Name ______Date______
Monster by Walter Dean Myers Guided Reading Questions
Pages 1-44
1. When does Steve say is the best time to cry?
NIGHT
2. Steve says that he “sleeps with, wakes up with, and goes to the bathroom with” who?
STRANGERS
3. What would Steve call the movie about his life?
MONSTER:
4. How old is Steve Harmon?
SIXTEEN
5. Who is Steve’s lawyer?
KATHY O’BRIEN
6. Steve is on trial with another man. What is his name?
JAMES KING
7. Which lawyer wants to put both of them in jail?
SANDRA PETROCELLI
8. This section ends with a flashback. Describe the memory Steve flashes back to?
STEVE AND A FRIEND THROW A FEW ROCKS AT A LAMP. STEVE’S H IT’S A LADY INSTEAD; HER BOYFRIEND GETS ANGRY AND STEVE CALLS OUT “TONY RUN.” THE MAN THEN PROCEEDS TO HIT TONY. STEVE WATCHES BUT DOES NOTHING TO HELP TONY. TONY SAYS “YOU THREW THAT ROCK,” TO WHICH STEVE SAYS “I DIDN’T SAY YOU THREW IT; I JUST SAID TO RUN.”
9. The prosecutor calls Steve a ______in her opening statement. This really effects him.
MONSTER
10. Why do you think that this has such a profound effect on him?
MANY RESPONSES ARE CORRECT HERE: STEVE IS AFRAID HE IS A MONSTER; HE’S AFRAID OF WHAT HE APPEARS TO BE (TO OTHER PEOPLE)
Pages 45-98
11. What is B&E? BREAKING AND ENTERING
12. What non-school like thing is Johnny doing at the start of the first flashback of this section?
SMOKING A BLUNT
13. Where were the cigarettes Bolden bought while in prison from?
BOBO EVANS STOLE THEM FROM A DRUGSTORE (BOBO HAD THEM)
14. Why is Bolden an unreliable witness?
HE JUST WANTS TO MAKE A DEAL TO GET OUT OF PRISON. HE’S AFRAID OF THE OTHER MEN THERE
15. How do we know that Jerry looks up to his brother?
HE THINKS STEVE WOULD MAKE A GOOD SUPERHERO. HE WANTS STEVE TO BE BATMAN SO HE (JERRY) CAN BE ROBIN.
16. Why does Steve say “they take away your shoelaces and belt” in prison?
SO YOU CAN’T HANG (KILL) YOURSELF
17. What one word would best describe Steve’s feelings as he describes them on pages 59-64?
INHUMAN, DETATCHED, SCARED…
18. Who is the detective being questioned on the stand in this section?
DETECTIVE KARYL
19. What does the detective mean by, “What are you a pessimist? Hope for the best.” [page 73]
HOPE FOR THE BEST: THE DEATH PENALTY FOR STEVE
20. What did the detective not check that he should have checked at the crime scene?
FINGERPRINTS
21. How does Osvaldo’s real self differ from the self he portrays while on the stand?
HE’S REALLY (OR AT LEAST ACTS) TOUGH, FEARLESS. ON THE STAND HE ACTS SCARED
22. What personal information do we learn about Ms. O’Brien in Steve’s journal [pages 89-98]
SHE’S FROM QUEENS; WENT TO BISHOP MCDONELL HIGH, ST. JO’S COLLEGE, AND NEW YORK UNIVERSITY FOR LAW SCHOOL
23. Reread the paragraph in Steve’s journal that runs from page 96-97. Why is this paragraph so powerful?
STEVE IS CHANGING. HE USED TO WANT TO BE TOUGH LIKE KING, BUT NOW KING IS POWERLESS…LOOKS DO NOTHING TO SCARE HIM.
Pages 99-159
24. Why do you think the juror described on the top of page 99 reacts to Steve in the fashion she does?
MANY RESPONSES OK HERE: SHE’S ASHAMED, SHE THINKS HE’S GUILTY, SHE DOESN’T WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH HIM….
25. Why does it not make sense that Osvaldo would “be afraid” of Bobo as he states on page 101?
HE’S A GANG MEMBER; NOT AFRAID OF PEOPLE; NOT AFRAID TO HURT PEOPLE
26. Why does Briggs suggest that Osvaldo is saying what he is saying?
HE WANTS A DEAL (IN REAL TROUBLE, NEEDS HELP)
27. What is the name of the gang Osvaldo belongs to? ____THE DIABLOS______
28. Why is O’Brien’s cross examination of Osvaldo so strong?
SHE CATCHES HIM LYING ON THE STAND (TO LOOK BETTER)
29. What does Steve see his father do that he has never seen him do in this portion of the novel? CRYING
30. What does Petrocelli present to the jurors to try to leave a bad image in their minds?
THE PICTURES OF MR. NESBITT’S BODY
31. Reread the last line on page 130 in Steve’s journal. Why is that so powerful?
AS BEFORE, STEVE IS CHANGING. HE NO LONGER WANTS WHAT HE USED TO. HE SEES THROUGH THE FAÇADE OF THE VALUE OF ‘BEING TOUGH’ OR ‘BAD’. HE NO LONGER WANTS TO BE LIKE THEM.
32. How does Dr. Moody say the victim, Alguinaldo Nesbitt, actually died?
MR. NESBITT DROWNED IN HIS OWN BLOOD (INTERNAL INJURIES/BLEEDING)
33. What does Steve think his lawyer feels about his guilt or innocence?
HE THINKS O’BRIEN SEES HIM AS GUILTY
34. Do you agree or disagree with the statement Steve makes on page 146 regarding race?
EITHER ANSWER IS ACCEPTABLE HERE ***AS LONG AS YOU CAN SUPPORT IT***
35. In the flashback that begins on page 149 we never see how Steve responds to King. What do you think his response was to the question King asked him?
EITHER ANSWER IS ACCEPTABLE HERE ***AS LONG AS YOU CAN SUPPORT IT***
36. Who does Steve see on the street below his cell? ___JERRY (AND HIS MOM)______
37. Why is Monday a big day in court?
STAR WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (BOBO EVANS)
Pages 161-238
38. What is Ms. Lorelle Henry’s profession? __RETIRED LIBERARIAN______
39. What does Briggs have a problem with in terms of Bobo’s appearance when he comes into the courtroom?
EVANS IS IN HIS PRISON UNIFORM AND HAS UNKEMPT HAIR. HE THINKS KING WILL BE CONNECTED OR LINKED TO HIM AND HE DOESN’T WANT THAT (BAD IMAGE).
40. What is a “heavy and a half?” _____7 ½ TO 10 YEARS______
41. What is a “chrome?” ____A GUN______
42. Why does Briggs suggest Bobo is saying the things he is saying on the stand?
TO GET A DEAL.
43. What is O’Brien suggesting through the last few questions she asks Bobo?
THAT EVANS DIDN’T KNOW MUCH OF WHAT WAS GOING ON (NOT COMPLETELY RELIABLE)…HE DIDN’T KNOW STEVE AT ALL; THERE WAS NO STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN HIM AND STEVE, AND THUS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MURDER/ROBBERY AND STEVE.
44. Why might Steve have written Mr. Sawicki, his teacher’s name, twice on the list O’Brien asked him to write?
A NUMBER OF ANSWERS ARE OK HERE: HE LOOKS UP TO SAWICKI BEING CHIEF AMONG THEM.
45. Nipping and Moore are put on the stand as character witness for King. How do they do?
MOST OF THEIR POINTS ARE PROVEN SOMEWHAT IRRELEVANT. (KING COULD HAVE USED HIS RIGHT HAND TO SHOOT THE GUN…)
46. Explain the scene where O’Brien gives Steve advice for when he takes the stand.
HE NEEDS TO BREAK THE LINK BETWEEN HIMSELF AND KING. APPEAR INNOCENT AND BELIEVABLE. SHE WANTS HIM TO UNDERSTAND THE ANSWERS HE NEEDS TO GIVE. SHE DOESN’T WANT TO TELL HIM WHAT TO SAY, SO SHE PLAYS THE GAME TO GET HIM TO THINK.
47. What kinds of answers does Steve give to the lawyers when he testifies? Why?
OPENLY AND HONESTLY. BECAUSE HE’S INNOCENT. DOESN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO HIDE; HE’S YOUNGs
48. How might Mr. Sawicki help Steve in this case?
HE TESTIFIES THAT STEVE IS A GOOD KID. THIS CAN HELP STEVE TO LOOK BETTER…DECREASE THE DAMAGE DONE BY HIS ASSOCIATION WITH KING/OSVALDO.
49. Predict the verdict GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY (CIRCLE ONE)
50. Why?
EITHER ANSWER IS ACCEPTABLE HERE ***AS LONG AS YOU CAN SUPPORT IT***