monster book report essay

Walter Dean Myers

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Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon recounts his and James King ’s trial for the killing of Mr. Nesbitt , a drugstore owner, in a botched robbery in Harlem six months prior. Through personal notes and a screenplay he writes in his notebook, Steve recounts the 11 days between the start of the case and the jury’s verdict. He names the screenplay “ Monster ” after what the state prosecutor Sandra Petrocelli called him in court.

On the first day of the trial, Monday, Steve sits with his attorney Kathy O’Brien and listens to Petrocelli make her opening remarks: according to the state, late last December, James King and Richard “Bobo” Evans entered a drugstore, tried to rob Mr. Nesbitt, and accidentally shot the man with his own handgun. According to the prosecution, Steve Harmon and 14-year-old Osvaldo Cruz both acted as lookouts during the robbery, and are thus legally culpable for the man’s murder, as well. Nobody actually witnessed the murder, but Petrocelli presents her first key witness, a man who claims to have information that connects King and Bobo Evans with the murder. The man himself is a convict who testifies so that his own prison sentence will be reduced. King’s attorney Asa Briggs challenges the witness’s ability to be objective since he is benefiting personally from testifying at the trial. Steve’s mind wanders back to violent scenes from his childhood growing up in Harlem, even though he himself never sought out violence.

On Tuesday, Steve writes about how much he hates jail and how afraid he is—everyone there is violent and only talks about hurting each other. They attack people for no reason, and one of them carries a knife. In court, Petrocelli produces another witness, also a criminal who tells the same story as the first, in exchange for a reduced sentence. Once again, Briggs challenges the witness’s objectivity and moral character, and the judge adjourns the hearing for the day when Briggs starts to get heated. That evening, Steve lies in bed listening to two men beat and rape another inmate. He thinks about his younger brother Jerry and how much he misses him.

On Wednesday, Steve wakes up thinking about how in jail, they take people’s shoelaces and belts so inmates can’t kill themselves. Steve can’t help but think of himself as a monster, just as Petrocelli branded him. O’Brien told him that her job was to make the jury see Steve as a human being instead, and Steve understands why. In court, Petrocelli brings Detective Karyl in to testify, who (supposedly) investigated the murder and made the arrests, even though he never found any actual evidence at the crime scene. Steve recalls the night Karyl and his partner first questioned him. Karyl automatically assumed he was guilty and said he hoped Steve would get the death penalty, even though he’s just a kid. Back in the courtroom, Briggs accuses Karyl of not actually investigating at all, but just finding a few convicts who’d testify for him instead. O’Brien worries that none of this makes Steve look any more innocent, since half the jury will automatically think he’s guilty just because he’s a young black male. Osvaldo Cruz, a 14-year-old kid whom Steve had to be careful not to offend in Harlem, since he is part of a dangerous gang, testifies that he was pressured into participating in the robbery against his will by Bobo, who threatened him.

On Thursday, Steve writes about his relationship with O’Brien. He can tell O’Brien wants to know who he truly is, and Steve wants her to know that he’s a good person, but he doesn’t know how to make her see that. In the courtroom, Osvaldo continues his testimony against King, Bobo, and Steve, which he is giving in exchange for an acquittal, since he is young and claims he was coerced into participating. However, Briggs and O’Brien cross-examine Osvaldo and force him to reveal that not only is he a gang member with a violent history, but he has also at least once committed savage violence against strangers without reason, which ruins the credibility of his claim that he was afraid of Bobo. Later, Steve meets with his father Mr. Harmon , but realizes that their father-son relationship has broken. He thinks that his dad now sees a monster where his son should be. Steve also recalls watching the murder reported on the news and being arrested by the detectives two weeks later.

On Friday, four minor witnesses testify while Steve thinks about Mr. Nesbitt, lying on the floor, knowing he is about to die. Through the medical examiner’s testimony, Steve learns that Mr. Nesbitt was shot through the lung and died after drowning in his own blood. He is horrified.

On Saturday, Steve thinks about how horrible it would be to spend the next two decades of his life in prison, which seems the most likely outcome. He knows O’Brien privately thinks that he’s guilty, even though she’ll still defend him. Mrs. Harmon visits Steve in jail, but he knows it’s too painful for her to see her son as a prisoner. At night, as Steve lies in bed, he questions his own innocence and recalls King telling him that he was going to rob a place and asking Steve if he wanted to be in on it.

On Sunday, Steve attends a church service in the jail until a fight breaks out and everyone is put on lockdown for the morning. He thinks about how nothing feels real anymore outside of jail, not his memories of his old life or the baseball game on TV. Steve’s parents walk Jerry past the window so Steve can see him, though Jerry is not allowed in the jail because he is a child. If he wasn’t an inmate, Steve wouldn’t be allowed in either. His parents visit briefly, and Steve worries about Monday, which will be a critical day for the prosecution.

On Monday, a woman testifies that she was in the drugstore shortly before the murder and saw King and one other man enter, though she admits she had difficulty identifying King. Once she saw the two men fighting with Mr. Nesbitt, she fled the store. Bobo Evans testifies next, also in exchange for a reduced sentence. From what King told him, Bobo understood that Steve was supposed to be their lookout, and he saw Steve enter and exit the drugstore and walk away. After that, he and King entered and fought with Mr. Nesbitt. When Mr. Nesbitt took out a handgun, King wrestled it from him and shot the man, stole cash and cigarettes, and then both of them went to a fast-food restaurant to buy some food and lay low. Briggs and O’Brien cross-examine Bobo, forcing him to admit that Bobo never actually spoke to Steve himself, nor did he ever threaten Osvaldo to help them with the robbery; Osvaldo wanted to be in on the heist. Petrocelli announces that the prosecution has concluded.

On Tuesday, O’Brien admits that it doesn’t look good for Steve. Bobo’s testimony was damning and Briggs is going to try to associate King with Steve, since it will make King look better, as Steve is obviously a decent kid. King’s cousin testifies and gives a weak alibi for King on the day of the murder. O’Brien wants Steve to testify and present himself to the jury as a good kid. She coaches him on what sort of answers to give and Steve realizes that the truth is less important than making the right case.

On the stand, Steve testifies that he was nowhere near the drugstore on the day of the murder (though he’s privately admitted that he was) because he was working on a film project all week. He also testifies that his relationship with King is minimal; he’s just some guy he saw at the playground occasionally when people were playing ball. When Steve is finished, his film teacher Mr. Sawicki provides a character witness and testifies that Steve is an honest, sensitive kid who makes uplifting films about his neighborhood. Briggs makes his closing remarks, claiming that his client King has no connection with Bobo Evans and did not participate in the robbery in any way. O’Brien claims the same for Steve in her own closing remarks, and adds that there is not enough evidence against Steve to lock up a young kid for the rest of his life. The jury leaves to make their decision and Steve and King are taken back to jail.

That Friday, Steve and King are brought back to the courthouse to hear the jury’s verdict. King is found guilty and duly sentenced for a felony murder charge. Steve is found not guilty. He spreads his arms to hug O’Brien, but she turns stiffly away. He remains with his arms outstretched as the image blurs and fades until Steve’s silhouette looks like “some strange beast, a monster.”

54 pages • 1 hour read

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

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Monster Additional Material

Character Analysis

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Important Quotes

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Summary and Study Guide

Monster , a YA novel about a Black New York teenager accused of murder, quickly became one of Walter Dean Myers's most acclaimed works when it was published in 1999, winning the Coretta Scott King Award , receiving the Prime Excellence Award of the American Library Association , named a National Book Award Finalist.

The completion and release of the novel occurred during the arc of the conviction and eventual exoneration of the Central Park 5, Black teenagers who were wrongfully accused of attacking a white female jogger in 1990, then released in 2002. The focus on a young man accused of a serious crime suggests a parallel, yet Monster is intentionally ambiguous regarding the guilt or innocence of the protagonist .

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The 20th anniversary edition from Harper Teen, upon which this summary is based, includes several extra features, including a study guide and a candid interview with Myers. Readers should be aware that the text contains adult language. There are references and depictions of gun and physical violence, drug use, and sexual assault.

Plot Summary

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Myers alternates between different points of view and genres of literature. Chronologically, the narrative starts with the main character, 16-year-old Steve Harmon , a Black high school student from Harlem who is incarcerated in the Manhattan Detention Center waiting to go on trial for murder.

Harmon introduces himself in the first person, journaling about the hell of being locked up, his constant fear , and the ways he has had to adapt to avoid physical and sexual assault. Steve’s escape from the surreal experience of jail is through imagining that he, a film student, is depicting events as a movie. Thus, much of the novel is presented in the form of a third person screenplay. Using an opening credit montage, Steve introduces the other main players in the movie: Kathy O’Brien , his defense attorney; Sandra Petrocelli , the prosecutor; James King , his co-defendant and the person accused of shooting Mr. Nesbitt, the drug store owner; Bobo Evans and Osvaldo Cruz, witnesses who have turned State’s evidence to avoid lengthy jail sentences.

Myers does not use chapters for breaks, instead cutting back and forth between the ongoing trial and previous events in Steve’s life that pertain to what is currently happening.

Before presenting evidence against the defendants, the prosecutor calls a series of witnesses to demonstrate how the police came to identify the suspects in the case. The defense attorneys (Kathy for Steve and Asa Briggs for James King) point out to the jury that witnesses against their clients have something to gain by presenting evidence against King and Steve. Privately, Kathy expresses concern that the prosecutor is working slyly to make Steve appear to be a stereotypical delinquent.

While the trial progresses, Steve catches glimpses of ordinary New York life entering and leaving court. He also remembers and longs for the life he had before he was locked up and has suicidal thoughts.

Flashbacks presented as scenes in his screenplay show Steve interacting with others who end up being involved in the trial. King approaches Steve to serve as a lookout for him and Bobo when they rob Mr. Nesbitt’s drugstore. In that pivotal flashback, King pressures Steve to enter the drugstore, check to make sure there are no police or customers inside, and signal as he leaves the store that it is clear of other patrons. Pointedly, the scene ends without Steve saying whether he will do so.

In the courtroom scenes, the prosecution ties its case together through the testimony of Bobo, who has taken a plea bargain for a lesser charge and a shorter sentence. Following Bobo’s testimony, Kathy is concerned that the jury is against Steven. She tells him he must testify and calls a very effective character witness, Mr. Sawicki, the teacher who runs the video club to which Steve belongs.

Steve and King are celled together as they await the verdict. King expresses bravado, while Steve admits that he is frightened. After deliberating, the jury returns a verdict of guilty for King, who is promptly led out of court. Steve is found not guilty. Elated, he opens his arms to embrace Kathy, who turns away.

In a final journal entry, Steve describes what his life has become after his acquittal. His thoughts are still haunted by his seven months in prison and even more by the accusation of the prosecutor that he is a monster. He continues to film himself as a form of self-evaluation, trying to determine what kind of a person he truly is.

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MONSTER STUDY GUIDE - MONSTER CHAPTER NOTES

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Themes and Analysis

By walter dean myers.

Walter Dean's ‘Monster’ is loaded. Justice, hope and family as themes explored, are just a tip of the iceberg.

About the Book

Article written by Chioma Julie

Degree in M.C.M. Awarded Best Graduating Student in Literature-in-English at UNISEC.

‘ Monster ’ by Walter Dean Myers has many lessons to teach. The reader has no option but to think critically. Some themes are subtle and might even attach themselves to bigger themes as subthemes. But most of them are clear and stand-alone themes. Now, let us pan our imaginary camera towards this thought-provoking masterpiece to explore for ourselves these themes, some of which will be handled side by side opposites or otherwise.

Monster Themes

Let’s dive into the captivating themes of ‘ Monster ‘ by Walter Dean Myers together. We’ll explore each focal point to unravel the essence of this compelling novel.

Crime and Consequence

Guilt or innocence, hope or hopelessness, humanity/empathy, connections/relationships, disappointment, dissatisfaction, and regret.

This is arguably the major theme in ‘ Monster .’ Most parts of this crime drama take place in the courtroom and the prison yard. We are all here, following Steve Harmon’s camera because a crime was committed. Mr. Nesbitt, a fifty-five-year-old black man, was murdered in his drugstore in Harlem City, with his own for which he had a license.

Anyone who commits a crime should very well be ready to do the time, for actions have consequences. People, including gangsters with criminal records, testify. The gangsters testify, hoping to get breaks from the times they are doing for the crimes they have committed. As long as it wasn’t any of them that murdered Mr. Nesbitt, any other crime must be excusable, they think. Bobo casually describes himself as cold-hearted to get a break. Osvaldo indicts himself. Cruz exposes himself to get a break. Actions have consequences, and James King was going to pay for his eventually.

Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. That is not even my line. It is a popular phrase. Are things that way, though? Are things not always that way, even though they should be that way? I would say ‘yes’ to the second question. Sometimes, prejudice contributes, and it shows. There was something O’Brien said, and it stuck. Rephrasing what she said, the pressure rests on the defendant. The prosecutor goes about walking like the ‘good one’.

One time, Steve says he’s not guilty, and she tells him to say instead that he is innocent. The defendant’s job is to prove, not that the prosecutor is lying, but that he or she is mistaken. James King and Steve Harmon were each to be pronounced guilty or Innocent. The verdict is read, and the latter is to be freed, while the former is to be locked up. Perhaps he would go on to appeal, perhaps he would not.

What is life without hope? Steve lost hope in himself, his mother, the judge, the system in general, and even O’Brien at some point. It was then he began to realize why shoelaces and belts are taken away from people before they are locked up. Someone who has lost all hope would likely be depressed, and someone who is depressed would likely not be far from considering committing suicide. They don’t want that in there. Steve also gets to realize why people go on to appeal after they have been found guilty. All hope is not lost after all, for what is life without hope?

This is highly demonstrated in Steve’s life, earning this theme a place reserved for the major themes. Mrs. Harmon loves Steve so much. His situation makes her cry. One time, she brings Steve a Bible while visiting and tells him to read a passage out loud. Steve sees his father sob. It is his first time witnessing that. Jerry misses his big brother. Steve’s situation breaks Mrs. Harmon’s heart and makes her cry many times, and this in turn breaks Steve’s heart. At some point, Steve wishes Jerry was with him. No, not in prison but just with him, somehow. Jerry’s visit gladdened his heart so much. Steve Harmon’s family made life worth living for him even while in jail, especially while in jail.

We see the guards cruelly teasing the prisoners, even when some of them were yet to be found innocent or guilty. This depicts a complete lack of empathy and humanity, something O’Brien had in abundance. Yes, O’Brien was Steve’s lawyer. But nothing prevented her from keeping things strictly official. Bobo, James King, Osvaldo, and Cruz were all wanting in this area. Empathy cannot be faked, at least, not for long.

When O’Brien sees Steve writing ‘Monster’ (something he was already getting used to being called) repeatedly in the courtroom, she collects the pencil from him and cancels them out. When she sees Steve visibly shaking after taking the stand, his head bowed after one of the students on an excursion smiled at him, he smiled back, but she turned away quickly, she tells him that if he doesn’t believe in himself, no one else would.

Before Steve takes the stand (her idea by the way) she plays a ‘cup’ game with him to ensure that he answers exactly what would help his case. She was to ask questions and any time Steve gives an inappropriate answer, she was to turn the cup upside down. Steve learned from this game that it would be better to present himself as differently as possible from the others: James King, Bobo, and the rest. We also see her asking to know how Steve was feeling at some point. O’Brien had a lot of empathy to give, and she didn’t hold back even one bit.

If Steve had not associated with the likes of James King, he would not have found himself in the middle of a felony murder case as one of the accused. The saying ‘Birds of a feather flock together’ will always remain true. Clearly, he had a whiff of the robbery. He knew a robbery was being planned. He may not have participated actively in the whole thing, but he was aware that these folks planned to rob someone.

The type of people one chooses to associate with affects one in one way or another, whether one likes it or not. This is why the distance between him and his father continues to grow wider, even after he was pronounced not guilty. He just couldn’t come to terms with the fact that his son, his well-behaved son (or so he thought) could associate with gangsters even enough to get roped in a felony murder case. Some of what his father sees now, O’Brien must have seen. That explains why she moved away when Steve made to hug her after they won the case.

The story of ‘ Monster ’ is about justice. It is about seeking justice. Everyone has that right, or at least, everyone should have that right. Everyone has the right to live and pursue happiness if he or she so wishes. It is only just. Mr. Nesbitt’s murder, a crime against humanity, has the state seeking justice. Justice for the dead, yes? And, a loud and clear warning to anyone who might want to go the route that is criminality. Nesbitt would never come back to life, but justice can be served. The saying, ‘What is good for the goose is good for the gander’ holds sway here. Everyone is equal before the law (or should be, at least). Every life is precious.

These emotions were conveyed by O’Brien’s face when the verdict was given. She demonstrates these then, disappointed that she probably has helped the wrong person, someone that wasn’t particularly guilty or Innocent. Dissatisfaction, because she should have probed more, to know who exactly she was sticking herself out her neck for. Regret, that it is now too late to do all that. Mr. Harmon also displays disappointment in his son because of the type of people he chose to associate with, something that landed him in jail.

What important thing does one get to realize reading ‘ Monster?’

One important thing one gets to realize reading ‘ Monster ’ is that even though it is known that life in prison would not be easy, more of the unpleasantness of what is supposed to be a correctional facility was exposed.

What is the major lesson from ‘ Monster?’

The major lesson from ‘ Monster ’ is that life is not straightforward, most times, and it takes one wrong move (intended or not) for things to start plummeting for someone. We should all be careful about the type of people we associate with. Associating with gangsters was Steve Harmon’s major mistake.

What is the significance of Steve’s imaginary camera in ‘ Monster?’

The importance of Steve’s imaginary camera in ‘ Monster ’ cannot be overemphasized. A very significant tool in the story, it is Steve’s imaginary camera we follow throughout the trial and even beyond.

What is the central theme in ‘ Monster ?’

The central theme in ‘ Monster ’ is justice, however, it would be inappropriate not to mention other themes surrounding it. Race, guilt/innocence, hope/hopelessness, and so on, are also other major themes.

About Chioma Julie

Chioma is a graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She has a passion for music, movies, and books. Occasionally, she writes to unwind.

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Julie, Chioma " Monster Themes and Analysis 📖 " Book Analysis , https://bookanalysis.com/walter-dean-myers/monster/themes-analysis/ . Accessed 6 April 2024.

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Monster Book Review

A Multiple Award-Winning Book by Walter Dean Myers

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In 1999, in his young adult book Monster , Walter Dean Myers introduced readers to a young man named Steve Harmon. Steve, sixteen and in prison awaiting a murder trial, is an African American teen and a product of inner city poverty and circumstance. In this story, Steve retells the events leading up to the crime and narrates the prison and courtroom drama while trying to determine if what the prosecutor said about him is true. Is he really a monster? Learn more about this award-winning book that gives a disturbing inside account about a teen struggling to prove to himself that he’s not what everyone thinks him to be.

Summary of Monster

Steve Harmon, a 16-year-old African-American teen from Harlem, is awaiting trial for his role as an accomplice in a drugstore robbery that ended in murder. Before being imprisoned, Steve enjoyed amateur filmmaking and while in confinement decides to write his experience in prison as a movie script. In a movie script format, Steve gives readers an account of the events leading up to the crime. As narrator, director and star of his story, Steve navigates readers through the events of the courtroom and discussions with his attorney. He directs camera angles at various characters in the story from the judge, to witnesses, and to the other teens involved in the crime. Readers are given a front seat to the personal dialogue Steve has with himself through diary entries he tucks in among the script. Steve writes this note to himself, “I want to know who I am. I want to know the road to panic that I took. I want to look at myself a thousand times to look for one true image.” Is Steve innocent of his part in the crime? Readers must wait until the end of the story to find out Steve’s courtroom and personal verdict.

About the Author, Walter Dean Myers

Walter Dean Myers writes gritty urban fiction that depicts life for African American teens growing up in inner city neighborhoods. His characters know poverty, war, neglect, and the street life. Using his writing talents, Myers has become the voice for many African American teens and he creates characters to whom they can connect or relate. Myers, also raised in Harlem, recalls his own teen years and the difficulty of rising above the pull of the streets. As a young boy, Myers struggled in school, got into several fights, and found himself in trouble on many occasions. He credits reading and writing as his lifelines. 

For more recommended fiction by Myers, read reviews of Shooter and Fallen Angels .

Awards and Book Challenges

Monster has won several notable awards including the 2000 Michael L. Printz Award, the 2000 Coretta Scott King Honor Book Award and was a 1999 National Book Award Finalist. Monster is also listed on several book lists as a best book for young adults and a best book for reluctant readers .

Along with the prestigious awards, Monster has also been the target of several book challenges in school districts across the country. While not listed on the American Library Association's frequently challenged book list,   the American Booksellers For Freedom of Expression (ABFFE) has followed Monster 's book challenges. One book challenge came from parents in the Blue Valley School District in Kansas who want to challenge the book for the following reasons: "vulgar language, sexual explicitness, and violent imagery that is gratuitously employed."

Despite the various book challenges to Monster , Myers continues to write stories that depict the realities of growing up impoverished and in dangerous neighborhoods. He continues to write the stories that many teens want to read.

Recommendation and Review

Written in a unique format with a compelling storyline, Monster is guaranteed to engage teen readers. Whether or not Steve is innocent is the big hook in this story. Readers are invested in learning about the crime, the evidence, the testimony, and the other teens involved in order to find out if Steve is innocent or guilty.

Because the story is written as a movie script, readers will find the actual reading of the story fast and easy to follow. The story gains momentum as little details are revealed about the nature of the crime and Steve’s connection to the other characters involved. Readers will grapple with determining whether Steve is a sympathetic or trustworthy character. The reality that this story could be ripped from the headlines makes it a book that most teens, including struggling readers, will enjoy reading.

Walter Dean Myers is a renowned author and all his teen books should be recommended reading. He understands the urban life that some African American teens experience and through his writing he gives them a voice as well as an audience who can better understand their world. Myers's books take on serious issues facing teens such as poverty, drugs, depression, and war and make these topics accessible. His candid approach hasn’t gone unchallenged, but his forty years of longstanding work has not gone unnoticed by his teen readers nor by award committees.  Monster is recommended by publishers for ages 14 and up. (Thorndike Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780786273638).

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Monster Book Analysis

Show More Walter Dean Myers' graphic novel Monster is about a sixteen-year-old African American boy named Steve Harmon, This graphic novel is written in a first person perspective from Steve's view. He shows himself through his journal entries and a screenplay. In this book, the protagonist’s are Kathy O’Brien, Mr. Sawicki, and Steve Harmon. The antagonists are the justice system, Richard Evans or more commonly known “bobo”, James King, the Assistant District Attorney (Sandra Petrocelli) and Steve King's lawyer Asa Briggs. The story takes place in Manhattan, Harlem, the courtroom in a city lockup, and sometimes in the neighborhood where Steve Harmon lives. The problem is that Steve Harmon is awaiting trial for his role as an accomplice in a drugstore robbery that ended in the felony murder of Alguinaldo Nesbitt if Steve is proved guilty he can get sentenced 25 years to a life sentence in prison. Kathy O’Brien is Steve's lawyer, and the four men on trial for this murder are James King, Oswaldo Cruz, and Richard “BoBo” Evans. The book begins with Steve being arrested at his front door right in front of his mom. …show more content… I like this quote because it makes me think about what a monster is and the different meanings. Traditionally as most people know it, a monster is an imaginary creature that is typically large, ugly, and frightening. However, in this book, they use it to describe people. Now after reading this book when I hear ¨Monster¨ I will think a Monster is a bad person who disregards other people's feelings and hurts people in many different ways from emotional to physical.This quote also stood out to me because it's the title of the book so I wanted to know the meaning behind the

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Summary: Monster Theory In the first few lines of this article Jeffery Jerome Cohen, declares that he is creating a new “modus legendi”. That is, he is creating a new method of studying cultures from the monsters they engender (Cohen 3). He is ready to go against how cultural studies have been done in the past and form a new way of thinking and studying culture. Cohen goes one to make a few more comments on culture and history.…

Analysis Of Monster By Sanyika Shakur

In Sanyika Shakur’s memoir, Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member, the audience follows the events that transform Monster Kody Scott into Sanyika Shakur. While writing his memoir from prison, the book starts in 1975 with his graduation from elementary school and initiation into the Crips. His initiation included a brutal beating from fellow Crips members, which immediately followed his first gang shooting against the Bloods. At the age of thirteen, Kody Scott earned the nickname “Monster” due to his violent acts committed against a victim. In 1978, Monster describes himself as having “ambition, vitality, and ruthlessness” in order to build his reputation and define himself as an individual.…

Analysis Of Monster Culture By Jeffrey Jerome Cohen

In his writing, “Monster Culture (Seven Theses)”, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen argues that we no longer live in an age that uses Unified Theory, an age when we realized that history is composed of a multitude of fragments. In this writing, he has bound some fragments together to form a “monstrous body” and pushes his readers to reevaluate their cultural assumptions relating to those specific fragments. In his first thesis, “The Monster’s Body is a Cultural Body” Cohen explains that each monster has a certain culture and follows certain rules. The monsters are typically born within a certain cultural moment.…

Jeffery Cohen's Seven Monster Theses By Karen Russell

In "Seven Monster Theses", Jeffery Cohen develops an idea that “monsters” are essential to society. In fact, they construct what is “normal”, “rational”, and “civilized”. Specifically, “monsters” are foundational to how we view ourselves. “Monsters” contain all the traits deemed unacceptable and odd. It can be concluded that every outlier is a “monster”.…

Andrew Hoffman's Definition Of A Monster

Why do people have different interpretations of the word “monster”? Some individuals, envision them as old, Greek mythological creatures. Others believe humanity is bombarded with monstrosity, as if it is a characteristic that we all carry, and very few utilize the meaning of “monster” as a societal or mental fear. I recognize the term as something more standard that many also conceptualize; as ginormous, snarling, blood-thirsty beasts. Beasts are the perfect perception of a monster.…

An Analysis Of The Id In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

People are different individuals at different stages of their lives. They grow up, learn from their mistakes, and become more aware of the people around them. According to Sigmund Freud one develops mentality in stages, these stages are classified as the Id, one’s primal desires present from birth. The Ego, one's attempt to make decisions, to reach one’s desires, based on socially acceptable ways. The Superego, conscience that censors your actions, in others words what you should do.…

Moral Responsibility In Frankenstein

The monster was abandoned at first sight by his creator. Knowing nothing of the outside world, he has to learn how to live on his own. He commits many evil deeds throughout the book. The monster was not accepted by society nor his creator. The responsibility of the monster evil deeds is upon Victor Frankenstein, society, and…

Alienation And Loneliness In Frankenstein By Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Created with an altered mentality of a baby, the monster had an unbiased view of the world. Even though the monster seeks revenge, it is evident that he is a victim of humankind 's cruelty, which eventually leads him to his vengeful state. The monster expresses his feelings to Victor saying, “ ‘let [man] live with me in the interchange of kindness; and, instead of injury, I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance’ ” (Shelley 135). It is evident that beneath the monsters’ hideous exterior lies a heart full of love and tranquility.…

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Monster Book Report

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Monster Book Analysis (Essay Example)

The book Monster is a fictional book written by Walter Dean Myers, and is about the life of Steve as he struggles through a court trial and a ruling. This trial is about a murder and robbery that was commited. But based on all of the details and evidence provided by Walter Dean Myers I think that there is only one ruling that can be given; innocent. This is demonstrated by Ms. Henry, Mr.Sawicki, and Steve's own testimony, all of which gives very strong evidence proving Steve's innocence.

Despite all of the unquestionable evidence, not everyone sees Steve as innocent. Mr.King and Bobo Evans would both like you to believe that Steve was involved with this felony-murder. Mr.King along with Bobo Evans, who participated in this felony murder say that steve was the lookout. The prosecution says that because Steve didnt know were he was in the day of this tragic murder and robbery, he is guilty. But do you remember where you were a week ago, probably not. But what about 4 months ago? Why should Steve? And who do you believe more, the words of hardened criminals or Steve. An active member of his community and film student whose reputation is vouched by Mr.Sawicki's testimony.

Furthermore, Steve's innocence is backed up by Ms.Henry's testimony, an old grandma who was a bystander. She left the store to get to safety before this robbery went down after sensing danger. One quote that demonstrates Steve's innocences is when she says ¨I saw two young men.¨ This was in answer to the prosecution asking what did you see on pg 163. What does this mean? Well if Mr.King and Bobo Evans are already known participants in this robbery and felony murder. How is Steve a participant in this robbery if there were only two men? There is only one answer, Steve wasn't in the robbery. Furthemore Steve was never identified by Ms. Henry. This obviously demonstrates how Steve is innocent and had nothing to do with this crime.

Mr.Sawicki's testimony should also be taken into consideration on top of the mounting evidence proving Steve's innocence. Mr.Sawicki's testimony vouches for Steve's character. One example of Steve's character is when Mr.Sawicki was asked if he thought Steve was an honest man. Mr.Sawicki replied by saying ¨absolutely¨ on pg 235.  This shows  how Mr.Sawicki thinks Steve is a good person and an honest person, a person who wouldn't commit such a crime. But Mr.Sawicki doesn't just think of Steve as an honest man, he also thinks that he's an outstanding young man. He is talented, bright, and compassionate…¨  This was in response to being asked to describe Steve, on pg 235. Does this description of Steve sound like someone that would be involved in a robbery? Well that is because Steve isn't a person who commits crimes. Mr.Sawicki's testimony demonstrates how he is a kind and thoughtful person, a person who wouldn't commit such a horrendous crime. This further proves Steve's innocence.

One final piece of evidence is Steve's own testimony; Steve's testimony is important because it shows Steve's side of the story and is given under oath. In Steve's testimony it shows how he didnt know the participants in the robbery. When Steve was asked if he'd ever talked Bobo Evans, he responded by saying  “I might have said hi to him but i've never had a conversation with him.¨ This was on pg 226 and shows that Steve didn't really know him, so how could he commit a robbery with him?  And when Steve was if he knows Mr.King he said ¨I may have seen him on the playground and he could've said something like those guys can't play ball, stuff like that; but nothing more than that¨ These quotes from pages 226 and 227 shows just how little interaction he had with both Mr.King and Bobo Evans. How is it possible for Steve to commit a robbery with Mr.King and Bobo Evans if he doesn't know them?

Because of all the mounting evidence it is inconceivable to think that Steve committed the crime. Thus there is only one conclusion that can be drawn from all of the evidence: innocent. This evidence is shown in Ms.Henry's testimony, which shows how Steve was never present in the store at the time of the crime. Mr.sawicki's testimony demonstrates Steve's reputation as an honest, kind man. And lastly Steve's own testimony which shows Steve's side of the story. To sum it up in light of this undoubtedly evidence that has been provided; there is no doubt in my mind, and hopefully yours that Steve is innocent.

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Monster Book Report

Kody Scott grew up in South Central L.A. during the nineteen-sixties and seventies, soon after the creation of the Crips. Raised in poverty without a father, and a full family raised solely by his mother, Kody Scott led the stereotypical ghetto life, a poor and broken home. However he does not blame this on his own personal decision to join the Crips while only eleven years old.

The allure of the respect and glory that bangers got, along with the unity of the set(name for the specific gang) is what drew him into the gang. Once joined, he vowed to stay in the set for life, and claimed that banging was his life. After many years of still believing this, he eventually realized that the thug life was no longer for him, and that gangs were a problem on society and the Afrikan race(page 382-383). In his book Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member, he tells of his life story and how he came and left the gang life.

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For thirteen years he was a member of the Eight Tray Gangsters, a set of the Crips, and throughout the book he explains, sometimes in full detail, the life he led while in the gang and his many times in jail and prison. These life stories he tells, include drive-byes, shootouts in supermarkets, parks, streets, houses etc., fist fights, group beatings, kidnapings, doing drugs, selling drugs, car-jacks, amputation, robbery, friends deaths, enemies deaths, being shot, knife fights, police abuse, jail riots, jail rapes and any other part of the gang life possible. Now if possible, imagine that this all happened within thirteen years, and to a teenager. These crimes, more specifically the brutal ones, are what got him his nickname Monster Kody.

None of this really affected him though, until when in jail, he was converted to a Muslim, when he changed his name to Sanyika Shakur. However, it took him a while to realize that what he was doing was wrong and it was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Although he now realized this, it wasnt because of religion really, but more for the survival and advancement of the Afrikan race, as he was now becoming more and more politically and morally conscious(page 277). After coming and going out of prison, he was struggling between the two lives he was trying to lead, one as a banger and the other as a leader for the Afrikan movement.

Being the respected and feared figure he was, he unconsciously was trying to be both, and to mend the two together. However, once out of prison for a while, he knew that this wasnt possible in the real world, like it was in prison. He now had to make a choice. Once in Prison again, after a failed attempt at gang unity, he realized that the Afrikan race as a whole along with his newfound responsibility to his family(wife and kids), was more important than the set, and that he would now leave the set and the gang life. However this was no easy task, as most who attempt to leave the set dont succeed or die trying. It took him a whole three years to leave the Crips.

He now, however, unlike before, realized that a banging was wrong for more than just the black on black crime and such, but that it was a matter of morals and family, and he now no longer took pride in his past actions, but still took responsibility for them(page 357). Once out of prison again, he was now out of the set and could start a more normal life with his family and with a real paying job. He was still however part of the New Afrikan Independence Movement, and also devoted to stopping the causes of gangsterism(page 377). This complete turnaround in his life and new devotion, is the purpose of the book he wrote.

At the start of the book he tells of how he joined the gang and why. He also tells of all of his glory stories and how much he enjoyed banging. However as the book slowly progresses, he starts to mature and to develop mentally. Until toward the end of the book, in which he is a much more educated man, and also out of the gang life. He shows this progression, mainly because this is what happened, but also because he wants to illustrate that people only join and use gangs for their shallow and basic needs.When he joined at only eleven, he didnt know what life was about or what he wanted from it or what to do with his.

The gang was his choice at the time because it made him feel important and needed, and could gain him respect, fear and fame, but most of all made him feel like a man and was what introduced him into manhood(page 6). He then goes on to tell of his many stories of violence and crime that he had committed throughout his gang years. The detail and ferocity in which he explains the gang mentality and actions, are to show people the cruel and harsh life that bangers lead. That it isnt what is seen on T.V., where kids think it looks fun and cool, and that nothing would ever happen to them, that it is in actuality not a life that anyone should lead, no matter what. That is why he told so many and so much of his brutal life and of all the lives that gang members lead.

He wanted to scare people away from the gang life and hood mentality with brutal first hand accounts. Who would want to live a life where, dodging bullets and running from other gangsters and the cops, is a daily habit? Where the law of the streets is kill or be killed, in which he acted upon many times, where losing friends is a common event and not being able to attend their funerals is also a reality for fear of being shot while there.

Having to kill or wound people almost daily is necessary for survival, and where going to jail for doing so, being raped or killed in jail is even closer than on the street, is expected in order to rise in the ranks. These are just some of the stories he told and examples that he gave in his book. These are to serve as a warning, that this is what gangs are all about, and nothing else. He then approaches the book with a more intellectual approach, instead of the previous more physical and visual one.

Shakur now explains the reasons of why he decided to leave the gang. Some of which were religious and nationalist, but knowing that these are not for everybody, he also uses family and morals to get his point across, which everybody can relate too. After reflecting on his past, which he had plenty of time to do in jail, he realized that he was getting tired of the monotonous gang life of constant warfare. He now for the first time deeply wondered how he was going to raise his kids in a safe environment while in a gang(page 357).

He also was now much more bothered by his violent life and especially his deeper past. His subconscious was telling him that it was over and that he was washed up, he was now beginning to get to more moral and logical in his thoughts, to where he knew he mentally and emotionally wouldnt be able to bang much longer(page 277).

He now had left the gang life behind in order to raise his family in a safer environment and also to settle his conscience down and feel better about himself. In conclusion, Kody Scott a.k.a. Sanyika Shakur, used this book as a tool to help let society know the dangers of the gang life, and possibly some advice to help prevent gangs from growing and spreading, and also to prevent his past from becoming somebodies future.

Which is best summed up in his last paragraph from the book in which he states:How do we come to grips with the fact that this thing has gotten way too real, out of control like some huge snowball running down a hill, threatening to smash and kill all in its path, including those who originally fashioned it? Time is of the essence, and every thinking person with a stake in life-especially those involved in the fighting-should put forth an effort, something more concrete than a media truce, to deal with this tragedy.

The children deserve to have a descent childhood where they live. They shouldnt have to be uprooted to the suburbs to experience peace. We cannot contaminate them with our feuds of madness, which are predicated on factors over which we have no control.

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Alienation is a product of society’s inherently discriminatory bias, catalyzed by our fear of the unknown in the realm of interpersonal conduct. Mary Shelley, in her novel, Frankenstein, dissects society’s unmerited demonization of individuals who defy—voluntarily or involuntarily—conventional norms. Furthermore, through her detailed parallel development of Frankenstein and his monster, Shelley personifies the tendency to alienate on the basis of physical deformity, thereby illustrating the role of the visual in the obfuscation of morality.

Monster Book Report Essay

Kody Scott grew up in South Central L.A. during the nineteen-sixties and seventies, soon after the creation of the Crips. Raised in poverty without a father, and a full family raised solely by his mother, Kody Scott led the stereotypical "ghetto" life, a poor and broken home. However he does not blame this on his own personal decision to join the Crips while only eleven year's old. The allure of the respect and "glory" that "bangers" got, along with the unity of the "set"(name for the specific gang) is what drew him into the gang. Once joined, he vowed to stay in the "set" for life, and claimed that banging was his life. After many years of still believing this, he

Frankenstein The Monster Literary Analysis

Fictionally, the greatest-written villains in history possess attributes that give them cause for their behavior, with the most universal and essential of these core traits being a deep, personal backstory behind their acts. For instance, in classic stories like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the Monster presents thorough reason to its Creator in terms of why it has turned to wickedness. The Monster does not kill purely for the sake of being evil, its actions are resulted from its desire to be loved by man, yet failing at every attempt to achieve it. Motivation behind monstrous acts is necessary in works of fiction because non-fictionally, people labeled as monsters by society possesses motivation behind their actions as well, whether it be

A Discussion Of Monster In Monster Culture By Richard Cohen

Monsters. What is a monster? The term monster can have a variety of definitions; to some a monster is a secret,an addiction, disability, or anything that is holding them back. Is it something big, green, and scary that hides under our bed? This is what children believe monsters are; the older I get the more I realize witches, ghost, vampires,and werewolfs are not truly monsters. As I got older I realized monsters are not obvious in appearance, they look just like me, they live just a couple towns over, but visually nothing is different between me and the monsters in our society. A very personal monster I have is nightmares. Many nights in a row it is possible for me to have nightmares, waking up in the middle of my dreams is not uncommon. As you could imagine going back to sleep is not easy for me. The dream keeps replaying in my head after I wake up. The dreams are typically about someone trying to

Analysis Of ' The True Monster '

The idea of do not judge a book by a cover comes into play in the novel, Frankenstein, because it consists of a creature who is exiled from human civilization because of his grotesque appearance. The creature is never given a chance to justify his actions, and is expected to live his life as outsider without a community. In reality the creature is immediately judged based upon his appearance, and not the content of his character, which is the thing that should be evaluated. The creature soul is pure, and beautiful that it is overlooked because of this physique. The creature is the victim of Frankenstein’s own demons. Frankenstein, the creator, follows his own obsession to discover the secret to life by placing life into a non-living body. He shows no hesitation. Power and pride appears to brainwash his mind, that he overlooks all possible consequences. He is the definition of monstrosity because he is vain, and simply thinks about himself, and what he wants to achieve like power in this instance. Thirst for power is an ugly characteristic that begins one’s path in being a monster because it consumes your life, and blinds you from doing the right thing. I aim to convince the reader that the novel, Frankenstein, presents ugliness as the general makeup of monstrosity, but I am going to argue that the creature does not fit this characteristic internally, and Frankenstein does through his demeanor.

Analyzing Mary Shelley's 'Monster'

This piece of text says that the kids thought the beast was something they could hunt and kill. But little do they know it lives within them all. This beast is the reason why they cannot do the things they wish to do, or why they cannot act the way they wish to act. The boys didn’t know that this so called beast that lives inside them is what makes their actions and their thought process. As the beast grows in them all their civilization diminishes. Their savagery grows and gets worse day by day. This monster is eating them on the inside. Making them turn against each, making them act like fools, making them simply not them; these boys do no act like themselves what so ever when they realize that this monster living in them all is a terrifying

Comparing The Monster In Born Of Man And Woman By Richard Matheson

The “monster” spoken of in Richard Matheson’s horror short story “Born of Man and Woman” has been physically and psychologically abused by his parents. He has been made into what he is by how they treat him both with words and physically. He has been locked in a dark room for his entire life chained to a wall though the reasons seem unclear. His mother describes him as a “retch” making it entirely possible that he could be disfigured in some way.

Monster: A Fictional Narrative

The newcomers gradually gathering the treetop bar, the name hung on a sign above the double doors. Brendan had not paid it much mind. Not noticed at all until Jeff began using the name in conversation. It soon became the place where they would spend their social time. It used to a place to go celibate a job well done. A beer after work on a Friday. Or in there case a stake through a vampire's heart, an exorcism or dragging out a monster from under the bed. They had started as co-workers a business relationship but as time went on the group become closer and payment became a formality. They spent time together in the treetop because that was where they wanted to be. Four centuries prior Brendan would find himself thinking about this while watching

Monster: A Narrative Fiction

Horrified cries filled the auditorium, and Napoleon shouted, “Oh, stop that! Surely, you realize that this normie is only dragging down this school rather than helping it!?”

Chapter Three Of A Monster

The howling rose up again from somewhere behind the truck, closer than before. Whatever was chasing us was still on our trail.

Descriptive Essay : ' The Monster '

The monster giggles while I silently cry. It has curly short brown hair and blue eyes. Its nose is oval with giant, hairy NOSTRILS! Some parts of its skin are bright pink while others beige. It holds me with its two bulging hands, but I can barely endure it. It sits on the moist grass and holds me between its legs. It’s a shame that I had to be captured on such a sunny day.

Analysis Of ' Monster On The Loose '

During final’s exam week, students tend to procrastinate and stress out. This results in lack of sleep. With that, this leads to the consumption of an energy drink, such as a Monster. This product made its debut around 2002. From there, the production rate has skyrocketed its sales in the 20th century. The Hansen Beverage company is the owner of this product and has been accused of many health-related problems, and despite their increase in sales each year; their price is similar to any other beverage making it inexpensive. One of the reasons why sales increase is because of the unique taste it has makes it addictive. However, people should consume responsibly

Analysis Of The Book ' Horror Of Horror '

In the book “Horror in Architecture” horror is defined in various ways, from horror being the truth about abstraction, to horror reorienting the notion that what exists is not necessarily all that might be. Eight different typologies of horror are identified which includes Doubles and Clones, Exquisite Corpse, Partially and Mostly Dead, Reiteration and Reflexivity, Incontinent Object, Trojan Horse, Homunculism and Gigantism, Solidity, Mass, Stereotomy, Distortion and Disproportion. THESIS: The architect Zaha Hadid has produced a number of works that fit into the Trojan Horse typology of horror which includes the Vitra Fire station in Weil am Rhein, the MAXXI museum in Rome and the 1st floor interior design she did for the Hotel Puerta America.

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Canada’s Federal Budget Goes From Big Secret to ‘Roadshow’

Breaking with Canadian tradition, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been crisscrossing the country announcing measures from the April 16 budget in advance.

By Ian Austen

Even for a country with a system of government that is prone to keeping things confidential, the secrecy that once surrounded federal budgets stood out.

For decades, both Liberal and Conservative federal governments gradually eroded that once seemingly sacred concept with selective advance leaks.

But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken it to a new level. Instead of leaks attributed to anonymous sources, the prime minister has been traveling the country to give Canadians a preview of a variety of major budget measures. Many of them appear to be intended to lure back younger voters to his Liberal Party, including spending to increase housing, expanding child care programs and introducing a national school food program.

There may be little in the way of big announcements left for Chrystia Freeland, the finance minister, to unveil when she presents the actual budget on April 16.

“This preannouncement of the budget roadshow — we’ve never seen that before at the prime ministerial level,” Jonathan Malloy, a political scientist at Carleton University who studies Parliament, told me. “There has to be an election next year and the government is not doing well in the polls. So that’s an important factor. He needs the coverage; he needs the supposed good news.”

Mr. Trudeau’s approach is a stark contrast to the one taken by Louis St. Laurent, who was the Liberal prime minister from 1948 to 1957. To avoid having secretaries or clerks learn about budget measures in advance, Mr. St. Laurent made his finance ministers personally type their budget speeches .

A vast budget secrecy machine developed over time. Copies of the federal budget were flown across the country by the air force and escorted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to branches of the Bank of Canada, where they would be locked up until the finance minister spoke. Government printers were locked down in printing plants and reporters were locked up in conference rooms, along with officials and political staffers offering spins and explanations, to review the mountain of paper in advance.

“Over time, it became almost a fetish that this was just a uniquely secret document,” Professor Malloy said.

Leaks were taken seriously. In 1989, Doug Small, a reporter for Global TV, broadcast details of the upcoming budget after obtaining a summary version from a government employee who, in turn, had received it from someone he knew at a recycling plant. Mr. Small and four other people were charged with theft and possession of stolen property. A court threw out the case.

Unlike budgets in the United States, Canadian budgets are not the subject of protracted negotiations and amendments. They either pass more or less as presented or the government falls.

So the most common explanation for the secrecy is that it prevents people from taking advantage of, say, tax changes to profit financially. Professor Malloy said, however, that there was little evidence of people trying to do that in the past.

But keeping the major piece of legislation secret until the last minute, he said, can allow governments to bury, or at least divert attention from, potentially unpopular measures within it. Tamping down leaks also prevented lobbying within the government by departments looking for more money, he added.

The decline in budget secrecy may also reflect the diminished economic importance of the budget itself. When Canada’s economy was more isolated and less driven by global forces, government tax and spending changes had more profound effects on it. So much so that during the 1960s, the accounting office in Windsor, Ontario, where my father was a partner annually installed a Telex machine to immediately, if noisily, spew out the text of the budget.

“If you go back to St. Laurent and further in the past, the budget was more about affecting the economy,” Professor Malloy said. “But over time, the budget became storytelling. It’s less about how we’re going to shape the economy now. It’s more about what the government is doing in general.”

Trans Canada

My colleague Norimitsu Onishi traveled to Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, to write about how African immigrants have revived a remote mining community. Nasuna Stuart-Ulin, a photographer based in Montreal, also vividly captured the scene.

This week, the commission on foreign interference in elections released details from a top-secret intelligence report that warned about continuing attempts by the Chinese government to meddle in specific Canadian government races in 2021. And Han Dong, a former Liberal member of Parliament, testified that high school students from China were transported by bus to vote for him.

Jacob Flickinger, a 33-year-old dual citizen of the United States and Canada, was one of seven World Central Kitchen workers who were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

Eleanor Collins, who was widely regarded as Canada’s “first lady of jazz” during the 1950s and was known for her mastery of the standards as well as her commanding performances on radio, early television specials and in nightclubs around Vancouver, has died. She was 104.

Joe Flaherty, an actor who played a variety of characters on “SCTV” including Guy Caballero, the sleazy president of the station; Sammy Maudlin, an unctuous late-night talk-show host; and Count Floyd, a host of “Monster Chiller Horror Theater,” has died. He was 82.

Michael and Gerald Shvartsman, two Canadian brothers, have each pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud in a Trump Media insider-trading scheme .

The On Location feature in Real Estate looked into the renovation of two saltbox houses in Salvage, Newfoundland.

Researchers at Wilfrid Laurier University have found that garter snakes can distinguish themselves from others, using not sight but scent.

Eric Asimov, the chief wine critic of The New York Times, singled out Dear Margaret, a French Canadian restaurant, for having one of the best wine lists in Chicago .

Michael Roston, a senior editor on the Health and Science desk, explained how he would be coordinating Vjosa Isai, me and 28 other journalists to cover the total solar eclipse that will travel from Mexico through the United States and then Eastern Canada on Monday. The Times has also prepared a guide to eclipse viewing .

A native of Windsor, Ontario, Ian Austen was educated in Toronto, lives in Ottawa and has reported about Canada for The New York Times for two decades. Follow him on Bluesky at @ianausten.bsky.social .

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Ian Austen reports on Canada for The Times based in Ottawa. He covers politics, culture and the people of Canada and has reported on the country for two decades. He can be reached at [email protected] . More about Ian Austen