Scribbled Thoughts: Monster

Author: Walter Dean Myer

Title: Monster

Genre: Drama/Crime Fiction

Myers, Walter D. Monster. HarperCollins, 2009.

Grade Level: 11th grade

Pages: 281 pages

Monster by Walter Dean Myer is a story written from the perspective of 16 year old Steve Harmon who is on trial for assisting in a murder. The novel flips back and forth between Steve's perspective and the play script that he writes for his trial as some argue for his innocence and others argue that his is a monster. Steven Harmon must contend with what he has done and who people perceive him to be because of his actions.

Possible Teaching Concerns:

My concerns with teaching this book would be the violent nature of the men in the prisons. There are several instances where the narrator mentions men being gang raped in their cells, which is heartbreaking. Steve goes through some very traumatic and heartbreaking experiences. People are shot, beaten up, and abused by others around them. There is a mild enough language that might also be a concern. Again, it is important for teachers to know the students in their classrooms and what they can handle.

Personal Reactions:

I loved how creative this book was. It makes it all the more interesting to read. I can totally see students eating this book up because it is fairly easy to read and it is told from an interesting view point. I think this books has some very necessary themes that need to be discussed. It is heartbreaking, but in a way that opens your eyes to the injustices that there are in this world. I would definitely use this book for reading groups or lit circles where I would allow students to select a book of their choosing. I think this book would really interest young boys in the classroom and also provides very important messages.

Canonical Work:

In Cold Blood is a very chillingly grabbing book for high school level readers. It is non-fiction novel written about the quadruple murder in Kansas. Capote details the murder of the Clutter family and the events in the murders' lives that lead up to the tragic night. e also details the arrests of Richard Hickrock and Perry Smith, who were later found guilty and convicted of the murdering of the Clutter family. This novel is often taught at the high school grade level and would pair very well with Monster. Although these stories surround two different cases, they both ask the same question: Is the justice system fair? In Cold Blood asks its readers to reexamine how we think of the death penalty in cases where it is called in consideration for retribution for another's life; especially when those who are convicted have diagnosis with mental illnesses. This is a chilling, but engaging book for young teenage men at the high school grade level.

Netflix's New Film for Monster (2021)