MONSTER

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. Monster. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. New York: Harper Tempest. ISBN 0060280786

PLOT SUMMARY
Sixteen year-old Steve Harmon is awaiting a trial that will determine the rest of his life. Steve was serving as a lookout in the robbery of a Harlem convenient store. During the robbery attempt, the store owner was killed. He is now being tried as an accomplice to murder. While in jail and on trial, Steve who is an aspiring filmmaker, decides to write his own screenplay and record the events of his trial.

The story begins with journal entries Steve has written describing his feelings of despair and anguish about his experiences in prison and in the courtroom. As the courtroom drama unfolds, the prosecutor tries to show that even though Steve did not pull the trigger, he is guilty by association. She portrays him to the jury as a “Monster” while Steve’s lawyer tries to convince them he is a decent law-abiding citizen and was not even present at the time of the robbery.

Will Steve receive a fair trial or will he be railroaded because he is black? In the end, Steve’s guilt or innocence is never made clear. It is up to the reader to determine whether he is a “Monster”.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Myers creates this riveting story of sixteen year-old Steve Harmon through Steve’s point of view, as he struggles with the fact that he is being tried as an accomplice to murder. Steve, an aspiring filmmaker, decides to record the trial’s events as a screenplay. “Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I’ll call it what the lady who is the prosecutor called me. Monster.” Between scenes, we read Steve’s handwritten journal about the case in which he details the harshness and fears of prison life. His screenplay vividly explores his apprehensions about the court proceedings and tension in the courtroom. The screenplay is very expressive and colorful; complete with close-ups, reaction shots and authentic-sounding dialogue.

While descriptions of Steve’s predicament is dramatic, the actual crime in which a robbery and murder was committed is not discussed in detail. Therefore, it is up to the reader to draw their own conclusion to determine Steve’s guilt or innocence.

As young adults read each page, they will consider the repercussions of peer pressure and will question the choices one makes. They will learn about the justice system and will try to decide whether Steve is innocent or guilty. Teens and adults alike will find this an interesting and compelling story.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Review from Booklist: “A fascinating portrait of a terrified young man wrestling with his conscience. The tens drama of the courtroom scenes will enthrall readers, but it the thorny moral questions raised in Steven’s journal that will endure in readers’ memories”.

Review in Kirkus Reviews: “A riveting novel. A taut and moving drama”.

Review from School Library Journal: “Riveting….An emotionally charged story that readers will find compelling and disturbing.”

CONNECTIONS
Other books by Walter Dean Myers:
Scorpions ISBN 0064406237
Slam! ISBN 0545055741
Bad Boy: A Memoir ISBN 0545055776
Somewhere in the Darkness ISBN 0064472884