MONSTER BOOK REVIEW - MONSTER SYNOPSIS

PLOT STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

The structure of this novel is two-fold: Steve expresses his thoughts in the format of a journal and in the screenplay he writes. It is interesting that he begins and ends his screenplay like the movie Star Wars, because that movie is one that presents heroes saving the universe, and Steve is anything but a hero. It seems to indicate that he wants to be thought of as bigger than life while the reality drags him down as seen in his journal.

Also, telling his story in the form of a movie allows him to continue the lie he tells himself in his journal that somehow all of this mess didn’t happen to him and is just a movie he can walk away from. The journal then becomes the truth and shows what he knows deep in his heart.

RISING ACTION

The rising action begins with Steve in jail and beginning his screenplay in the midst of the horrors of hardened criminals, rapists, and violence. It continues to the climax, which is the verdict of not guilty.

FALLING ACTION

The falling action occurs five months after the trial when Steve reveals the sentences that the other participants received, the gap that is widening between him and his father, and his continuing inability to figure out who he really is.

POINT OF VIEW

This novel is written in first person perspective from Steve’s viewpoint. He presents himself through his journal entries and a screenplay.

AUTHOR’S STYLE

The author’s style is obviously serious, but it is also social commentary. He wants to show through Steve’s example that young men like him who might read this book need to think seriously about the decisions they might make, and that there’s more than committing a crime as a way to prove their manhood. This social commentary is also targeted to all races of this country, so they can see the simmering problems of the inner city. Using the format of a screenplay and a journal allows him to express these ideas in a creative, interesting way for young readers and older readers alike. It allows him also to let us see into the mind of an impressionable sixteen year-old boy who gets caught up in activities that will change his life forever. That is the poignancy of his style.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers Free BookNotes Summary