Bibliographic Information:
Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999.
Plot Description: Steven is sitting in a courtroom where his trial for felony murder is about to begin. The story unfolds as a play by play of the trial with occasional flashbacks, with testimony from various people including the other accused. It’s unclear who exactly is telling the truth, or if Steven’s lawyer even believes in his innocence.
Quantitative Reading Level: Lexile 670; GL 7.1
Qualitative Reading Analysis: The structure of the text is very complex, in part because of the break in chronology as the story unfolds. Because Steven is an amateur filmmaker, the narrative is written as a movie script in the third person, with occasional diary entries told in first person. Use of language is moderately complex, with mostly familiar vocabulary except some informal street talk used by some of the witnesses. The subject matter is for a mature audience, and likewise both the background knowledge and life experiences are beyond the reach of most young readers.
Content Area: English Language Arts, Reading Literature
Content Area Standard(s):
CCSS for Reading Literature, Grades 9-10: 2) Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text; 3) Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme; 5) Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
Curriculum Suggestions: Monster is a great independent reading recommendation book, possibly of interest to students who enjoy or identify with gritty, realistic fiction novels.
Supporting Digital Content: Student-made book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2tKzK4B8-o
Author’s Purpose/Theme: Perhaps the most pervasive theme of the novel is the idea that there are sometimes grave circumstances resulting from bad decisions.
Award: 2000 Michael L. Printz Award, 2000 Coretta Scott King Award Finalist
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