There are three important locales in Monster. The most frightening is prison. From the start, Steve wants nothing more than to escape from the prison. Inmates are beaten up nightly, and men are raped even in Steve's own cell. He does what he can to avoid looking vulnerable, certain that he would be beaten or raped if he did, but he is acutely aware that he is the youngest-looking inmate. He even avoids smiling at those who smile at him, afraid that even a smile would invite the worst. Monster does an incredible job of conveying the misery and horror of imprisonment. No one, not the guards, not the other inmates, cares one whit about Steve's safety. As for his fate, the guards have a betting pool on how long a sentence he will receive. Everyone seems convinced of his guilt except Steve himself.

Another setting is the...