Monster 4

This section was pretty good reading. There wasn't as much journal entries by Steve which shows his inner emotions. Which is kinda cool but it can get really depressing. Instead, the majority was court drama. Apparently it was the states case, which is very important because it brings all the most important witnesses to the stand. This was very interesting becasue I was able to learn alot more about courtrooms and the language used. I was also a little frustrated especially at the jurors. When one testimony was up, a person in the stands looks at Steve until Steve looks down embarresed. I got really mad becasue the fact is, Steves not even guilty! I mean come on, it's ridiculous how corrupt the judicial system is. Everyone that went to the stand unfairly accused Steve of that crime and that really grinds my gears. Steve is an innocent boy who could easily have a future in movie making or screen play. The prosecutor Petrocelli is so bent on winning the case that she will plow through anyone that gets in the way especially an innocent kid. Despite the courtroom drama, the section was pretty interesting. I'm still pretty unsure about how this chapter will end but hopefully Steve will get his freedom.

Monster 3

So what happened in this reading was pretty depressing. In this section of the reading, Steve talks to his parents in jail and it becomes extremely emotional. I thought it was kinda weird that his Mom and Dad came at different times and made me think that they might be divorced or split. Also Steve always writes in his journal (not the storyboard) about when his parents come. Both of them think that Steve is innocent especially his mother who says to him "No matter what anybody says in there, You're innocent." You can tell by the way that he writes right after his mom comes that he feels like crap and wishes he was dead. When his dad comes, he talks about how he envisioned Steves future and how he "pictured you at college, or buying a house." This part made me sad because the truth is he could be on his way to college. He's a smart guy but he just got caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. What made this part even more depressing was the fact that his Dad teared up at the end of his visit and Steve writes "I've never seen him cry before." This is the same with my Dad. I've never seen him cry before and if he was crying for the first time becasue of me, I would feel horrible.

In this section Steve is realizing what he's in for if he becomes guilty. You can see how shocked he is when he writes " I want to be away from this place so bad, away from this place, AWAY FROM THIS PLACE." To me, this would be very shocking and it's funny that he soesn't realize that he could either end up dead or in a rotten prison for the rrest of his life over something he didn't do.

I think the saddest part of this story is the fact that he didn't do anything. He's stuck in a hole and can't get out and the two options are to die or stay there for the rest of his life. It's almost like innocent animals who are being trapped for no apparent reason but to satisfy the want of the hunter to catch his prey. Steve Harmon is a very coplex kid and he is in a situation in which a court full of random people he didn't know until then are deciding his fate. I look forward to reading the rest of Steve Harmons life

Monster 2

The book monster is pretty interesting so far in terms of the story line. THe story is extremely intense and a lot of the time especially the parts he explains about being in jail and all the really intense stuff that goes down inside those walls. It's also really messed up that 30 year old men have to worry about getting sexually harrased inside and even outside of jail. Like one guy whose name is Sal Zinzi who was cutting deals with the detective to try and get Bolden in jail (who is a convicted criminal) because he said he would gang rape Sal. Now that's just messed up if ask me. I wouldn't last a day in jail if I were Steve.

As I was reading I was also thinking about how the prosecutors and lawyers feel. I know that Briggs (Steves Lawyer) feels somewhat sympathetic of Steves situation but then when I look at Petrocelli (the Prosecuter), I just think wow, this person doesn't give a crap about if the people are innocent or not. They just want them in jail so they can win another case and get more money. Same goes for the Stenographer ( the person who records the trial). She says quote on quote "Man I hope this trial lasts for two weeks. I could sure use the money." I mean SERIOUSLY!!! They don't even understand what's going to happen to these people and what they would have to go through for the rest of their lives. It's almost like these people are objects in which they get paid for using. Steve says in his journal that it's almost like he's not even involved in the case and that the jurors are deciding a fate for him in which he doesn't even have a say.

I know this sounds kind of stupid but they should definitely make Monster into a movie and I think everyone involved in court should watch it and the story board that the author writes should be used for the movie. At least someone involved in court would reconsider what they are doing before they get themselves involved with a case like this in which someone would be getting the death penalty or spending life in jail.

So so far the book has really made me think and ponder the life of someone in jail as long as the people who are convicting innocent people. I'm very excited for the next chapter, or I guess it's there's not really chapters just sections. I'm excited for the next section.

First Monster

Wow... This book is extremely interesting. I've never before read a book where it's written in a screenplay and occasionaly switches into him writing in his journal. I feel like I'd almost want to kill myself if I was living in a jail like this one. After reading the first page and after he wrote something like "the night is the best time to cry. That way no one hears you and the screams of other inmates drown out the noise." This quote is a great start to the book I think becasue it is so spontaneous and makes you want to read more. The main character in the story seems innocent becasue he almost sounds like a child the way he writes. It's almost like he doesn't even realize that he could be getting the death sentence and even if he doesn't get the death sentence he's probably gonna be spending a loooong time in jail. I also though it was funny how he writes like the star wars beggining for the start of his screenplay. To me, this sounds extremely depressing and I would never be able to live in a jail for more than a few weeks.

Night

"And I walked on with my father and the men. I didn't know that this was the moment that I was going to leave my mother and Tzipora forever." I especially felt horrified when he wrote this because he didn't even get to say goodbye and to not be able to see half your family for the rest of your life as a 15 year old boy would just be awful. This quote really made me think about how important my family is to me and that if this were to happen I would be sincerely depressed.