Monster

Walter Dean Myers

• Born on a Thursday, the 12th of August, 1937, in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

• Dropped out of high school and joined the army on his 17th birthday.

• Began writing short stories and articles for magazines.• His works include over 30 critically acclaimed books

• He was awarded the first ever Michael Printz Award for Excellence

in Young Adult Literature for MONSTER.

Characters

• Protagonist- Steve Harmon

• Convicted of murder

• Is placed under arrest till proven guilty.

Characters

• Antagonist(s)- James King (the murderer) Richard “Bobo” Evans, and Osvaldo Cruz. Who all took place in the murder.

Favorite character

• Miss O'Brien

• Steve’s Lawyer

• Trying to convince the Jury that he is not guilty.

Least favorite character(s)

• James King & Mrs. Petrocelli

• James king was the one who committed the murder

• And Petrocelli is his lawyer, who twists things just a bit too much.

• And when asked why he killed Mr. Nesbitt, King didn’t really care.

Plot summary

• The fictional author of this story, Steve Harmon, writes in a printing, non-cursive style about his impression of prison and why he is writing the story. Steve writes in a notebook that the prison authorities allow him to keep. He describes how his looks have changed, the terrible violence in prison, that he must live with fear every moment.

Rising action

• "Ain't no use putting the blanket over your head, man. You can't cut this out; this is reality. This is the real deal." Chapter 1, p. 7

• One of the inmates tells Steve this while he is experiencing his first night in prison.

Exposition

• The witnesses and participants in the murder all tell their sides of December 22. (the day of the murder)

• And Steve has flash-backs to his younger years in the neighborhood.

Climax

• The jury has still not reached a verdict

• And it’s the final day of the Trial, and the last day that Steve can plead NOT GUILTY.

• It all depends on how he answers the questions and distances himself from the murderers.

Falling action

• The jury makes a final decision that Steve is not guilty.

• King and Bobo plead guilty and are sentenced to prison

Resolution

• The book leaves you as the reader to decide whether Steve feels like an innocent person or a MONSTER…

Setting

• The prison at Manhattan Detention Center

• Harlem, verginia.

Rating

• 9 out of 10

Social issue

• Although there are multiple social issues from discrimination to moral issues, all throughout this book, the main issue is CRIME.

Crime Rates in the United States Over the Past 5-10 Years

• Crime in the United States has fluctuated quite a bit throughout the years; the crime rate escalated throughout the 1980s, and reached its peak in 1993 and then began to decrease throughout the 1990s and 2000s.  In 1999, the United States had a crime index rate of 4,267 reported offenses per 100,000 population representing an 8 percent decrease since previous year.  In 2008, The United States violent and property crime rates were at the lowest levels recorded since1973.

• There are many things that could have contributed to the falling crime rates, but it is impossible to know the exact cause. Some of the things that may have contributed are police strategies, current programs for offenders in prison and efforts to assist offenders when they are released, and incarceration for major crimes.

Crime rates through the past years

Crime rates (cont.)• Recent statistics show that the crime rate could be starting to

increase again.  The year 2005 was overall the safest year that the U.S. has had in the last thirty years. The recent overall decrease in crime has reflected all major types of crime, with both violent and property crimes decreasing, the U.S. has reached an all-time low.  The homicide rate alone has decreased over 42% since its last record high point in 1991 and was continually decreasing until the year 2005, where it has since remained level.

• On the other hand, property and violent crimes overall have continued to decrease.  They are not decreasing as much as they were throughout the 1990s, but unlike homicide rates they are still declining.  Overall, the crime rate in the U.S. was the same in 2004 as it was in 1969, with the homicide rate being about the same as in 1966.  Violent crime overall, however, is still at about the same level as in 1974, even though it has greatly decreased since 1991.

Song- “If everyone cared- Nickelback”

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY96-ueYHec• From underneath the trees, we watch the sky

Confusing stars for satellitesI never dreamed that you'd be mineBut here we are, we're here tonight

• Singing Amen, I, I'm aliveSinging Amen, I, I'm alive

[Chorus:]If everyone cared and nobody criedIf everyone loved and nobody liedIf everyone shared and swallowed their prideThen we'd see the day when nobody died

And I'm singing

Amen I, Amen I, I'm aliveAmen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive

And in the air the firefliesOur only light in paradiseWe'll show the world they were wrongAnd teach them all to sing along

Singing Amen, I, I'm aliveSinging Amen, I, I'm alive(I'm alive)

[Chorus x2]

And as we lie beneath the starsWe realize how small we areIf they could love like you and meImagine what the world could be

If everyone cared and nobody criedIf everyone loved and nobody liedIf everyone shared and swallowed their prideThen we'd see the day when nobody diedWhen nobody died...

Video• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3VU9jrmsjY 27:05- END

Sources• http://www.protectourtroops.org/blog/crime-rates-in-the-united-states-over-the-past-5-10-years/• http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/bio.html• http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-myers-walterdean.asp• http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-monster/• http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm• http://justinsplace.wikispaces.com/Quarter+3+Week+23