Monster By Walter Dean Myers Summary

595 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Literature And Society

You are on trial and your life depends on it. You and your lawyer have argued and proved that you are innocent, but the verdict is still unknown. You are told a verdict is in and your heart is racing. The judge then says you are... In the story Monster by Walter Dean Myers, is a young adult named Steve Harmon—the protagonist—is being accused of felony murder. The story is written both in first person and as a screenplay. Myers uses unique characters and settings to make the reader feel like they are in the same situation as Harmon. The majority of the story takes place in the courtroom where Harmon and his lawyer are fighting for his life. The novel also takes place in a jail and can really show the horrors of what happens there and what is …show more content…

Harmon associated himself with the wrong people. When King asked Harmon to be the lookout for the “getover” he did not respond because he feared King. He went to the drug store that night but he did not give a signal or steal anything. Even though nothing he did was wrong he was accused to have helped King because he was in the store. This led to Steve being locked up in jail for a little because he was accused of murder with King. If Harmon had never associated himself with the street thug, he would never went to jail and never had the horrible experience he faced. In the text it states “I hate it in here. I hate it in here. I hate it in here. I hate, hate, hate, hate it in here. (Myers July 8)” This quote from Steve proves my point because if he had not chosen to be involved with people like King and Bobo—who also helped King in the “getover”, he would not have ever been in a crazy and scary environment. His choices prior to the case led to the future; his fate was not to go to jail. As you can see the theme your actions choose the future—there is no fate was proven through Harmon when he was in prison for a small period of time even though it felt like forever to

Show More
Related

  • Alvin Prejudice Hooks

    1082 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the court room Mr. Hooks makes a point with the evidence he is given and testimonies by witnesses to prosecute Mr. Miyamoto. Mr. Hooks takes some drastic measures by using personal attacks and being prejudice towards the defendant to convince the jurors that Mr. Miyamoto is a killer. During the trail Alvin hooks b...

    Read More

  • Summary of Monster by Sanyika Shakur

    1052 Words  | 3 Pages

    Growing up in a world of gangs, death, and suffering Kody Scott, also known as Monster Kody, grew up in a life of struggle. From eleven years old Kody knew what he wanted a to be, a gangster. Nothing could stop him from becoming one of the most feared gang member of the late 1970?s and early 80?s except maybe his own conscience. Kody Scott goes through an evolution, from a child to Monster Kody to finally Sanyika Shakur, his Muslim name. Sanyika Shakur is a true survivor, considering everything that has taken place in his life he has managed to make something of himself from nothing.

    Read More

  • Walter Dean Myers’ Monster - Guilty Until Proven Innocent

    1247 Words  | 3 Pages

    Monster is an example of what Patty Campbell would call a “landmark book.” Texts such as these “encourage readers to interact with the text and with one another by employing a variety of devices, among them ambiguity” (Campbell 1) Because it is told through the eyes of Steve himself, the plot can be difficult to decipher. It is ambiguous whether he is innocent or guilty of being involved with the crime. Steve learned to make things unpredictable from his film teacher Mr. Sawicki who teaches him, “If you make your film predictable, they’ll make up their minds about it long before it’s over” (19). Steve took his teacher’s advice and made this film script entirely unpredictable, even after it is over. His lawyer, O’Brien, says in her closing statement, “What can we trace as to the guilt or innocence of my client, Steve Harmon?” (245) This leaves the jury with an undoubtedly difficult decision, as well as the reader, because there are clues to both guilt and innocence in Steve’s case.

    Read More

  • Monsters and The Moral Imagination by Stephen Asma

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout history we see monsters taking many different shapes and sizes. Whether it be a ghoul in the midst of a cold nightly stroll or a mass genocide, monsters are lurking everywhere and our perception of what monsters truly are, is enhancing their growth as a force with which to be reckoned. Fear of the unknown is seen throughout time, but as humans progress we are finding that things we once were afraid of we are less frightening than they once were. Monsters can evoke fear in their targeted victims rather than physically harm their victims. For instance, every year a new horror film is released with the next scary beast, but why do we call something a monster even if we know it is not real? Even certain people and creatures are classified as monsters, but are they really monsters, or do their actions speak of monstrous doings? In his article and book chapter Monsters and the Moral Imagination and chapter 5 of On Monsters, Stephen Asma suggests that monstrosity, as we know it, is on the rise as humans progress, and how we perceive monsters can often define monstrosities in itself, providing evidence as to why monster cultures are on the rise, and showing how human progress has evolved our perception of how we think on the topic that is monsters.

    Read More

  • Barry Scheck's Actual Innocence: When Justice Goes Wrong

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    If that does not occur to the reader as an issue than factoring in the main problem of the topic where innocent people die because of false accusation will. In addition, this book review will include a brief review of the qualifications of the authors, overview of the subject and the quality of the book, and as well as my own personal thoughts on the book. In the novel Actual Innocence: When Justice Goes Wrong and How to Make It Right authors Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld, and Jim Dwyer expose the flaws of the criminal justice system through case histories where innocent men were put behind bars and even on death row because of the miscarriages of justice. Initially, the text promotes and galvanizes progressive change in the legal

    Read More

  • Analysis of the Jurors in 12 Angry Men

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    Guilty or not guilty? This the key question during the murder trial of a young man accused of fatally stabbing his father. The play 12 Angry Men, by Reginald Rose, introduces to the audience twelve members of a jury made up of contrasting men from various backgrounds. One of the most critical elements of the play is how the personalities and experiences of these men influence their initial majority vote of guilty. Three of the most influential members include juror #3, juror #10, and juror #11. Their past experiences and personal bias determine their thoughts and opinions on the case. Therefore, how a person feels inside is reflected in his/her thoughts, opinions, and behavior.

    Read More

  • Insanity in Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Alan Poe

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    Every once in awhile, a case comes about in which the defendant confesses to a crime, but the defense tries to argue that at the time the defendant was not sane. This case is no different; the court knows the defendant is guilty the only aspect they are unsure about is the punishment this murderer should receive. The State is pushing for a jail sentence and strongly believes that the defendant was sane at the time of the murder. It is nearly impossible for the defense to prove their evidence burden of 51%. The State claims that the defendant was criminally responsible at the time of the murder. By using excessive exaggeration, premeditation and motive, the Prosecution will prove that the defendant knew exactly what he was doing and how wrong it was.

    Read More

  • Fear in A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

    879 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, Conor, the protagonist worries about many issues. He suffers through all the emotions he has to combat about his mother's battle with cancer. However, the greatest emotion Conor has conflict is with fear itself. He is so fearful of countless issues he has to struggle with such as the fact he might have to possibly live with his grandmother for the rest of his life, or if he might not stay with his father the way Conor would like to. Primarily what Conor suffers through the most is the fear of his own mother's health. Conor cannot handle the fact that his mother is not getting any better and her health is slowly failing. Conor has an incredible amount of conflict with his fear, he tries to hide it, pretend it is not there, but soon his fear will grow until his fear finally get hold of him. In similarity, it is like procrastinating on an assignment in some sort, when there is no time left the assignment must be done. When there is no time left Conor has to acknowledge and face the fear. Patrick Ness tries to say that, through the way Conor deals with all his fears, Ness says it is better to overcome his fears than hide them. Also, not acknowledging his fears will lead to painful internal conflict, and acknowledging fears is difficult, but facing them is for the better of Conor.

    Read More

  • Crimical Justice System: The Beauty of Detail

    1512 Words  | 4 Pages

    The stages of trial in the criminal justice system are not always as it is depicted in movies or television shows. According to the entertainment industry, there are two sides: good versus evil, and the story usually ends with an epic, jaw-dropping conclusion that finds the defendant guilty as in A Few Good Men. While that may be the case during some trials, the true beauty lies within the strategy of the prosecution and the defense. In fact, there is a distinct art that occurs at trial that takes a tremendous amount of preparation and knowledge to gain the upper hand. It is almost like a game of chess; each move most be well calculated and thought out because it can determine the outcome of the entire case. It is a mental battle between opposing counsels, where the one with the ability to think ahead often wins.

    Read More

  • Frankenstein - The Humanity of the Monster

    1402 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sometimes, in novels like Frankenstein, the motives of the author are unclear.  It is clear however, that one of the many themes Mary Shelley presents is the humanity of Victor Frankenstein's creation.  Although she presents evidence in both support and opposition to the creation's humanity, it is apparent that this being is indeed human.  His humanity is not only witnessed in his physical being, but in his intellectual and emotional thoughts as well.  His humanity is argued by the fact that being human does not mean coming from a specific genetic chain and having family to relate to, but to embrace many of the distinct traits that set humans apart from other animals in this world.  In fact, calling Victor's creation a `monster' doesn't support the argument that he is human, so for the sake of this case, his name shall be Phil.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Monster And Murder On A Sunday Morning

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    Steve Harmon was accused of felony murder of Alguinado Nesbitt, a drugstore owner that was killed on December 22 of last year. After the murder, Steve kept telling himself that he was a monster and that he doesn’t know who he is anymore. The nickname monster came from the prosecutor of the state Ms.Petrocelli. To help him cope with the situation that he is in, he starts to write a screenplay about what is going on in the trial. In the trial the jury is already accusing him for the murder of Nesbitt.

    Read More

  • Not Born a Monster: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

    1498 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein, the protagonist, produces a monster and instead of teaching his monster the mannerisms and norms of society, he abandons him. Victor expects his monster to make it in the harsh, critical society without being taught correct demeanors because he believes that having correct mannerisms is intuitive. A common viewpoint of the book is that Frankenstein’s monster should receive the blame, because he should have had proper nature, but in reality, society nurtured him to act out. Victor isolated the monster, and other members of society followed in Victor’s example and also treated him as so; which made the creature’s actions monstrous. Frankenstein played God, causing society to view his creature as a monster and as a risk to the public, but Frankenstein did not intend to create the monster as dangerous in nature; society nurtured him to act as a beast.

    Read More

  • Final Argument by Clifford Irving

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    The title of this book is Final Argument, which reflects on the story its self. The book is about a lawyer named Ted Jaffe that is living a life of success, but due to recent events he is pulled back to a case that occurred twelve years ago. If he doesn’t act fast, a potentially innocent man (Darryl Morgan) is going to be executed. Ted must make a Final Argument on the bases that Darryl is innocent and didn’t receive a fair trial due to bribery and corruption.

    Read More

  • A Monstrosity in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses the motif of monstrosity to convey the theme that a person’s outward appearance is not what makes them a monster but rather their actions or inactions that classify true monstrosity. Despite the fact that the monster Victor Frankenstein creates is a literal example of monstrosity in the novel there are many parts that give meaning to monstrosity within character’s actions. Although Victor appears normal, since he is human his ambitions, secrets, selfishness, and inaction makes him a monster himself. Along with monstrous characters the pursuit of knowledge that is seen in Victor, his monster, and Walton in Frankenstein prove that knowledge can be a monstrosity. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is created using the life stories of different characters in the novel. The novel itself could be seen as a monster created similarly to Victor’s monster.

    Read More

  • In the Middle of the Night

    787 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Conclusion, Lulu’s revenge, John Paul’s guilt, and Denny’s lust represents monstrous behavior. This story shows us that all humans are capable of monstrous behavior. Robert Cormier shares the perspective of a killer. Its take us on a journey through the characters’ eyes and shows us that even the innocent can be dangerous and how one event can negatively impact a person’s life.

    Read More

More about Monster By Walter Dean Myers Summary

Open Document