What type of person is Steve Harmon in Monster?
Steve Harmon is a conscientious young man who makes a terrible decision to befriend a group of criminals that carry out a robbery that results in the death of Aguinaldo Nesbitt. Steve chooses to associate himself with James King in order to seem tough, which is why he agrees to be the lookout during the robbery. Although it is not clear whether or not Steve fulfilled his role as the lookout, Myers suggests that Steve's conscience alters his decision to carry out his role in the robbery. After being sent to prison and put on trial, Steve struggles to understand his own morality. He tries to rationalize his actions and analyze his own character. Steve understands that he is simply a good person who made a bad decision by trying to be viewed as a thug throughout his neighborhood. Throughout the novel, Steve is portrayed as a very introspective individual...
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who is rather creative. Steve's affinity for filmmaking depicts his creative personality. He is also a confused individual who tries his best to understand himself. Ultimately, Steve is an impressionable, self-conscious individual with a good heart and creative abilities.
In the novel Monster, what scenes show Steve Harmon's humanity?
Throughout the novel, Steve Harmon struggles to understand his identity after the prosecuting attorney, Sandra Petrocelli, calls him a monster. However, there are various scenes which portray Steve's humanity. Scenes that include Steve commenting on how he feels about life in jail and how he perceives himself depict his humanity. When one of the inmates comments that it is too late to put up a "holy front now," Steve says,
"In a way he was right, at least about me. I want to look like a good person. I want to feel like I'm a good person because I believe I am" (Myers 67).
Steve also displays his humanity in his interactions between family members. Steve comments that he wants to worry about how his mother is feeling, but he is too focused on his trial and current situation. Steve also wishes that he could play with his younger brother Jerry and earn his father's trust throughout the novel. Steve is also concerned about how his attorney views him. In a conversation with O'Brien, Steve mentions,
"I wanted to open my shirt and tell her to look into my heart to see who I really was, who the real Steve Harmon was" (Myers 97).
Steve is not just a callous individual with no conscience. He is a selfless person who cares deeply about those around him and is remorseful for his decision to participate in the robbery.
What words would you use to describe Steve Harmon in Monster?
Steve Harmon is a very creative young man. He's able to take his experiences of the criminal justice system and turn them into a movie script. Writing a screenplay is a difficult business, but Steve shows remarkable talent in creating art out of life, something that most people wouldn't be able to do.
Steve is conflicted. Though he vehemently protests his innocence, Steve is surrounded by people who believe him to be guilty. The authorities have effectively labeled him as a monster, while even his own defense lawyer, Kathy O'Brien, doesn't seem to believe in his innocence. This makes it a real struggle for Steve to reconcile his true identity with the negative public persona constructed for him by others.
Like any young man in his situation, Steve is incredibly nervous about what will happen to him. This is the first time Steve's been in prison, and so he naturally finds it hard to adapt. He knows that if he's found guilty of murder, he could potentially be spending the rest of his life in prison. In order to take his mind off such a terrible fate, he starts getting creative, turning his predicament, as we've already seen, into a screenplay. If Steve can objectify himself this way, detach himself from his surroundings, then perhaps he won't feel quite so nervous over his desperate situation.