Prison life serves as a miserably rude awakening for young Steve Harmon. Though he spent his life posturing in the way of the inhabitants of his rough neighborhood, he is in fact a shy and introverted young man with an intelligent and compassionate nature. The violence and anger that he sees all around him while incarcerated makes him realize that he is not even close to who he pretended to be. It does, ironically, make him somewhat tougher, as after being locked up he can no longer be intimidated by James King.

In particular, one detail about prison that deeply disturbed Steve was realizing that all of the criminals look exactly like him. This even causes him to vomit. As he hears other inmates telling themselves that they are innocent, he begins to question his own innocence. This constant self questioning combined with having to seem tough puts an enormous strain on Steve.

There is a relentless brutality in the prison system that terrifies Steve Harmon. Especially since Steve is a young man, if not still a boy, he is particularly affected by the violence, hatred, and sexual assault that takes place in the prison. Also, because of Steve's innocence (he is improperly accused of murder by association) the world of the prison seems particularly terrifying to him. Whereas many of the other prisoners may be actual criminals, and some of them violent criminals, the cruel world of the prison may seem less shocking to them. Yet, with the young, naive Steve, it is an entirely different world altogether.

Steve feels as though he's being untrue to himself in prison. He is an intelligent and respectful young man, yet being in prison doesn't allow him to be this way. In prison, he has to act particularly strong, for the weak men are often beaten and/or raped. Steve consequently always feels on-guard, and he always feels as though he's acting. At night, he hears the horrible sounds of the prison (the violence, the moaning, the crying, etc.), and it is at night he feels most alone. He is suffocated by the vast, dark world that surrounds him, and having no true companion in prison isolates him entirely.

Steve Harmon describes the horrors of prison throughout the novel Monster and most notably is disturbed about the ongoing violence that takes place in the jail. In the Prologue of the novel, Steve mentions that someone was hit in the face with a tray during breakfast. There are several other scenes that depict the violent environment, including Steve hearing inmates raping another prisoner and a brawl that takes place during Sunday church service. The constant threat of violence scares Steve and is the major cause of his anxiety. Steve also finds it difficult to live in an environment surrounded by strangers. Steve expresses his loneliness throughout the novel and struggles to identify with the other prisoners. Steve also mentions how hard it is to act tough all the time. He cannot be himself in prison and is forced to walk around with a scowl to make himself appear tough in order to be protected. Between the constant threat of violence, loneliness, and psychological challenges, Steve Harmon's experience in prison is terrifying and difficult.

What are specific examples and details about prison life that most affect Steve in Monster?

Monster is written from Steve's perspective, so the reader and Steve feel very connected; therefore, different readers are likely to vary slightly on what specific prison life details and events most affect Steve. Steve is definitely afraid of the violence, and we are told about it throughout the book. The very first paragraph of the book has Steve telling his readers that the very best time to cry is at night when someone else is being beaten up. That way nobody can hear you crying. If they hear you crying, then you'll be beaten up next. The other thing that really scares Steve, and likely readers, is the amount of sexual assault that inmates commit against each other while in prison. Readers get to read a piece of his script in which audiences are being shown Steve on his cot with the sounds of a person being beaten in the background. Then we are told that the sounds change and become the sounds of sexual assault against the recently beaten inmate.

What are specific examples and details about prison life that most affect Steve in Monster?

Steve Harmon expresses his negative feelings about jail in his notes throughout the novel. On Tuesday, July 7th, Steve Harmon writes that the only thing the prisoners talk about is hurting one another. Steve says,

"If you look at somebody, they say, "What you looking at me for? I'll mess you up!" If you make a noise they don't like, they say they'll mess you up. One guy has a knife." (Myers 49).

Steve has to constantly be on his guard around the violent prisoners. He hates violence and is forced to act tough around the other inmates. Steve does not feel comfortable around such brash, rough individuals and prefers to keep to himself.

On Sunday, July 12th, Steve mentions that he refuses to smile back at a cafeteria worker who gives him extra food during breakfast. Following breakfast, Steve attends a church service where two inmates get into a fight and the guards lock all the prisoners up in their cells until one o'clock. Steve then describes another fight that almost breaks out while they are playing bid whist. Steve comments,

"I think I finally understand why there are so many fights. In here all you have going for you is the little surface stuff, how people look at you and what they say. And if that's all you have, then you have to protect that. Maybe that's right" (Myers 159).

After spending a substantial amount of time in jail, Steve begins to realize why the inmates act so violently. He begins to sympathize with them and tries to rationalize what makes them so violent. Although Steve himself is not a violent person, he understands that many prisoners have to act tough in order to survive.