Carol Dougherty

Joyce Carol Oates's 2000 novel, 'Blonde,' offers a fictionalized account of the life of American actress Marilyn Monroe. Oates herself emphasizes that the work is fiction, not a biography, and it was a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. The book is considered one of Oates's most significant works by publications like Rocky Mountain News and Entertainment Weekly, and Oates herself regards it as one of the two books she will be remembered for.

Despite its fictional nature, 'Blonde' delves deeply into the emotional struggles of its subject, a feat Oates suggests few factual biographies achieve. The novel is extensive, over 700 pages, a departure from Oates's initial intention to write a shorter novella. This length reflects Oates's immersion in Monroe's world during the writing process, leading to a final draft that underwent significant editing. Some excised material was intended for separate publication.

The narrative plays with names, sometimes altering them or using pseudonyms for real individuals. Notably, Monroe's first husband, James Dougherty, is called Bucky Glazer, while her second and third husbands are referred to as the Ex-Athlete and the Playwright, respectively. The novel also references a male co-star with the initial 'C,' likely Tony Curtis, and a controversial figure 'R.F.' potentially alluding to Robert F. Kennedy, exploring Monroe's alleged relationship with the President.

Joyce Carol Oates's novel 'Blonde,' a fictionalized portrayal of Marilyn Monroe's life, stands as one of her lengthiest fictional works, exceeding 700 pages. The author has stated that her initial concept was for a much shorter novella, but her deep engagement with the subject matter led to its expansion. This extensive narrative allowed for a profound exploration of Monroe's experiences and inner world. The published version is the result of significant editorial work, with Oates indicating that parts of the original draft were shortened or removed entirely, with plans for some of this material to be released separately.

In 'Blonde,' Oates employs a strategy of altering or obscuring the identities of real individuals associated with Marilyn Monroe. While many names are changed, certain recognizable initials are used, such as 'C' for a male co-star from 'Some Like It Hot,' widely understood to represent Tony Curtis. More controversially, the initial 'R.F.' is introduced in relation to a figure involved in Monroe's death, hinting at conspiracy theories surrounding Robert F. Kennedy and Monroe's alleged affairs with him and his brother, President John F. Kennedy. Monroe's first husband, James Dougherty, appears under the pseudonym Bucky Glazer, and her subsequent husbands, Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller, are referred to as the Ex-Athlete and the Playwright, respectively, their actual names being omitted.

'Blonde' garnered significant critical attention, being a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Publications such as Rocky Mountain News and Entertainment Weekly have recognized it as one of Oates's best books. The novel's exploration of Monroe's emotional torment was noted by Publishers Weekly, which quoted Oates stating the work was not intended as a historical document but effectively illuminated the sources of her subject's suffering. The novel has been adapted twice: a 2001 CBS miniseries that closely followed the book, omitting only the assassination theory, and a 2022 Netflix film adaptation directed by Andrew Dominik, for which lead actress Ana de Armas received an Academy Award nomination.

“I intended it to be a novella, somewhere around 175 pages, and the last words would have been 'Marilyn Monroe.' But over time, I got so caught up in her world that I couldn't stop there. The final result was this book. The first draft was, originally, longer than the version that was finally published. Some sections were shortened while others had to be surgically removed from the book. Those sections will be published separately.”

“Oates declares that her novel "is not intended as a historic document." Yet she illuminates the source of her subject's long emotional torment as few factual biographies ever do.”

“Often the director read the scene in the novel just before shooting it.”