Monster Steve Harmon Character Analysis

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The question still stands. Is Steve Harmon guilty? Monster is a screenplay, written by Walter Dean Myers, in the perspective of a character named Steve Harmon. This book does an exceptional job of expressing Harmon’s thoughts and emotions throughout the trial. In this story, Steve Harmon is a sixteen year old boy, on trial with his neighborhood acquaintance, James King, for the accusation of the robbery and murder of Alguinaldo Nesbitt. Before the trial began, other members of the gang, Bobo Evans and Osvaldo Cruz, admitted to being guilty. Steve Harmon, being the overachieving student and well rounded person that he is, was found innocent. Whereas the careless thug, James King, was found guilty. However, despite the final decisions of the …show more content…

Multiple witnesses admitted to having seen Steve Harmon the day of the crime, or even seeing him at the drugstore during the hour of the robbery. Towards the middle of the trial, Steve writes in his journal “I thought, as I tried not to throw up, that I wanted to be tough like them” This quote shows that he wanted to act like Bobo and Osvaldo. He wanted to be a part of the gang. However, not that he is, not that the is on trial for committing a serious crime, he doesn’t like it. Steve is regretting whatever he did as a part of this day. Also, on page 96, Steve says again that he wanted to be like King, so he began to act like him, and follow his orders. When Steve’s mother visited Steve in the detention center, she was crying. She acted as if he was dead, and she told him “No matter what anybody says, I know you’re innocent.” As she left, Steve began to wonder if he really did do something wrong. At this time, he was doubting himself. He thought that he was fooling himself, believing that he was innocent. Towards the end of the book, Steve writes in his journal: “The trouble I’m in keeps looking bigger and bigger. I’m overwhelmed by it. It’s crushing me.” By this quote, we can tell that Steve is convinced that the trial is not looking in his favor. The guilt is getting in his head, and the longer he stays on trial, the more severe of a punishment he’ll receive. Steve is

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