Charles Manson is the son of careless and indifferent prostitute. He is born in 1935 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Young Charles has never known who is his real father, and has spent his first years of life in shelters. He firstly showed his rebellious nature at school. His transition from childhood to adolescence was marked by numerous crimes and several sentences in correctional facilities for juvenile delinquents. In March 1951, the court decided to send Charlie to educational school for boys in Washington. The following year, just a few days before his release, Manson raped another young boy at the same time holding the razor near his throat. As a result, he served a prison sentence in the colony, where he stayed until May 1954. Although youth sexual inclinations of Manson were mostly homosexual, after his release, he met seventeen-year-old Rosalie Jean Willis and married her. He went to California with his pregnant wife and stole the car just for the ride. As a result, he was sentenced for three years in prison. Charles Manson, Jr. was born when his father was in jail. Rosalie often visited her husband, but in 1957 these visits had stopped and she met another man who became her true love. The following year, Manson was released, but he continued to constantly violate the law. Between his imprisonments, Charles married again and became a father to a second son. It was 1964 year outside, and Manson, like many young Americans, was under the influence of "The Beatles". However, unlike millions of other admirers of the legendary quartet, he was not just an ordinary fan of their music. This love has turned into obsession. In 1967, Manson, in the age of thirty-two, was imprisoned again. Apparently, he so used to prison that he asked to stay for a longer time, but he was refused.
Therefore, he went to San Francisco. He met there "flower children." It was a good luck, because Manson finally found his niche in society. He became a wolf among sheep.
In 1969, hippies and Charles Manson created a community, which later was named "Manson Family". Young people had become outcasts of American society. Each of them got a new name, and they really lived like family – they were brothers, sisters, and lovers. Manson had a dream to become a rock star. Therefore, he moved closer to the center of rock music – Los Angeles. The impact of Manson on “family” members was limitless. He certainly had the talent motivate people. In addition, he was filled with a strange energy and he wanted to let off some steam. Like the other musicians, Manson felt he had something important to do. Thus, members of the "family" decided to enter the history with their murders. Their victims were people from the rich and famous Hollywood Hills. The most arresting murder happened in August of 1969, in the house of filmmaker Roman Polanski (who was recently arrested for sexual abuse). Under the influence of Tex Watson, "sisters" killed Polanski's wife – movie star Sharon Tate, who was at the ninth month of pregnancy. Other members of the bourgeois bohemia died too: Jay Sebring (hairdresser of Jim Morrison and Bruce Lee) and Abigail Folger (the daughter of the founder of the coffee empire). The next night the raging hippies arrived at another villa (the owners of chain stores La Bianca), and went even further. The circumstances of the death were ritual. All this looked like some creepy immolation than an ordinary crime. After that, Charles Manson and members of his group were arrested for car theft and even then for the murder.
The horrifying crime hid the headlines in the world. First of all, due to the fact that the organizer of the murder was the notorious Manson, who called himself as "Jesus-Satan" and argued that he was the founder of a new religion and philosophy.
This tragedy was even symbolic – it reflected the terrible reality: cinema with its lavishly and colorful crimes confused young people and urged them to the evil deeds that were shown on the screen. The actors themselves, who was guilty in the corruption of minds and morals, became victims of what they had shown. Roman Polanski specialized in "horror movies", and Sharon Tate played a major role in these films. The audience often had the opportunity to contemplate the naked body of the actress, generously smeared with red paint. Bloody crimes in those films influenced a sick mind of Manson, who sought the real blood rather than the fake one. Herbert Blumer explain this through his theory. People act in accordance with their principles based on the values that are formed during their life. Every single object has its own value and every man attach importance to it, for example to people, physical objects, social institutions, social categories (friends, enemies), ideals (freedom and honesty), the actions of people and various situations that a person faces in everyday life ("Herbert Blumer's Three Basic Premises"). Sharon`s role served as a catalyst for her own murder.
A major role in Manson`s worldview had the Beatles with their song "Helter Skelter." The theme of this song, biblical myths and frustration in society were key to the philosophy of Manson. Actually, certain song caused a certain reaction and a certain behavior in accordance with this symbol (Kong, 2014). In addition, it is possible to say that significant symbols cause symbolic interaction. Charles declared that the time would come when the war between the races begun. In his delusional predictions, the blacks would win that war. They would destroy the white race over the earth, of course, except Manson and his “family”. This song was a key factor and killer used it during the consideration of the next murder. On the other hand, we can say that there was tension between the races in the United States, prompting Manson to interpret this song in that way. Communication system requires widespread myths which are contained in a culture to achieve the needed goals and determines individual interpretation of these myths.
Initially, Charles' life was filled only with negative episodes. In this context, it cannot be said that he was not involved in social interaction. However, this fact embodies the worst events that were experienced by him in childhood. His mother, 16-year-old Kathleen Maddox, was raped by a Colonel Scott. In addition, in 1939, his mother was arrested for armed robbery of the gas station. She was sentenced to five-year imprisonment, in West Virginia. When she came out of jail, Charlie was 8 years old. Since then, the boy lived with many "uncles", his home became a cheap hotel room, where Charlie often had to sit alone all day. Manson's mother, as well as the many men who lived with her, did not pay too much attention to him. In Washington, Charles Manson became a victim of homosexual rape, then he started to make such acts. Painfully feeling of uselessness, mental instability were caused by a strong sense of inferiority in his relationship with mother. That is why he suppressed any memories about her. Slow development, extramarital parentage and lack of parental love evoked in him the desire of self-assertion in relationships with other teens and the desire to create techniques for comfortable communication with other people. Manson has spent most of his lifetime in prison. His philosophy was born under the blows of truncheons and boots (Kong, 2014). These symbols (domination and suppression) Manson used in his philosophy. His theory of “Helter Skelter” proved to be a revelation, a kind of mental cure to homeless and drug addicts. Moreover, he found something that he had been sought for a long time – appreciative, easily managed audience.
Works Cited
"Herbert Blumer's Three Basic Premises." @EverythingSLGY #Sociology. N.p., 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 4 July 2015. <http://www.everythingsociology.com/2014/03/socialization-herbert-blumers-three.html>.
Kong, Flora. "Charles Manson (Social Deviance Case Study) by Flora Kong on Prezi."Prezi.com. N.p., 3 Nov. 2014. Web. 2 July 2015. <https://prezi.com/uunwog2ymfje/charles-manson-social-deviance-case-study/>.
