Narrative Analysis

By Genevieve M. Nangit
February 26, 2024

The Orphan

This chapter is Norma Jeane’s life as an orphan and her relationship with Dr. Mittelstadt. This
chapter shows Norma Jeane’s desire to be in a family, particularly, to have someone she can call
mother.

Primary sentence
Mrs. Mortensen’s “only identity is that of Norma Jeane’s mother and she isn’t strong-enough just
yet to surrender that.”

Another time Norma Jeane hid away to cry. But this was more than a broken heart! She was ten
years old, old enough to be bitter, and angry, and to feel the injustice of her fate. She’d been
cheated of Mamita, who loved her by the cruel, cold woman who’d never allowed her to call her
Momma. She would not be my mother. Yet she would not let me have a real mother. She would
not let me have a mother, a father, a family, a real home. (Page 84)

Sub-primary sentence
None

Supporting sentences
1 “Norma Jeane, your mother has requested one more day to consider.” Page 80

Another day! But Dr. Mittelstadt spoke encouragingly. She was not one to show
doubt, weakness, worry; in her presence, you were meant to be optimistic. You were
meant to dispel negative thoughts.
2 Four months before, on Norma Jeane’s eleventh birthday Dr. Mittelstadt had called Page 81
the girl into her office and given her a copy of Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures. Inscribed on the inside cover was, in Dr.
Mittelstadt’s perfect hand:

To Norma Jeane on her birthday!

“Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil.”
Psalm xxiii,4.

This great American Book of Wisdom will change your life as it has changed mine!

Edith Mittelstadt, PhD

June 1, 1937.

Every night, Norma Jeane read in the book before bed, and every night she
whispered aloud the inscription. I love you, Dr. Mitelstadt. She would think of this
book as the first true gift of her life. And of that birthday, her happiest day since
she’d been brought to the Home.
 Narrative Analysis
By Genevieve M. Nangit
February 26, 2024

3 Dr. Mittelstadt leaned forward in her creaking chair with a sigh to lead Norma Jeane Page 81
in the Christian Science prayer that was her greatest gift to the child, as it had been
God’s great gift to her.
…
Norma Jeane dared to murmur, in a softer echo, “Amen”
4 You were allowed to play hearts, gin rummy, and fish at the Home but not poker or Page 82
euchre, which were men’s gambling games, nor were you allowed to tell fortunes,
which was “magic” and an offense to Christ. So the girl’s fortune-telling was done
after lights out, in thrilling stealth.

Norma Jeane didn’t really want her fortunes told by her friends because the cards
might interfere with her progress.
5 It did seem a miracle. Except if you observed, as did the staff, the way that little Page 83
mouse Norma Jeane lit up in the visitor’s room! Though she might have been sad-
faced just before, truly Norma Jeane turned on like a lightbulb in the presence of
important visitors. Her sweet face, a perfect moon face, and her eager blue eyes, and
her quick shy smile and manners that made you think of a more subdued Shirley
Temple — “Just such an angel!”.

There was the pleading in those eyes: Love me! Already, I love you.

Reference
“Blonde” by Joyce Carol Oates. 2000. 4th Estate: London, UK.