At the beginning of the story, Steve Harmon mentions that there is a small rectangular mirror in his cell. It has names of former inmates scratched into its surface. Steve goes on to say that whenever he looks into the mirror, he has difficulty recognizing his own reflection. Steve says that his reflection does not resemble his image, and he wonders if his appearance will change again once the trial is over. The names scratched into Steve's mirror represent the long history of marginalized black youths like Steve who have been imprisoned and were previously on trial for their lives. Throughout the story, Myers explores the prejudiced nature of the justice system as Steve struggles to overcome negative stereotypes and differentiate himself from the "typical" juveniles in similar situations.
The mirror also represents Steve's identity issues. Since his arrest and imprisonment, Steve has dramatically changed into an introspective, fearful individual....
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
In prison, Steve continually examines his conscience and contemplates his role in the robbery. He struggles to embrace his innocence and recognizes that something is amiss in regards to his identity. After he is labeled a monster by the prosecution, Steve entertains this notion and wonders if there is some hidden truth to the unflattering comment. Even after his acquittal, Steve continues to film himself and look into the mirror at home. He continually searches for the monster that Petrocelli identified at the start of the trial. Overall, the mirror symbolically represents Steve's insecurities and identity issues as well as the long history of marginalized black youths, who resemble Steve and the other black inmates.
What does the mirror in Walter Dean Myers' Monster represent? Is it metaphorical?
The mirror at the beginning of Walter Dean Myers' Monster symbolizes a couple different things. First, given the numerous names scratched into it, the mirror represents a history of the men, and boys, who have spent time in the same cell Steve Harmon is locked up in. Second, the mirror represents what Steve has become. Since in jail (arrested for murder), Steve has changed dramatically. When looking into the mirror in his cell, Steve does not recognize the person he has become (illustrated by the fact that he states his reflection "does not look like me"). The mirror, then, shows Steve what others sees him to be (something which he and his lawyer will struggle with over the course of the trial), not what he knows himself to be.
This illustrates the idea that people are not always what they seem to be upon first glance. Steve, as part of his defence, must prove that he is not the typical "young, black" kid seen in court. Unfortunately, the mirror shows this to be true for him. In regards to the novel's theme, the image of the mirror, and Steve's reflection, speak to identity and stereotypes.Â