Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, provides us with a chilling depiction of being on trial for one’s life, while being detained in a horrible prison.  Monster also illustrates the difficulties within inner-city life.  The subtext of this novel involves themes such as oppression, racism, and injustice by the powerful unto the weak.

In groups of five, create a blog using www.blogger.com to illustrate the social hierarchies within the settings of Monster via the Marxist critical lens.  The Marxist critical lens involves questions of power, race, and injustice. 

Using these basic questions, post on your blogs and discuss the positions of power within the courtroom, the neighborhood, and the prison within the pages of Monster.  Each of these categories should have their own separate posts.  Ask yourselves, who has the power in these areas and why?  Most importantly, always make sure to remember Steven’s position in all of these settings.  Here are some basic questions to ask to get started.

Who is in power, and why? 

How is power distributed? 

Who is hurt by this power? 

What does the role of race play in this power structure?

Where are women placed within this structure?

How can one ascend to a higher class within these systems?

To start, create a Gmail account, which is free, for your group and make sure that you all have the proper information.  Once your Gmail account is created, go to www.blogger.com and sign up for this site, which is also free.  Your Gmail account will register automatically.  All you must do is fill in the other basic information.  Your Gmail accounts will be named according to your group number so that your blogs are easily distinguishable.  If you are group 2, make your email address www.monstergroup2@gmail.com or something close to it. 

Your blogs should have an intro, or mission statement, and it will be viewable to the entire World Wide Web.  So make sure your postings are intelligent and appropriate.  Fill your blogs with pictures and charts to illustrate your points.    Make sure your blogs are organized.  For example, do not post comments about the prison system in a post discussing the neighborhood, unless you are trying to make a connection between the two. 

Make sure to sign your name after each post since all group members will have to make significant contributions to your blogs.  Each of you will have to comment on your classmates’ blogs at least twice throughout the project.  The idea here is to elaborate each other’s points.  Remember, keep your posts professional.