Decision-making is a dominant theme that runs through this book and Steve acknowledges that idea in the beginning. In the opening pages, Steve writes "The incredible story of how one guy's life was turned around by a few events..." (Myers, pg. 9). I would try to focus my students on the significance of the choices they make, as small as they may be. By opting to hang out with thugs like James King and Osvaldo Cruz, Steve opens himself up to the consequences of being linked with these unsavory characters. A life lesson that I always emphasize with my classes is that today's decisions will be tomorrow's realities. Because Steve chose to be with hang with these young men, he might be spending the rest of his life behind bars.
I don't believe that Steve ever believed that the store owner would die, but I did question whether he truly knew what James King intended to do. In flashbacks, Myers establishes that he sat with King while he discussed his desire to get money. "If I had a crew, I could get paid. All you need is a crew with some heart and a nose for the cash," King says (Myers, pg. 50). Later in another flashback, King becomes more specific with Steve and even outlines Steve's role in the robbery. "I got a sure getover. You know that drugstore got burned out that time? They got it all fixed up now. Drugstores always keep some money. All we need is a lookout. You down for it?" (Myers, pg. 150). Myers never lets the reader know Steve's answer, and I wonder why he chose not to. Through Steve's recollections, it is made known that he was in the drugstore prior to the botched robbery and murder. So did he give the men a signal as he was supposed to do? That part is never made clear, and it makes me wonder if he truly played a role in the crime or not.
Another part of the story I would draw attention to is the style in which it is written. Recently I read a journal article which focused on how to draw reluctant readers to reading. One line of thought was to expose students to books which incorporated a different font, like personalized handwriting. Monster is unique because not only are Steve's inner thoughts reflected through a handwritten journal, but the story is set up as a movie script. This format, plus the use of sporadic photography, breaks up the amount of text presented on a page and doesn't seem so overwhelming to a struggling reader.
In chapter 5 of the textbook, Barbara Moss focuses on using tradebooks to complement the curriculum. While Monster is not a tradebook, I do like one of the points she makes. While citing another study, Moss agrees that "students are captivated by the most courageous or cruelest of acts, the strangest and the most bizarre natural phenomena, the most terrible or the most wonderful events. These are staples of the TV shows, books, and films that exploit this prominent characteristic of students' imaginations..." (Moss, pg. 90). Teenagers are intrigued by high drama and extreme events. Monster fits that bill with a young man, fighting an uphill battle to prove his innocence in a court of law. I like the idea of pairing this book up with Myers's memoir, Bad Boy. I've used his memoir before as a read aloud with my younger students when instructing them on how to expand moments in their lives. It could make for a good discussion to parallel the chapters where Myers recounts his own difficulties during his teenage years; why did others see him as bad, like the prosecuting attorney saw Steve as a monster? Monster is a good read for my 7th graders who would be interested in the subject material and who also could appreciate the introspection that Steve's character undergoes.
As I was reading over some of your comments and the page references that you gave, I found myself rereading this novel from cover to cover. You are correct.....this is truly a page turner and the format that Myers uses for this story is helpful in making it exactly that....a page turner. I never cease to be shaken by the term "monster" that is used by the prosecuting attorney in her opening remarks. For someone like Steve, being called this word is truly a "wake up" call. What do others really think of him? Is he truly a monster? What does he think of himself after he hears this term being thrown in his direction? What would any of us think of ourselves if someone made a public statement indicating that we were "monsters?" That is a pretty heavy duty word and I believe that Myers used that term because it is so very, very demeaning. One wonders if someone of importance used that terms toward WDM when he was a younster. When you sit and mull that word over and over to yourself you can get its impat.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I believe that Steve becomes somewhat "tough" as the story evolves and becomes somewhat protective of his feelings. I am thinking specifically of his actions toward his mother when she came to visit him. He was protective and felt he had to keep up a strong front for her sake. He used the phrase "Some guys have done a whole calendar in here" which was truly "jail talk" which means that he had become acclimated to the "jail lingo" in some ways. As I reread this book again and again I feel that many questions are left unanswered because WDM wants it that way. One can begin to like Steve Harmon very much and be moved to defend him (as middle school students surely will) but he made a very, very,very bad choice and, I believe, that WDM wants young people to realize that. P. 270, "But I don't want to think about decisions, just my case!!!"
I want to look at myself a thousand times to look for one true image. What did Miss O'Brien see? Am I truly a monster? Steve has lots of work to do in order to truly know himself. Thought: Did the fact that he was a brighter student and was going to school in a totally different neighborhood have an impact upon the decisions he made in his own neighborhood?