Monster

After reading Monster by Walter Dean Myers, I remain in awe as to how I had not read or heard of this book previously.  This novel reminds me a lot of Native Son by Richard Wright, in that they both deal with young men who have committed a crime and are dealing with the justice system.  However, Monster deals almost exclusively with Steve Harmon's trial and takes place more recently than Native Son.  In this way, Monster is able to address the social issues that are still relevant to our culture today.   

Monster is about the trial of Steve Harmon, a sixteen year old who was allegedly involved in a robbery that resulted in a murder.  The whole novel is written in the form of a movie script, even going so far as to describe the type of camera shots used for each scene.  As the reader continues through the novel, it is revealed that one of Steve's favorite hobbies is the school film club.  Suddenly, it makes perfect sense as to why Steve is telling the story of his trial in the form of a movie script; he is a filmmaker.  Not only does the script format add to the novel's look and appeal, it also makes for more interesting and engaging reading.  As I read Monster, I was able to envision how the scenes would look if they were actually part of a real movie.

During my senior year of high school, I took a Law and Justice course in which we learned about the criminal justice system, to an extent.  I think reading Monster would have greatly aided in students' understanding of the justice system and how much the outcome of the case really depends on the lawyers and the jury, rather than the actual truth of what happened.  What I find interesting is that Steve never actually admits to doing anything wrong, but we can infer by his reflections on his conversations with James King that he was most likely involved.  In spite of this fact, I found myself wanting Steve to win the trial and to be released from prison as soon as I began reading the novel.  Something about him made me sympathize with him, and he definitely seems to be a more genuine and kind person than the other men who were (allegedly) involved in the robbery.  Reading this novel in high school would help students to understand how every action has a consequence and that the actions that end up taking place could be different from what was intended.  For example, the men who committed the robbery did not necessarily intend to kill anyone that day.  However, certain events that occurred during the robbery led to a man's murder.  Now, instead of merely being charged for robbery, Steve and James King are on trial for murder as well.  This novel offers the perfect opportunity to teach students that life sometimes does not happen as planned and that one bad decision can result in prison, or even death.

In addition to providing teachable moments, this novel also deals with the ways that incarceration not only affects the prisoner, but also the prisoner's family and friends.  I like that Myers includes scenes with Steve's mother, father, and brother, to further demonstrate that Steve is a person, just like anyone else, and that he is loved by his family.  The fact that his parents did not seem to realize the type of friends Steve has and what he is capable of doing allows the audience to see how easy it is for a young person to get caught up in a potentially life-changing and damaging situation.  With parents and a brother like those that Steve has, I felt myself continually asking "Why?" throughout the novel.  I wanted a reason; I wanted to know why Steve is on trial and why he was (allegedly) involved in the robbery.  Was it so that he could appear tough in front of his friends?  Was he bored?  What interested me the most throughout the novel is that Steve seems to be dealing with this issue as well.  He does not understand what led him to this trial, just as we, the audience, do not understand.  How did his life get this bad?  He has a loving family and he seems to believe that he should not be sent to prison.  Therefore, I continue to wonder what led Steve to become involved with the other characters and what will happen to him after the novel ends.  Will this experience serve as a wake-up call that will inspire Steve to actually create a movie based on his trial?  Will Steve ever determine who he is, in "one true image"?  I guess I'll never know (unless Myers writes a sequel).