The theme of introspection is the most relevant of the novel. It refers to how the entire novel is not just Steves re-telling of the events he must endure after the murder of Mr. Nesbitt, but also how he works through each step of the road he took when he associated himself with people like Bobo, James, and Osvaldo.
Sometimes, he believes that hes done nothing wrong while at other times,
at least in his heart, he knows what he did was wrong. This introspection
begins at the beginning of the screenplay, but doesnt stop when the screenplay
ends. Thats because Steve still doesnt know who he is, and its obvious
that hes in a crisis of some kind, trying to find out the truth. He cant
forget the revulsion on Miss OBriens face, and so the introspection
has a long way to go.
Another theme is peer pressure. This is another important idea presented to the young people who might read this novel. It presents the reality of the world, that there are people who do bad things out of selfishness and greed, and they often impact in devastating ways on people around them. This is true for all young people, but is especially a problem in the inner city where young Black men have few if any good role models in their lives.
Steve is not as deeply impacted by this as are Bobo, James, and Osvaldo,
but he, too, feels the pressure to belong to groups and individuals who
wont affect him positively. Proving his manhood is extremely important.
That might mean joining a gang, like Osvaldo, or following a tougher guy
who has robbery or even murder on his mind. For Steve, the lessons of
his home were not enough to handle the pressure, and in his desire to
show he was a man, he made decisions he will have to live with the rest
of his life.
A third theme is that of young Black men in Harlem. This theme is part of the authors intent to show the way life in the inner city leads many young Black men straight to prison. They live lives of quiet desperation where the only way they can prove themselves or make any kind of mark is through crime. They are often uneducated and inadequately prepared to live lives of integrity and morality.
The author isnt trying to justify what these young men do nor exonerate
them for their crimes; however, he is trying to point out the social problems
we often want to throw under a rug or in the case of these Black men,
into prison. Its a problem the Black community must face, but its also
a problem for our entire country. There are too many young Black men in
prison and the reasons why should be analyzed and resolved.
A final theme concerns race and the justice system. Even Miss OBrien is aware that race impacts on a jurys conception of an accused perpetrator. She worries that his being Black will make the jury automatically assume he is guilty. Furthermore, the author seems to hint that the justice system will put these people in jail by any means necessary and therefore, is biased. In fact, there is a subtle suggestion that often a young Black man cannot get a fair trial.
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Cite this page:
Clapsaddle, Diane. "TheBestNotes on Monster".
TheBestNotes.com.
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