A Review of Walter Dean Myers’s Fiction Work: Monster
Steve Harmon’s potential involvement of a murder of a shopkeeper drags him into prison and the legal system. By the creative outlet of a theatrical play script, he records his experiences in prison. An internal struggle composed of self-confidence, misery, and hope, he works his way through to reflect on his current and past actions as he tried to become liberated from prison.
The Sun Does Shine is a captivating autobiography about Anthony Ray Hinton’s journey of being sentenced to 28 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. As years go by, Anthony tries his hardest to prove that he was wrongfully convicted, but the system doesn’t allow it. Even through the darkest times, Anthony has hope that he will see the light again. As time flies, he starts to lose hope. Will he ever live a normal life again?
Amal Shahid winds up in jail when he is accused of a crime he may or may not have committed. When in prison, he is given lots of time to think of the root of his problems, what he should be thankful for, and how much he loves his main talent: art. Through his artistic ability, Amal learns to cope with his sorrows as well as make new friends behind bars.
Steve Harmon, a 16-year old African-American teenager, is put on trial for the murder of a shopkeeper during a robbery. The book revolves around Steve’s courtroom experience, which he records in his notebook in the shape of a movie script. Multiple people are called as witnesses in the court as the court tries to find out who was guilty of killing the man. Eventually, the court reaches a verdict after witnesses such as Steve’s theater teacher and other people involved in the robbery speak: Steve is not guilty, while the person who actually pulled the trigger, James King, is found guilty.
Monster held a standard of which I loved. This book explains how an African American is treated while being held on trial of being an accomplice in a murder. Steve Harmon is the main character and he goes through many incidents during his time in jail. My feelings about this book are unimaginable because it explains a topic that many people do not want to discuss.
Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is a realistic fiction novel about a teenager who is charged with felony murder. The main character, Steve, is abruptly put into prison because he is accused of being part of a plan that went wrong and accidentally killed a store owner. Steve continuously tries to explain to the judge and the jury that he wasn't present at the time of the crime, but because of racial injustice and the people he hangs out with, they find it nearly impossible that he is innocent. This book shows the entire process of the case in much detail with some plot twists.
This coming-of-age novel is about Steve Harmon, a sixteen-year-old teenager, who is on trial for allegedly murdering a drugstore owner during a failed robbery. He challenges the assumption that he must be a Monster because he is an African-American male on trial for murder. In order to cope and redefine his identity, he distances himself from others and journals his experiences in the form of a screenplay.
