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Monster By Steve Harman Sparknotes

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like in a prison holding cell and fighting in court? In the book Monster by Walter Dean Mayers, Steve Harman must fight in court to plead not guilty during a murder case. He needs to fight for his life. “I’m fighting in court… to prove that I’m not a monster, that I’m a human being who made a mistake but deserves a second chance.” (Dean Myers pg 35) During the trial, some juries said he looked like trouble and a waste of time. “Sometimes I feel like I’m in trouble for who I am rather than what I did. They look and see a monster, calling me a waste of time.” The juries do not take young people seriously, especially with 16 year old African Americans. This shows that Steve had a disadvantage in his case. Steve was in a tough situation. If you were in his place and his state of mind, what would you do to cope? …show more content…

He was upset to be on trial, worried about his future, as well as excited to see what would happen. “I’m not a monster. I’m just a kid, Steve Harmon and I’m in a lot of trouble.” (Dean Myers pg 53) When he was first on trial, he felt lost, confused, and unsure about what would happen to him. However, when he won the case he felt relieved and happy. While the court case was happening, Steve wrote a movie about his experiences. He made sure to write down everything that happened. He does not only write about what is happening around him, but also what he is thinking about and feels in that moment. “I feel like crying but nothing comes out of me.” (Dean Myers pg 37) This book reminds me of something similar. People end up in jail every day for many things they do, like robbery and murder. Some jail sentences can be longer than others, but it is better to stay out of jail altogether. Monster teachers us through Steve’s character development and conflicts that events like this happen to real

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243 Words | 1 Pages

Steven Harmon, he is the protagonist of Monster. The novel starts off with Steve writing about the best time to cry and all of this stuff he is experiencing. He is a 16 year old African-American on trial for the murder of a drug store owner. He acts nervous in the courtroom when the antagonist of the novel, Bobo King gives him a dirty look. King is the other young man who is accused of taking part of the crime.

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689 Words | 3 Pages

The whole jury said he is not guilty. People also said that Steve had done nothing wrong; they believed he had nothing to do with it. However, just because he was found not guilty doesn't mean Steve was innocent. Therefore, Steve was a monster. Steve was a monster because he was friends with bad people.

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1235 Words | 5 Pages

First, I wanted to prove to the children that sometimes they might think something scary is in their closet, but it is nothing at all. I think Grover shows that a monster might be a furry, friendly and

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491 Words | 2 Pages

In today’s society, many people make bad decisions. In the novel, Monster by Walter Dean Myers, the narrator explains how one bad choice can lead to another. Steve Harmon, the narrator, was accused of being the lookout for a robbery which led to the murder of Mr. Nesbit and he goes on trial, debating whether he was an accessory to the murder. After reading the novel, one might think that Steve is not guilty because he didn’t kill Mr. Nesbitt and no witnesses saw him in the store. The jury has to decide if he was guilty for the murder, if he was guilty of being the lookout, and he even questions his innocence.

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324 Words | 2 Pages

The book Monster written by Walter Dean Myers is about about of 16 year old boy named Steve Harmon who makes a decision to be part of a robbery. But in this robbery Steve and the others made a huge mistake and now accused of murder. The case is to find out who was involved and the real reason of the death of Mr. Nesbitt the store owner. During this time in Steve’s life he makes a film of what his experiences and struggles are in jail and court. Cleary, the theme of this book is one bad decision can have a big impact on one’s life.

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588 Words | 3 Pages

His defense attorney, Kathy O’Brien, represented Steve just like she would anyone else. Kathy O’Brien gave Steve great advice during the trial, reminding him multiple times that he is innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. Since she knew he wasn’t used to the legal system she even gave him tips on what and what not to do on trial, an example is when she said, “You don’t turn around and wave to any of your friends”. Being given a lawyer willing to fight for your rights is the first step in having a good trial.

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876 Words | 4 Pages

Julie Pawloski Mr. Leavitt Ela 1 May 12, 2023 Why Steve Is Innocent I am writing this to prove why the Judge and juries from Monster by Walter Dean Myers were correct in their final judgment saying Steve was innocent. As for him , he had a lot of evidence proving he was innocent. For example. Lorelle Henry, the key witness , never saw and never heard Steve in the store while she was there. Another piece of evidence is that after the homicide Steve was never compensated by money, which was promised by Mr. King and “Bobo” which they had stolen from the store.

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726 Words | 3 Pages

When asked why he voted not guilty, juror eight stated “Look, this boy has been kicked around all his life. You know---living in a slum, his mother dead since he was nine. He spent a year in and a half in an orphanage while his father served a jail term for forgery. That’s not a very good head start. He’s had a pretty terrible sixteen years.

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579 Words | 3 Pages

Steve is portrayed as a victim of a racist legal system that assumes his guilt based on his race and appearance. I can show this using this quote said by Steve's lawyer, “My job is to make sure the law works for you as well as against you, and to make you a human being in the eyes of the jury. ”(Walter Dean Myers) This quote shows how his lawyer sees how race could play a role in whether or not the jury decides whether or not he is guilty. The prosecutor and police officers involved in the case are all white, and they use racial stereotypes and assumptions to build their case against Steve.

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504 Words | 3 Pages

Many people believe monsters aren’t real and are made up by one's imagination. Walter Dean Myers’ novel Monster showcases multiple connotations of a monster. Steve Harmon, a young 16-year-old boy, he was caught up in a court case. He experiences doubt, shame, and horrific fear during his time in court. Most of the spectators in the courtroom view him as malignant, violent, and aggressive.

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849 Words | 4 Pages

According to deathpenaltyinfo.org “Black people are about 7 ½ times more likely to be wrongfully convicted of murder in the U.S. than are whites.” It also states how “Black people were overrepresented in every category of the 1,167 wrongful murder convictions in the Registry’s database.” The critical literacy novel Monster, by Walter Dean Myers takes place in The Manhattan Detention Center, when 16 year old Steve Harmon went on trial for convicted murder, after being spotted in the drugstore moments before the tragedy happened. “The best time to cry is at night, when the lights are out and someone is being beaten up and screaming for help.” This is basically saying when the right time to cry is so you don't get beat up for being “weak.”

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983 Words | 4 Pages

Victoria Ford Juhas Hour 6/7 2-10-2023 Steve Harmon: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing Steve may have been seen as not guilty, but does that mean Steve is truly innocent? After all, the Justice System can falsely accuse somebody or see a guilty person not guilty. I believe Steve to be one of those times, being a guilty person seen as innocent.

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1280 Words | 6 Pages

Perceptions from others can be cruel. Criminals are often thought of negatively by themselves and are also disrespected by others in society. The novel Monster presents the impressions people have about Steve Harmon, an accused criminal on trial for robbery and murder. Furthermore, the text explains Steve’s views of himself during and after time in prison from first person point-of-view. The novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers highlights the various perceptions that exist about an accused criminal.

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1002 Words | 5 Pages

Steve’s judgment of his actions is similar to a pendulum swinging. Although Steve believes within himself that he is innocent, of the important people around him, make him insecure as to the degree of his innocence and turn to others for confirmation. Steve Harmon, the defendant, is faced with an internal conflict that questions his self-identity and his character in relation to the crime.

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919 Words | 4 Pages

Before the trial, Steve is already scared of what the outcome is and how he might spend his whole life in jail and starts doubting his chances of being found not guilty. During the trial, Steve starts hearing the things the prosecutor is saying and sees the people who are testifying against him, which is already not putting him in a good state of mind, and this combines with him seeing his father who looks very scared of Steve, and this all gives Steve disappointment. After the trial, Steve is found not guilty and gets to return home and we next hear from him five months later where we see his father had left him and that Steve doesn’t even know who he is, which shows that he feels damaged. With all of this in mind, we can see that Steve, a dark-skinned, sixteen-year-old boy, has gone through a change from being afraid to feeling lost with himself through doubt, disappointment, and damage. Image how other people feel in

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