Analysis of Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Monster by Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon, a sixteen year old African American male, who lives in Harlem, New York and is forced into the situation which puts him on trial for felony murder. The novel's plot focuses on Steve's time in prison and his experiences in the courtroom throughout his trial. As he sits quietly alongside his attorney during the trails, the aspiring filmmaker records the events of his trial in screenplay format. His journal entries contained Steve's own thoughts and provide the reader with some valuable background information about his life prior to the violent acts that he has been accused of. At the end of the novel, Steve rediscovers his personal identity, and develops a set of moral standards for himself that ultimately shape the person he becomes after his trial. Steve Harmon portrays the fear of a teenager who is in prison and portrays a confident teenager who is strong enough to pull through any hardship while having his world turned upside down.
Throughout the book Steve portrays fear of one’s life in prison because the entire book is him trying to get out of prison and him trying to get his life back. He also has fears that include many of the other characters in the book. For example Steve voices one of his fears - that Kathy O’Brien doesn’t know what he’s really like and probably doesn’t care. Another prisoner in the detention center claims he doesn’t care what the verdict is, because they can put you in jail, but they can’t touch your soul. That moment was an impact for Steve, because after his speech, the prisoner begins to cry. It makes Steve realize that he could go to jail for twenty-five years to life. He comes to the conclusion that the fear he deals with each day in the detention center is so great that a criminal like James King, another suspect accused in the case, no longer has the ability to scare him. Another example would be in journal entry number five...