Monster was written by Walter Dean Myers. The book is based
on a true story about a seexteen- year old boy, whose name is
Steve. Steve is on trial for being a lookout in a felony murder.
He goes in jail and goes through a very hard time.
The story is done with flashbacks,( sothat the reader can see
Steves life before the crime) with screenplay and diary. Steve
himself tells the story of his life and of his jail experience. He
uses the diary, to explain and describe his feels in the cell.
But when he tells about his jail, then he uses the screenplay
to have a distance from the crime, that he perhaps did. He
names his story "Monster" after what the prosecuter had called
him. That shows that Steve is not sure of who he is.
The book is good, because the readers can see how a trial in
america is like and what inside a jail is, and it seems to be very
terrible, what Steve writes in his diary. (page 9) "the best time
to cry is at night, when the lights are out, and someone is being
beaten up and screaming for help..." That shows how people
feel, when they are in such a situation!
I think it is very sad, that a boy like Steve, who is seexten-years
old has such a destination. It can be very hard, that a young boy,
who has so many dreams and hopes of life, have to spend his
best years behind bars! Therefore I can understand him, when
he wonders, if he should kill himself, than spend all his life
behind bars! I think, that I would act like Steve, because I
wouldn`t want to go into jail.
The book is also interesting, because it shows the black youths
life in Harlem, and how difficult it is, to live in a world, where you
are the minority.I think the odds are against him, because he is
black and on trial for murder. Therefore I can understand why
his layer Mrs OŽBrien seems to have doubt about his inno-
cence, because she thinks like the most of the people, that
black people are bad.( She didnŽt know Steve before
the crime, so why doesnŽt she believe him , when he always
says, that he didnŽnt do the crime? Does she also behaves
herself so, when Steve where a white boy?)
The book is also great, because after Steves aquittal, it ends
with a question, sothat the readers have to guess until the end
of the book , if Steve is guilty or not!

by M.M