Monster
Myers, W. (1999).
Monster. New York: HarperCollins.
Monster tells the
story of the Steve Harmon who is on trial for murder. The story takes places
during the trial with a few flashbacks to a time before the trial. On trial
with the alleged shooter, James King, this sixteen-year-old boy is faced with
charges of felony murder which carries a significant jail sentence. He is considered
an accomplice to murder because he (allegedly) was the one who gave the all
clear for the robbery to occur. As the trial proceeds, Steve struggles with his
fear during his nights in prison and truly understanding what is happening in
his court proceedings. The prosecution depends heavily on jail house snitches,
who all have criminal histories of their own. As the trial comes to an end,
Steve is acquitted, but continues to wonder if he is a monster as the
prosecuting attorney claimed.
Monster by Walter
Dean Myers is a contemporary realistic fiction novel that tells the struggle of
a teen in jail while on trial in New York City. The format of the novel is
unique as it is written a film script with occasional journal entries. It is
written completely from Steve’s point of view allowing the reader to feel his
terror and confusion. This book tackles the tough issues of young men in jail
and how they cope with the horror of what their future holds. The novel
reflects on how one poor choice (bending to peer pressure) can result in a
lifetime in prison. One of the major continuing themes throughout the novel is:
What is really the truth?. Is it what
happened? Is it what you rationalize your actions to be? Is it what you wish it
to be? Steve continues to wrestle with this idea as the book closes. Is he a
monster?
Awards
Printz Award (2000)
Coretta Scott King Honor Book (2000)
Coretta Scott King Honor Book for Illustrations (which were
done by Meyers’ son)
Best Book for Young Adults (2000)
Books of Interest:
Monster: A Graphic
Novel adapted by Guy Sims (2015)
Interesting Links:
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