Told from a semi-autobiographical view, Monster faces themes such as race, peer pressure, dehumanization and the subjective nature of truth.  Steve Harmon is on trial for robbery and  murder.  As the trial continues, Steve discovers the contradictions of his character and the label that has been applied to him by the prosecutor.  Along the way, he begins to confront himself through a series of flashbacks in his life which reflects the truth about himself and others.

Adapted from the novel, “Monster”, Walter Dean Myers draws from experience as a young troubled teen with a speech impediment, often referred to as a “monster” because of his penchant for trouble.  Just as the protagonist , Steve, he rehabilitated his reputation and life through writing and communication.