Alistair Cooke: The Death of Marilyn Monroe Flashcards
When was Marilyn Monroe born, and when did she die?
June 1st 1926 - August 5 1962
Who was Joe DiMaggio?
A world famous baseball player
What was the name of Alistair Cooke’s weekly radio essay?
“Letter from America”
Is the text typical or atypical of an obituary?
Atypical
What are barbiturates?
Sleeping pills, sedatives
What is significant about “dead in bed” in the opening paragraph?
The connotations connected to her promiscuousness rhymes, making light of her death
What does “a social universe distant from the place where she was born” imply?
She climbed the social ladder, but didn’t belong where she died
Who was Raymond Chandler?
A detective fiction writer during the Great Depression
Give an example of sarcasm in the second paragraph
“ a humble girl, cursed with physical beauty”
What is significant about “her troubled fans”
Cooke places their well-being above Marilyn herself
How is Marilyn’s life compared to a movie?
He refers to the “plot” of her early life (cinematic language)
What do “seedy as anything” and “crumbled overnight” connote?
Negativity, that she was promiscuous and fell down the societal ladder very quickly and unexpectedly
What does Cooke say about Marilyn’s childhood?
That she had “miserable parents” and a “wretched childhood”
Does Cooke implore Marilyn’s early career choice?
No- he undermines her work as a factory worker
What does “a posing job for a nude calendar” imply?
That Marilyn had to be nude to be successful
Which past tense verb implies that Marilyn was overly sexualised and attention seeking?
“Wiggled”
What is conspired about Marilyn and Arthur Miller?
That there was no physical attraction or love involved
What is significant about the description of Marilyn as “charming, shrewd and pathetic”?
1 positive and 2 negatives show Brown’s bias against her
Briefly, what was William Empson’s analysis of Alice in Wonderland?
The idea that the story was about confusion, desire and adolescence. It wasn’t well received by other readers and critics.
Give an example of an oxymoron in the obituary
“Tragic integrity”
What is the effect of parenthesis around “lock herself in a room)
It undermines and devalues the fact that Marilyn showed signs of depression and anxiety before her death
Who was Lorelei?
A feminine water spirit who would lure in Sailors
Which technique is used it “Liquid-lipped a Goddess gave”
Double alliteration
What does “ultimate oblivion” suggest?
That there was no other way out for Marilyn
How does Brown insult Marilyn towards the end of the obituary?
He states that she couldn’t learnt to be sophisticated or a true prima Donna
