Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. N.Y.: Harper.
Steve Harmon is a sixteen year old who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He went out for mints at the local drug store when he heard gun shots. Steve went home, only to have the police come knocking later and arrest him. This is a book about his inner and external struggles as he sits in prison awaiting his trial. He stands to face 25 years to the death penalty. He deals with his "new" life by writing journal entries and putting his life into a screen play. When the end arrives, Steve is found not guilty, but his own guilt will haunt him forever.
I have a love/hate relationship with books that leave you hanging. Ultimately, it is the reader's decision to determine if Steve is a monster. The way it ends with him questioning himself, leads you to believe there's more to the story. This would be a great book to teach justice and innocence vs guilty and how you determine which.
Watch Walter Dean discuss Monster.
No comments:
Post a Comment