Monster

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper. 16-year-old Steve Harmon is the protagonist in Monster. In the novel, Steve is in prison for supposedly taking part in a robbery murder. While in prison, Steve writes a script of the events that take place during his trial. The novel ends with James King found guilty and Steve is found innocent. Steve is released and continues his filmmaking, but even after five years, still ponders as to why Kathy O’Brien was so cold to him on that day when the trial ended. I think the intended audience for Monster might be for ages 13 and up. Recommendations for follow up reading include any of Walter Dean Myers’ novels, such as Fallen Angles, Bad Boy, Slam!, Scorpions, Somewhere in the Darkness, and Autobiography of My Dead Brother. Teachers that might find this valuable would be English teachers because, considering Monster is written in the form of a screenplay, it differs, variety-wise, from other novels students might be required to read. I think a lesson that could come from reading Monster is to not let other people’s opinions and accusations be the facts. Monster meets the social developmental criteria because Steve cares a lot about what others think about him and what he thinks of himself. However, Steve remains heroic while facing the consequences as the events are slowly set into motion. Monster also meets the mental developmental criteria because Steve ponders and conflicts inside his head whether he is truly a monster, even putting in his script that he felt like one at one time.