Monster By Dean Myers Chapter Summary

The idea of what a monster is and how it pertains to modern day society has fascinated readers and writers for decades. Before taking this class, I was aware of what a monster is and the function it served in today’s society. Furthermore, after taking this class, I am now aware of what a monster truly is, and what really separates a monster from a regular person. The piece of text that I mainly chose to focus on and elaborate closely to demonstrate the aspects of a monster is appropriately named, Monster, by Walter Dean Myers. The reason I chose this piece of literature is because, Monster thoroughly elaborates what a monster is in todays society and how it functions in the modern day world. In this essay I will elaborate on

1. Monster is a novel written in a screenplay format with Steve’s journal entries mixed in throughout. Do you think this is an effective format for the book? Why or why not?

“Monster”, a 1999 novel by Walter Dean Myers, is an incredible story told through the fictional movie script of a boy on trial for murder and robbery. It’s an intriguing read that triggers deep thought and empowers the hearts within all. A book notable for its messages against implicit bias, encouraging the notion of truth within yourself, you can speculate on its events from start to finish and beyond. But it’s worth pondering of its connection to real life. Does “Monster” truly reflect the criminal justice system of our country’s society today? Read on to discover the shocking answer.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers has varied themes that the author wants the reader to take away after reading the novel. Monster is about a sixteen year old named Steve Harmon that was accused of felony murder. Harmon has never committed a crime before and the novel is his version of a movie script; the reader only knows what he writes down. Harmon has his own notes throughout the script and he describes everything that is going on while the trial goes on. Evidently, the theme for Monster is that telling the truth will depend on the future.

“Fear and euphoria are dominant forces, and fear is many multiples the size of euphoria” - Alan Greenspan. New York author, Alan Greenspan, here is explaining that the threat fear presents is really no different than the state of intensity caused by euphoria. In Andrew J. Hoffman’s anthology, Monsters, there is substantial evidence that both fear and euphoria are inflicted upon men, by female monsters. The two threats men typically face against women are temptation and emasculation. Thus, in mythology and folklore, female monsters exemplify the impulse of desire (sexually) for men, and male weakness. These are creature that are lusted after and yet, still feared because of their power. Men find female monsters both fearsome and euphoric and will always threaten their dominance and control.

There is such kind of monsters, remain their appearance as a human, yet the things they do can only describe as monstrosities. They are not monsters in books and literature, a fear of unknown or sexual desires. People were, or still are facing actual brutal violence or psychological terror from those monsters. More importantly, the monster being talked here is one of our kind. They are human, yet described as “inhuman”, under the inhuman category of Stephen T. Asma’s book On Monsters, a bloody history, a dark past of humanity have been introduced as a monster. It is Khmer Rouge’s infamous security prison S21: the representation of the massacre took place in Cambodia in 20th century and this kind of monster, unfortunately, is still relevant to the world, even till this day.

Imagine the punches, the kicks, the smashing on the table, just to realize the character traits can change everything. Monster by Walter Dean Myers evolves on the fact that being tough is key within life. Steve Harmon, 16 year old boy, black male, is being accused of felony murder. A court case involving James King and Steve Harmon is taking place to see who is not guilty. Steve writes in his journal of the experiences in jail. Through Steve’s writing it is clear that one must be strong and avoid showing weakness.

How would you feel to be put on trial for a crime you did not commit? In the book, Monster by Walter Dean Myers, this is the case for a sixteen-year-old Harlem boy named Steve Harmon. Steve is on trial for felony murder because he has been accused of being involved in being the lookout for a robbery that took place on December 22nd in an uptown convenience store that resulted in the shooting of Alguinaldo Nesbitt, the convenience store clerk. Steve Harmon is innocent for the reasoning’s of he does not know who Richard Evans is, the convenience store was not empty, and there was no signal.

Why is gang affiliation such an alluring, appealing lifestyle? Admittedly, the appeal is conceivable. Watching Boyz in the Hood or listening to hip-hip may cause some to think, “I can live that life,” but thought does not turn into action while others never formulate such a thought. This raises the question, why does Monster Kody Scott, consider devout gang membership as a sole objective despite constant contingencies of incarceration and demise? To answer this question, this paper will take the social disorganization position in its review of Monster: An Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member. In addition, this paper will use examples to show that social disorganization explains the behavior portrayed the book.

Monster by Sanyika Shakur yields a firsthand insight on gang warfare, prison, and redemption. “There are no gang experts except participants (xiii)” says Kody Scott aka. Monster. Monster vicariously explains the roots of the epidemic of South Central Los Angeles between the Crips and the Bloods that the world eventually witnessed on April 29, 1992. As readers we learn to not necessarily give gangs grace but do achieve a better understanding of their disposition to their distinct perception in life.

In the book Monster, written by Walter Dean Myers, a young boy named Steve Harmon was accused of taking part of a crime. In a real life trial called Murder on a Sunday Morning, a young boy named Brenton Butler was also accused of being a part of a crime. The main reason of those false accusations is because of their skin color, the witnesses notice color instead of physical appearance.

Mopping unsanitary floors on hands and knees but looking out the window seeing joy-filled kids. Behind cold steel bars in a lonely cage, however able to relate to other prisoners who have faith for the future. The Monster masterpiece by Walter Dean Myers puts Steve Harmon—a sixteen year old black kid in jail—on the hot seat for the crime of robbery and felony murder of an innocent man named Mr. Nesbitt. On trial are two men--Steve Harmon and James King—that not only have a chance to be given a minimum sentence of 21 years and 3 months but a maximum sentence of life in jail. While being called a Monster by the prosecutor, Mrs. Petrocelli. this dark time for Harmon results in having no true place to escape where only doubt runs through his mind. However, the progression that Harmon makes, not only in jail but during the trial with his defense attorney, Miss O’Brien, allows us to understand that during many situations, doubt and hope intertwine.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers The plot of Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is scary because the King talks Steve into being in his crew with him, which the crew is where they were going to rob the drugstore. King takes the gun from the guy at the store then shoots him and kills him. All the people that were with him, who was his crew, end up getting caught as well and all have to go to court. They then have to go to trial for the murder.

Reality sometimes appears like it is a fulfillment of a dream. In Monster by Dean Myers, various characters portray the theme of Dream and reality. The story demonstrates what is like to be in a courtroom, jail and various struggles one family faces due to the action of judicial system. Dean Myers demonstrates more realistic picture of what it means to be in jail. Sometimes to be behind bars it is to be far from being in a state of freedom. We see the dream and reality through Steve Harmon, who is the main character, who is involved in robbery of drug store but not in the actual killing of the owner of the store. He faces a possible life imprisonment for his participation in the crime, on the other hand two of the robbers possibly face a death

What are the odds of a sixteen year old being guilty of murder that they have no proof? In Monster by Walter Dean Myers this is the most substantial problem, Steve Harmon, who is sixteen and James King who is at the age twenty-three are both being accused of the murder of a man named Alguinaldo Nesbitt. The reason that Steve Harmon is being accused is because many witnesses are saying they saw Harmon as wells as King at the store that was robbed and resulted in the murder of Mr. Nesbitt. Witnesses and prisoners are telling what their truth is, during the trial or not. Clearly, truth is what one believes is right.