1. Writing Prompt ~
“Was being a child better than being a teenager? Why or why not? In what ways is it better/worse to be older?” (Describe in what ways it is hard to be in-between childhood and adulthood).

2. Literary Terms:
Students complete anticipation guide questions for Monster and the literary terms definition sheet for the novel unit.

3. Vocabulary Set #1 - Monster
List the part of speech and the definition and synonym for each of
these terms on your notes.
v. to struggle; compete (syn: challenge)
adj. relating to fairness or equity (syn: justice)
adj. relating to rules of law (syn: lawful)
n. lawyer who works to prove the person accused is guilty (prosecuting attorney; DA)
adj. kind of lawyer who attempts to prove the person accused is innocent (syn: protective)
n. hospital (syn: medical center)
adj. not clear (syn: blurry)
adj. sad, lonely (syn: bleak)
n. to kill someone while committing a serious crime (syn: most serious offense)
n. the written form of a movie (syn: movie script)
contend
judicial
legal
Prosecutor
Defense
dispensary
grainy
grim
felony murder
screenplay

4. Screenplay Terms - Monster
List the definition for each of the following Screenplay terms:
Close Up (CU)
Cut To
Fade In
Fade Out
Flashback
A camera shot taken close to a person. The person appears very large.
The point when one camera shot immediately changes to another camera shot. The viewer sees one scene stop and another begin.
The screen goes from complete black to a full detailed picture
The screen goes from a fully detailed picture to complete black
A segment of film that occurs in the past and interrupts the time order of the plot

5. Screenplay Terms - Monster
List the definition for each of the following Screenplay terms:
6) Long Shot (LS)
7) Medium Shot (MS)
Pan
Point-of-View (POV)
Voice- Over (VO)
A camera shot taken far from a person. The person appears very small.
A camera shot of a person from the waist or knees up.
A horizontal shot of the setting.
A camera shot made from the perspective of one of the characters.
A recorded voice that provides narration to the film.

6. Today’s Objectives:
SOL 9.3
SOL 9.6
SOL 9.7
Journal ~
“What would you do if you were charged with a crime that you didn’t commit?

7. Monster by Walter Dean Myers
The Novel Unit:
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
“…all I ask of you, the jury, is that you look at Steve Harmon now and remember that at this moment the American system of justice demands that you consider him innocent. He is innocent until proven guilty.”
(Page 31).

8. Review of Plot:
Plot – Provides a “framework” (or the backbone) for a story. Plot holds the story together.
Most intense and
emotional part of the novel. 3.
Climax
Conflicts are introduced
(internal and external)
in the novel.   
Conflicts are beginning to be resolved… 4.
Falling Action 2.
Rising Action   1.
Exposition 5.
Resolution
(Denouement)
We learn about the
characters & the setting.
Denouement means
“untying the knot.”

9. Theme vs. Subject:
The subject of a story is simply the topic (a brief description of ‘what the story is about’).
The theme of a story is the overall central or main idea that runs throughout the story. In a novel, there are generally multiple themes, whereas, the subject of the novel can be stated in one or two words. The theme helps to provide meaning for the reader.

10. The Four themes of the novel:
Peer Pressure
Growing Up
Introspection and Persona l Responsibility
Race and the Justice System.

11. Characterization:
The way an author describes a character for us is known as indirect characterization.
S-T-A-A-R:
S Speech
T - Thoughts
A - Appearance
A - Actions
R - Reactions (of others)
You will be responsible for describing characters from the novel using these five methods.

12. Literary Terms:
Language that appeals to our senses is known as Imagery.
Through the use of imagery, the author sets the mood (or atmosphere) of the story.
The mood is the story’s atmosphere or the feeling it creates. It is the emotion of the story.
Mood is often created by the tone of the narrator or author. The tone is their attitude or feeling toward a character. The author’s word choice, diction, also affects the mood of the story.

13. Literary Terms:
Just like people in real life, characters in a novel can be very different.
A character that does not change (stays the same) is known as a static character.
A character that develops/grows and changes throughout the course of the novel is known as a dynamic character.
A flat character is one that shows only one trait.
A round character is one that has many different traits

14. Literary Terms:
The setting of our novel is Manhattan Detention Center (New York City)
The way an author tells the story is through Point-of-View
There are three points of view:
First person
Omniscient (“all-knowing”)
Third Person limited

15. Literary Terms:
Our story is told through the narrator, Steven Harmon using the first person pronoun, I, in the present tense.
This narration will allow us to see and experience the events of the novel “through Steve’s eyes.”

16. Writing Prompt ~
“Was being a child better than being a teenager? Why or why not? In what ways is it better/worse to be older?” (Describe in what ways it is hard to be in-between childhood and adulthood).

17. SOL 9.3: Read and Analyze Literature
We will now begin reading Monster. Look for examples of the literary devices we just covered. Be prepared to answer the following questions:
What are some examples of characterization?
What are some examples of irony and symbolism in the novel?
What is the importance of justice and equality in the novel?
What are some examples of each of the four themes at work in the novel?