inability to be alone throughout her life and the moment she reached the height of her fame in the 1950s and 1960s. Although imperfect, this portrait offers insight into the life of a very troubled but unique woman. Fred Lawrence Guiles elaborately illustrates Marilyn's feelings of worthlessness, dependence on others, and thirst for love throughout the biography. It is possible that this was some kind of innate characteristic that Marilyn was born with. After all, his grandmother and mother seemed to have a similar nature. Della Monroe, Marilyn's grandmother, was hit hard by the Great Depression and when she found herself in poverty, she began living off the family's small remittances in California. Here begins the story of Monroe who relies on others for support and comfort. Marilyn's mother, Gladys, would become as unstable as her parents. After Gladys' husband, Martin Edward Mortensen, left her while she was still pregnant, Della Monroe suggested that Gladys should ask the neighbors across the street, known as Bolender, to board Norma when she was born. Once again, an example of the Monroe family... center of the card... his age during some important events in his life was unclear. For example, it was difficult for me to understand what his life would actually be like when he lived in the orphanage. Was he about 5 years old? An age where he wasn't fully aware of what his situation might be, or was he 9 years old and fully aware of his environment? Furthermore, near the beginning of the novel, Guiles explains Norma as a girl who was “not naturally pretty.” I thought it was a rather bizarre way to describe a woman known for her beauty and grandeur. It also led me to imagine Marilyn in a different way and made it difficult for me to understand how fascinating she was, as Guiles so often explained. Although parts of the biography were vague and difficult to decipher, Fred Lawrence Guiles mastered the narrative of Marilyn Monroe's life.