Monster contributes greatly to an understanding of the social realities underlying a young person’s growing to maturity in an inner city. Growth occurs in relation to a teen’s entire milieu. The trial process, on the other hand, isolates individuals and events, and it attempts to understand them solely in order to identify agents, to determine outcomes, and to assign guilt. The justice system fails to recognize the social web and the milieu of all characters. Moreover, its officers—prosecutors and defense attorneys—are not even concerned with justice, being instead dedicated to victory, regardless of the guilt or innocence of the accused. Ultimately, the imprisonment of James King and the exoneration of Steve Harmon seem to be accidental outcomes of Kafkaesque events, as readers are left uncertain of either defendant’s innocence or guilt.

"You're young, you're Black, and you're on trial. What else do they need to know?" Miss O'Brien, Steve's lawyer, tells him. She underscores the difficulty of winning Steve's case, primarily because of the prevailing stereotype that young Black men are prone to committing violent crimes. Early in Monster, Steve starts to suspect that Miss O'Brien not only finds the case challenging because of his youth and race but also because she might believe he is indeed guilty of the crime he’s accused of. Despite this, she is clever and resourceful, working diligently to distance Steve from James King and the other individuals implicated in the murder. Her goal is to make the jury view them as mere acquaintances to Steve. She succeeds in this, but after the acquittal is announced, "STEVE turns toward O'BRIEN as camera closes in and film grows grainier. STEVE spreads his arms to hug O'BRIEN, but she stiffens and turns to pick up her papers from the table before them." Does she see a monster when she looks at Steve?

This deeply troubles Steve. Throughout the novel, he grapples with the fear that he might be the monster the prosecution portrays him as. He adamantly asserts in his screenplay notes that he is not guilty—that his actions were too insignificant to be considered a part of the robbery and murder. Yet, he possesses enough self-awareness to question his own justifications: "It was me who lay on the cot wondering if I was fooling myself." This internal conflict is central to the novel because while the trial forms the narrative structure, the moral dilemmas stemming from Steve's actions imbue the story with deeper significance.

Steve reveals more about himself than he intends, adding a layer of irony to much of his narration. His fear makes him a sympathetic character: "I am so scared. My heart is beating like crazy and I am having breathing trouble. The trouble I'm in . . . [is] crushing me." However, he is also deceitful, having perjured himself in court by denying he was near the store on the day of the murder, despite admitting in his notes that he was there. Moreover, his actions have caused pain to many others, not just the murder victim. For example, when his mother visits him in prison, Steve notes, "In a way I think she was mourning me as if I were dead." Her profound anguish is a persistent theme throughout Monster.

Even after being acquitted, Steve realizes there is still a price to pay for his actions. For instance, "My [Steve's] father is no longer sure of who I am. He doesn't understand why I associate with people like King, Bobo, or Osvaldo. He wonders what else he doesn't know." His image in others' eyes appears significantly altered.

Moreover, his self-perception has also shifted. He thinks his image "looks like one of the pictures they use for psychological testing, or some strange beast, a monster." He questions, "When Miss O'Brien looked at me, after we had won the case, what did she see that caused her to turn away?" Despite all his justifications and excuses, Steve finds it difficult to face himself and fears he might indeed be a monster.

It's clear from the beginning that Monster is an unconventional novel. Myers crafts the narrative around a screenplay that Steve is writing during his murder trial. As a result, most of the story unfolds through dialogue, with characters' names in typewritten boldface followed by their spoken words in regular type. Interspersed throughout the screenplay scenes are handwritten notes from Steve, where he shares his fear in prison and his reflections on the events. Some of these handwritten notes are in boldface, highlighting the key points he wants to emphasize. While this experimental structure might unsettle some readers, it allows us to see Steve through his own perspective. Given that much of the novel focuses on Steve's internal battle with the morality of his actions, the screenplay format effectively explores how he perceives himself and whether he has indeed become a monster.

There are three significant locations in Monster. The most terrifying is the prison. From the outset, Steve's primary desire is to escape from this dreadful place. Each night, inmates are beaten, and men are raped, sometimes even in Steve's own cell. He tries to avoid appearing vulnerable, knowing that doing so would likely result in him being beaten or raped. Steve is painfully aware that he looks younger than most of the other inmates. He even refrains from smiling at those who smile at him, fearing that even a smile could invite danger. Monster effectively conveys the despair and horror of imprisonment. No one, neither the guards nor the other inmates, shows any concern for Steve's safety. The guards even have a betting pool on the length of his sentence. Everyone seems convinced of his guilt, except for Steve himself.

Another crucial setting is the courtroom, a realm where reality is often distorted or entirely lost. In this environment, the tough-talking gang member Osvaldo transforms into a shy, soft-spoken witness. Despite having admitted his involvement in the robbery and murder, he uses his young age (only fourteen) to appear innocent and childlike. James King, Steve's co-defendant, seems handsome and dignified, despite being a thug on the streets. The courtroom's surreal nature contrasts sharply with the perceptions of individuals outside of it and with Steve's experiences in prison. In the courtroom, everything is governed by procedure. Everyone has an assigned place, and rituals must be observed. In prison, nothing is sacred. Inmates routinely steal Steve's food, and there is no recourse. Men are raped with no help for the victims. Beatings occur almost randomly. There is no privacy, and Steve is even afraid to use the toilet in front of others. The courtroom is a stark contrast to the prison, but it is in the courtroom that Steve's fate is decided. Whether he remains in the grim horror of prison is determined in a place where nothing seems real.

The third major setting is revealed through testimony and Steve's reflections on events. He spent time with street toughs, trying to appear tough himself. He knew gangsters, muggers, robbers, and others who preyed on the vulnerable. He is reluctant to admit his role in the robbery and murder to himself. He insists he only entered and exited the drugstore. How can that be a crime, he wonders. Yet, his actions were clearly part of the crime. Thugs attacked and fatally shot the immigrant owner of a small store, a business built through hard work and long hours. The prosecution highlights the brutal cruelty of the act during the trial, contrasting with the defense's efforts to distort the events and shift the blame elsewhere.

Although Monster primarily addresses moral dilemmas that go beyond social issues, it inevitably touches on significant societal problems. Miss O'Brien's remark to Steve about his youth and race making him appear guilty to the jury highlights a long-standing societal issue—discrimination against African Americans in the justice system. Surveys by social scientists indicate that young Black men constitute a disproportionately large segment of the prison population in the United States. Monster does not delve into whether this disparity stems from racial bias, a higher incidence of crimes committed by Black individuals, or other factors like poverty. Miss O'Brien's comment is meant to underscore the challenge of convincing jurors to acquit Steve, rather than to examine the complex issue of racism. The focus is on Steve's personal responsibility rather than his race.

Another social issue raised by Monster is the prison system. Steve lives in constant fear while incarcerated, and for good reason. Men are beaten and raped every night. Guards show indifference to the violence and seemingly ignore the brutal attacks. Their apparent lack of concern is troubling, given that they are the authority figures responsible for maintaining order. Instead, the prison is a nightmare where the most violent individuals are free to abuse others.