One of the first songs in the musical—sung by Mrs. Johnstone—constantly returns to the refrain of Marilyn Monroe. At first, Mrs. Johnstone views the movie star as a figure of glamor and wealth, and aspires to be like her. She’s flattered when people compare her to the platinum blonde, and even sometimes uses her sex appeal to manipulate men in power. As the musical continues, however, Mrs. Johnstone compares herself negatively to Marilyn Monroe, noting that she herself has become old and poor, quite unlike her idol. She continually comes back to the movie star, however, and as her family’s luck gets worse and worse, Mrs. Johnstone notices how poorly Marilyn Monroe’s life turned out as well. The parallels between Marilyn Monroe and the Johnstones continue late into the play, as when Mrs. Johnstone compares her son Mickey’s dependence on antidepressants to Monroe’s own addiction struggles. Although Monroe began as an icon of beauty and aspiration, she ends up being yet another tragic example of a life gone terribly awry.
Marilyn Monroe Symbol Timeline in Blood Brothers
