Coalwood

In Coalwood, every boy grew up thinking they were destined to be coal miners and Homer Hickam had no reason to think he'll be any different. Homer had no route out of his predetermined life - until the Soviet Satellite Sputnik flew over the October sky. Inspired by the dawn of space age and Wernher Von, he embarked on a quixotic mission that altered his life forever. October Sky is based on the triumphant story of Homer Hickam. He is a high school student in rural West Virginia where the coal…

child ¨bad¨. It further strengthens their relationship with one another. A memoir novel, October Sky, written by Homer Hickam Jr. shows countless times throughout the novel of father and son relationships. Furthermore, it is set in a mining town, Coalwood, where Homer Hickam Jr. develops his dream to build rockets as he did not go on the path of a miner like his father. Even though, he did not go on that…

was always there to support him and encourage him to try harder and do the best he could. In chapter three she wanted him to try to build his rocket again because that was his dream, and it did not really work out the first time. A lot of people in Coalwood talked about what happened when the first rocket failed and his father was embarrassed for himself but his mother was not embarrassed. She says to Sonny “show…

to the progression of his rockets. First off, Homer Sr. doesn't show much affection towards Sonny, which gravitates him to other adults who seem to care about him more. Throughout the story Sonny and his rockets are helped along by the adults of Coalwood,…

October Sky Task Imagine that you work for a film company, and you think October Sky should be taught as a compulsory text for year 8 students in Australia. Movies are a massive part of our lives. They are a great way to pass the time but can also be very educational. “October Sky”, directed by Joe Johnston, is a great example of a movie that is both entertaining and educational. Based on the autobiography, “Rocket Boys”, this story follows 16 year old Homer Hickam through his journey to become…

Rocket Boys Essay - Determination The novel Rocket Boys follows the life of a young Homer Hickam Jr. and his life as a teen in the small mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia during the Space Race era. Homer and some of his friends are fascinated by the idea of space exploration and decided to create their own rockets though their homemade organization, called the “Big Creek Missile Association”. The idea is seen as completely ludicrous at first, but the boys work hard to overcome the doubt…

Sonny had several influences in his life that affected his career choices. I believe the Russians were the first influences in Sonny’s career choice. If they had not launched the first satellite, Sonny would have never developed the passion for rocket building. Without the knowledge of the satellite and witnessing it in the sky, Sonny may have followed in his father’s footsteps and worked in the coalmines. Mr. Hickman was determined that Sonny work in the mines, without his driven passion Sonny…

their parents’ desires. For example, Sara Smolinsky, a Russian, Jewish immigrant sought to become a teacher, but her father, a strict Jewish rabbi, rejected her dreams. In the movie, “October Sky,” Homer Hickam grew up in the small remote town of Coalwood, W.V., so he’s expected to follow in his father’s footsteps working in the coal mines. Lastly, Rudy Ruettiger, a young man from Joliet, Illinois, fantasized about attending Notre Dame and even joining their famed football team, but his father…

because he did not have a more effective plan if constructing rockets was not a success. But in 1975, Homer dreams finally became a reality for him with the initial fascination of the Soviet Satellite Sputnik that was visible in Homer’s hometown, Coalwood, during the night time. That was the night Homer makes the decision that he will construct rockets for the contexts of space missions. Although he experienced…

entire story. Joe Johnston’s October Sky surely is an example of the hero’s quest. The main protagonists, the Rocket Boys, goes through the different stages as the hero as they are presented with a call to adventure from their ordinary world of Coalwood, WV. When they are challenged to create a model rocket for the science fair, at first most of them are reluctant, but they get help from a wise man, a welder, who can help them out with any metal work. They soon establish a place to launch…