Marilyn Monroe Escapes From Labor And Culture in the 1940's In the essay, Rainbow At Midnight, George Lipsitz argues being an industrial laborer during World War II provided Marilyn Monroe with work experiences that helped shape the perspective she brought to her career in the arts. In this paper, I will refute this argument based on the dislike and apprehensions Marilyn displayed during her life as an industrial worker. I will exhibit how the many contrasts that followed her throughout her life were based on the early insecurities she found in the industrial environment. Her self esteem and sense of accomplishment were in contrast during her early years of labor and this too followed her throughout her life.

I argue that Marilyn never really felt she belonged to the working class environment because she made a point of being single minded in her work and unwilling to socialize with her co-workers. She was known to speak to no one except for her mother-in-law whom she met for lunch and spoke to solely, eagerly breaking through the isolation she put herself through in her single-minded effort to perform well on the job. She even went as far to express a feeling of malice from people that she claimed had followed her from childhood. It is doubtful that Marilyn enjoyed her factory work, which she first entered to escape the boredom and tedium of housework at home. Her first factory job proved equally boring since it was monotonous assembly line work and she asked for a transfer to a more challenging position in a place called the "dope" room where a liquid plastic was sprayed over cloth used in plane fuselages. Here her determination as a career woman was soon revealed. Within two months she received a coveted award for excellence from her employers which added even more emotional distance between her and her cohorts. The jealousy and hostility this special recognition caused fueled Marilyn with a determination to leave this environment of malice and never return.

I argue that Marilyn always felt set apart from the rest of society and aspired to propel herself into a career where she could use her uniqueness to full advantage. She quickly found the means to use her body as a weapon to fight back at those who were jealous and cruel to her. Modeling came easily and film career was cresting soon afterwards. The sharp contrast this has from being an industrial laborer points to the desire she had to remove herself from this environment. It is ridiculous for Lipsitz to argue being part of the wartime working class had a profound impact on the beliefs and values later instilled in Marilyn. If anything, it led to the confusion and contrast that followed her throughout her life. Even the award she received brought only dread to Marilyn who expressed in no uncertain terms that her co-workers would "make life hell for her" because of it. It did nothing to boost her self confidence and if anything encouraged her more than ever to find an avenue of escapism.

Marilyn displayed punctuality and a single-minded work ethic as a factory worker that she rebelled against for much of her later career. She had a relaxed approach about being timely and argued that she now worked in a form of art not a manufacturing establishment. Glamour and escapism are evident pursuits in the new career Marilyn fashioned for herself and Lipsitz is unfounded in his argument that Marilyn "wore her working-class identity proudly in her on screen portrayals of menial laborers. She was actress who portrayed her part so well that she was able to convince people to think anything she wanted them to about her. When the name Marilyn Monroe is mentioned, glamour and beauty come to mind. The last thing that this icon would ever be identified with is the working class. Marilyn fought against the establishment.

She fought against the strictures of factory structure and rule and order. She was the butterfly freed from the cocoon of working class clothes and shoes and ethics. The only influence being a wartime worker had on her was to realize that something better awaited her in the world. It was a mere stepping stone which provided the initial opportunity for her to break away. But like the butterfly forcing itself out of the shell that bound it's wings, Marilyn would have found the means, one way or another, to make her flight.