In the book Monster written by Walter Dean Myers the main character Steve Harmon is guilty for the trial for the murder of Mr. Nesbitt. The book starts with Steve Harmon and criminals that Steve was hanging with these criminals include James King, Richard Evans, and Osvaldo Cruz. The plan was that Steve and Cruz were the lookouts Steve was to go in and see if cops were in there and Cruz was to make sure no cops walk in. James King and Richard Evans were to go in but in the end James King shot and killed the well respected Mr Nesbitt. The reasons why Steve Harmon is guilty is because he questioned his innocence and Mrs. O’Brien was flipping the cup to get Steve Harmon to rearrange his story of what happened that day. The main reason many readers believe Steve Harmon is guilty is because near the end of the book he starts to question his innocence. Steve states,“I want to look at myself a thousand times to look for one true image.” (280-281) This is important because if a person knows he or she is innocent without a doubt then why would he or she have to relook over himself or herself about the …show more content…
O´Brien took Steve to another room and they practiced his responses. While Mrs. O'Brien flipped a water bottle to make rearrange his story, so he sounded innocent. If a person is innocent then that person does not have to try and say the right thing they tell the truth about it because he or she did not do anything wrong and they are truly not innocent. When Steve was on the stand answering the questions carefully he went back in his mind to when mrs. O´Brien is flipping the bottle and starts to flip the bottle. For example when Mrs. Petrocelli asked him a question he started to think about Mrs. O'Brien flip the bottle and Steve then states ¨I don't know exactly when the robbery happened, but I know I wasn't at the drugstore that day.¨
First Steve and Mrs.Petrocelli said “ I don’t remember seeing him play ball” “you having trouble remembering what you’ve seen.” (Myers 226). Steve is using a tactic which he said he doesn’t remember something and nobody can disprove that because it’s his memory. Then in the jail inmate number two states “Nah! truth is something you gave up when you were out there on the street. Now you are talking survival” (Myers 226). This demonstrates my theme because the criminal is saying nobody will tell the truth, they will just look for ways to lie to get out of trouble. Steve is a very smart person as he is only saying the bare minimum as to not say any facts to show that he is guilty. The truth is gone all you have left now is
As Katz explains in his methodology, the seductions in crime and immediate benefits were the rationale to Kraft. These acts could be equated to as the pain versus pleasure principle, and the pain had yet to come. These actions became more and more violent as it became easier for Kraft to perpetrate. Each victim fell to the motivations of Kraft and the opportunity they presented to him. The only thing that could stop this offender was being caught, which happened in the summer of 1983. He was stopped for a traffic violation and in the passenger seat was his last victim, found dead with his bloody yet intact testicles hanging out of his pants. The killing lasted over a time span of 13 years and Kraft was found guilty on 16 counts of murder, sodomy, and mutilation. He was sentenced to death in 1989; this was possibly his only deterrence from committing these acts again. The choices this man made are consistent with those explained in the routine and rational activities theory. Cohen and Felson's 3 elements of crime were absolutely correct, the victims being suitable targets and in this case the lack of
In the novel Monster the main character is Steve and he is in court and jail for being accused of a murder and robbery. I believe that Steve is innocent in this particular case. The main reason why they are seeing Steve so differently is because he black. I agree with what Steve's defense attorney said which was “the jury already knew their opinion as soon as they saw him walk in.” They saw an African American troubled teen walk into the courtroom who looks like he knows something. In addition, in court they barely let Steve tell his side of the story. I think he had nothing to do with this robbery/murder. He seems like he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Steve says to O’brien “ aren’t you are innocent till proven guilty.” Surprisingly
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?
This is case, at times, appears as proving Steve as innocent, but other times is seems that Steve is guilty. For example, Bobo Evans had said “I’ve been knowing King my whole life. Just met the other guy the night before the robber went down”. This is making Steve seem guilty by including him in the crime. If Bobo had just said that he had known King his whole life and had not mentioned Steve at all it would have made Steve look like he had not participated in the robbery. The quote “Me and King planned a get over and we done it” portrays Steve as innocent because it does not mention him help plan the crime. Unfortunately for Steve the testimony from Bobo had hurt him more than it had helped. Another quote that had hurt Steve’s case was “He was supposed to tell us if anybody was in the drugstore. He didn’t say anything so we figured it was all right”. This had flat-out said that Steve had been a part of the robbery and had done his part. Bobo had also continued on to say that they had seen Steve leave the store, as planned, before they had entered the drugstore. Therefore, because of the evidence, Steve’s case is evidence that not everything is as it
First, Steve Harmon is not guilty of felony murder because he was scouting locations for school film project. Mr. Sawicki, Steve's film club teacher states, “It is my belief that to make an honest film, one has to be an honest person. I would say that. And I do believe in Steve's honesty." he says this after Steve says, "I don't know exactly where I was when the robbery took place. Most of the day I was going around taking mental notes about places I want to film for a school film project. The evidence shows that on the day of the robbery, Steve was believed to be scouting places for a film assignment. Mr. Sawicki, his film teacher believes Steve is honest. As a result of the evidence Steve Harmon is not guilty because he was scouting locations for a school film project while the crime was taking place. Steve Harmon is not guilty of felony murder
“The only two people that know I am innocent, is myself and the killer.” Imagine being blamed for a crime you did not commit, and nobody would believe you no matter what you said. Steven Truscott had forty-two years of his life taken from him for being charged with a crime he did not commit. He was charged at only the age of fourteen for murdering and raping twelve year old Lynne Harper. He then became the youngest death-row inmate after one of the most famous trials in the history of Canada. Steven Truscott should never have been convicted for the murder and rape of Lynne Harper due to the fact the forensic evidence was questionable the
Walter Dean Myers was born in august 12, 1937 in Martinsburg while in school, he played Harlem basketball. Mr. Myers lived in New York, New Jersey, and Martinsburg etc. Dean Myers wrote tons of books like Bad Boy, Fallen Angle, and Monster. He wrote all types of books in different kind of genres.
Monster is an example of what Patty Campbell would call a “landmark book.” Texts such as these “encourage readers to interact with the text and with one another by employing a variety of devices, among them ambiguity” (Campbell 1) Because it is told through the eyes of Steve himself, the plot can be difficult to decipher. It is ambiguous whether he is innocent or guilty of being involved with the crime. Steve learned to make things unpredictable from his film teacher Mr. Sawicki who teaches him, “If you make your film predictable, they’ll make up their minds about it long before it’s over” (19). Steve took his teacher’s advice and made this film script entirely unpredictable,
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.
Her lips tense; she is pensive. She gathers her papers and moves away as Steve, arms still outstretched, turns toward the camera.” (276). O’Brien had doubts right from the start. As a defense attorney and being very involved with the facts of the crime, O’Brien definitely has a great insight and can make very informed decisions on who she believes to be innocent or guilty.
In the novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers, Steve Harmon is a 16 year old male who is accused, along with James King for murder. Harmon writes journal entries about his experiences in the trial in hopes to produce a film about his experiences. Through all the novel one theme is apparent, one can not believe everything they hear. This means that in a trial, or any other situation taking information with a grain of salt can benefit.
Monster essay People today make bad decisions. Some examples are in the book called Monster by Walter Dean Myers. This book is about Steve if he is guilty or not. Steve was the lookout and was responsible for Mr. Nesbit death because Steve was there, evolved, and felony murder. First of all, Steve was the lookout because he was in the store a little time before the robbery.
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.
The reason for this is that Steve never really agreed to be a part of the robbery but James