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For my book talk assignment I read a realistic fiction novel named “Monster” by Walter Dean Myers.
The setting takes place present day in Harlem, New York. The main character is a sixteen-year-old boy named Steve Harmon. Steve Harmon is on trial for a murder that he believes he did not commit. While he is in jail he is writing a script for a movie about the trial. The script helps Steve stay calm and not go crazy while he is in jail. Steve and his Defense Attorney, Kathy O’Brien, are trying to prove to the jury that Steve is innocent. Steve is thought to have been working with two other men, James King and Richard “Bobo” Evans. These two people robbed the store and then Steve apparently killed the owner of the store after Bobo and
That particular theme is used for a lot of things, but I think “Monster” by Walter Dean Myers is a perfect example. Steve Harmon is basically put on a murder trial because he is black. In the beginning of the novel Steve was reminded that he may never be proven innocent because he was black. To a lot of people being black means you’re guilty “Well, frankly, nothing is happening that speaks of you being innocent. Half of those jurors, no matter what they said when we questioned them when we picked the jury, believed you were guilty the moment they laid eyes on you. You’re young, you’re black, and you’re on trail” (Myers 79). This quote helps to show that Steve was completely judged on how he looked. So, in the beginning of the book Steve thought he was never getting out of jail. This gives the reader an understanding on where Steve is coming from, and why he believes he is a monster. After hearing what O’Brien said to Steve, Steve never thought he would be free, all because he was black. When Steve looked around, all he saw was black people “Then I realized that the five guys doing the mopping must have all looked alike and I suddenly felt as if I couldn’t breath” (Myers 129). This all happened in the middle of the book. All of the people mopping were black, Steve realized that black people always look guilty. This scared Steve again, he now knew he was never going to get out, or so he thought. He knew
Secondly Steve had lied under oath when asked if he was in the store that day. This comes up only after the reader reads a little further into the book. In one of Steve’s journal entries on page 40 he says, “I went in to get some gum” . This means that he had lied when he was asked if he was in the store the day the robbery took place. Proving that Steve was guilty at least for contempt of court if not the robbery.
Is Steve Harmon innocent or guilty you decide. Steve Harmon is put on trial of the murder of Mr. Nesbitt and the robbery of his drug store. During the trail Steve Harmon is seen as guilty by the prosecutor Sandra Petrocelli. The witness Allen Forbes testimony proves that the gun used in the murder was registered under Mr. Nesbitt. This helps prove that the gun was used in the murder and the robbery and the gun was later found in the store. This witness helped me prove that Steve Harmon could have used the gun to kill Mr. Nesbitt or had taken part in the robbery at some point in the crime. “I went around behind the counter and I saw Mr. Nesbitt on the floor—there was blood everywhere and the cash register was open. A lot of cigarettes were
The story starts with Steve in his cell. He is very scared. He only cries at night so the other prisoners can’t hear him. There is a mirror in his room with names of other prisoners scratched into it. He looks into it and calls himself “Monster” . This is the name the prosecutor gave him and the others involved in the crime. He flashes back to when he was ten. He and his friend are throwing rocks and breaking windows then running from the owners. He is with strangers all the time now. He eats, sleeps and even has to go to the bathroom in front of them. He sees a guy make a knife out of a toothbrush. The day his trial starts a guy gets hit with a tray at breakfast. There is blood everywhere. He misses his family very much even his younger brother. His family comes to see him on visiting day and get to see him in court. His mother always looks sad in the courtroom.
• Setting: Oklahoma City, OK – The county jail; the trail around the lighthouse and Gary’s house. • Plot: Tony is a young adult who has no direction or hope for this future. That is until he meets Malcom, a businessman who has faced similar challenges. Malcom comes to the county jail on Monday’s and soon builds a connection with Tony. Malcom shares his knowledge and experience with Tony and he soon becomes successful himself.
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
Of final note in this summary of points concerning the differences in setting, the jurors all mention the heat wave affecting the city when they begin, and as it agitates them, it serves to heighten the tension between each other and their resentment or other feelings towards jury duty. Oh- also lastly, I think we can infer that the movie takes place in Manhattan, New York City.
What we do know is that many people think Steve is guilty. One of the guards describes the case, “Six days – maybe seven. It’s a motion case. They go through the motions; then they lock them up” (14). The judicial system has many flaws, one of which being that they assume guilt before proof when it comes to people like Steve. The phrase “innocent until proven guilty” does not apply to cases like his. As prosecutor Petrocelli states in reference to people like Steve, “There are also monsters in our communities – people who are willing to steal and to kill, people who disregard the rights of others” (21). O’Brien succinctly sums this up for Steve, “You’re young, you’re Black, and you’re on ...
12 Angry Men is about 12 men who are the jury for an 18 year old accused of murder. The judge states in the opening scene that it is a premeditated murder in the 1st degree, if found guilty will automatically receive the death penalty. The 18 year old male is accused of killing his father with a “one of a kind” switch blade, in their home. The prosecutors have several eye witness testimonies, and all of the evidence that they could need to convict the 18 year old male. In the movie it takes place on the hottest day of the year in New York City. There are 12 jurors whom are to decide if the evidence is enough to convict the teen of murder in the first degree. In the first initial vote it is 11-1. The only way that the jurors could turn in their votes was if there was unanimous vote either guilty or not guilty among the 12 jurors. As the movie progressed the jurors ended up changing their minds as new evidence was brought to their attention by simple facts that were overlooked by the police and prosecutors in the initial investigation. Tempers were raised, and words flew, there was prejudice and laziness of a few of the jurors that affected the amount of time it took to go over all of the eye witness testimonies and evidence. The eye witness testimonies ended up being proven wrong and some of the evidence was thrown out because it was put there under false pretense.
Racism is a targeted issue in Harper Lee’s 1930s-based novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. In Maycomb County, a fictional town in Alabama, it seemed taboo to be antiracist. When a trial involving a black man accused of raping a local white female, eyebrows are raised and tempers take over the town. At this time, it is highly unlikely for a black man to be acquitted of charges even with a substantial amount of evidence to prove him innocent. With little hope, Tom Robinson is defended by Atticus, a local lawyer. Atticus knows nearly immediately that this case will not end in justice due to the color of Tom Robinson’s skin (Lee, 80).
The statement, never judge a book by its cover, is known by almost everyone, however, in a world of first impressions, people are always going to treat and judge someone by the way they look and act. The novel, Monster, written by Walter Dean Myers is about a 16-year-old boy, Steve Harmon, who is on trial with James King for felony murder. In the jail and court, it is shown that when the jury or prisoner looks at another, they can instantly tell whether they are strong, or they are timid. The jury in the court can reach their decision just based on first impressions. Being portrayed as cowardly can put one at a major disadvantage.
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.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is an old classic that has been enjoyed by many generations. Despite the fact that the novel was written over a hundred years ago, it is not only beautifully written but also enthralling and well composed. At the young age of eighteen, Mary Shelly raises questions about education and knowledge to which are answered through the well written characters in the novel. The Monster, who is a creation of another character, is highlighted as an individual who goes through an intellectual change.
The book goes into greater detail regarding the monster’s hardships, has a more eloquent and persuasive monster and has a more heartbreaking ending. As a result a reader feels greater sympathy towards the monster in the novel rather than in the play. The monster begins his journey a purely innocent and kind being, but because he has to suffer the misfortune of having such a monstrous appearance he is condemned by society. Frankenstein tells the story of a benevolent being persecuted by man, and has the reader questioning who the real monster is.
He ruins it though when it is revealed that he is drinking on the job. George gets mad and fires him. Meanwhile with Steve, George gets him to open up about his life and it is revealed that Steve is from Africa where he was a soldier. The next scene happens to start with an Immigration official talking to Michael about a search for a former African Warlord who now works as a dishwasher in the city and maybe he used to work at his restaurant. Michael brings
This was made particularly apparent by the whites in the novel reacting to the African-American