Homer Hickam Essays

In the movie October Sky based on the autobiography written by Homer Hickam, Homer is fascinated after seeing Sputnik 1 in the sky. Although his father doesn’t approve, he still wants to follow his dreams and pursue rocket science. However, he faces multiple disappointments along the way. In the movie, Homer and his friends shoot off rockets and they invite his dad to come; he never does. This always disappoints Homer. Many kids have sports games, recitals, or other occasions, and they want their

After reading the memoir, Rocket Boys, written by Homer H. Hickam. Jr, one can easily see how the setting of the town, Coalwood, was a prominent character throughout the course of the book. Sonny would not be the man he was today if the action of the story was set in another town or area. “...nearly everything that i knew in Coalwood is gone... Yet I believe for those of us who keep it in our hearts, Coalwood still lives” (Hickam 367) Although the actual town of Coalwood has fallen in abandonment

Rocket Boys is a memoir by Homer Hickam Jr. (Sonny), and it’s about his journey to become a rocket engineer for NASA, and how he fought against the norms his town of Coalwood had. He fights the discouragement of his dad and cycles through many different types of motivations. The main theme of this book, Rockets, is the perfect theme for Rocket Boys for many different reasons. Rockets are a perfect theme for Rocket Boys because they are a symbol of aspiration and escape, they act as the embodiment

movie October Sky, a young boy named Homer Hickam lived in a little town called Coalwood in West Virginia. He had the determination: to build and shoot off his own rockets by “Sputnik” that was orbiting around the sky. Homer’s dad, John, wasn 't so thrilled with his idea of building these rockets and said it was a waste time to try building his own rocket. He wanted Homer to follow in his footsteps and work in the mines. With the help of his friends and teachers, Homer continued to pursue his dream. Although

coalwood, and that is a football scholarship. Homer Hickman has a different dream to get of of Coalwood. Homer faces many challenges and set back but soon discovers that nothing is going to stop his dream of building a rocket. Homer’s life revolved around the fact that the only place he was going to end up was the coal mine. Homer was not a star football player like his brother, he wasn’t very big, he wasn’t stronger, and he really didn’t enjoy it. Homer says “For all the knowledge and pleasure they

between determination and making dreams come true. This message translates directly to Homer Hickam 's memoir October Sky. This theme emerge very early in the book in Sonny’s many relationships; then later in his interests and goals. Sonny is determined to achieve his goals, even after multiple failures. Sonny soon recognizes these values and how they are essential component in the Rocket Boy’s success. Homer Hickam’s memoir October Sky shows through Sonny’s rocketry endeavors, his strained relationship

Dominican Republic due to their father’s dilemma with the government. Throughout the book, the four sisters told stories that were very memorable to them. The second book that I read was October Sky, by Homer Hickam. It took place in West Virginia in the town of Coalwood. The main character, Homer Hickam Jr. or “Sonny” sparked an interest in rocket building after seeing the Russian satellite Sputnik launch. Sonny had many complications standing in his way, which included the fear of failure, before creating

property. Eventually, he was able to win first place in a national science fair, and become an engineer for NASA. As a newspaper article reported, “There is no more inspiring sight than that of a sleek, silvery BCMA rocket blasting off…” (Hickam 357). Walls, Hickam and Coalwood were ultimately able to identify that there were surprising benefits to

n Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam, Homer had to learn that the only way to build a better rocket was to learn more about it. At one point in the book, He had to decide what kind of explosives to use. He started with a very weak explosive but slowly experimented with stronger explosives. He knew that he had to get a new explosive when his current one would no longer gain altitude. Homer knew the importance of learning and so did his teacher that is why she said, “All I’ve done is give you a book, you

Rocket Boys, by Homer H. Hickam, Jr., is a memoir based on Hickam’s upbringing in Coalwood, West Virginia. Coalwood is a small town centered around one thing: Its coal mining industry. Homer’s dad was the superintendent of the mine and is constantly answering to the workers, who eventually form a union and hold a strike for better pay. Perhaps the second most important thing to Coalwood citizens was high school football. Jim, Homer’s brother, is the center of attention as he is a member of the Coalwood

Homer H. Hickam Jr.’s 1998 Rocket Boys: A Memoir is a partially fictionalized account of how a small town boy from a coal mining family becomes a rocket scientist. The intriguing story follows young Homer Jr., nicknamed “Sonny,” on his quest for knowledge and aspiration of working alongside the legendary Dr. Wernher von Braun at NASA. This is a well written account of the ongoing struggle of rural Appalachia and the difficulties of breaking away from the past that is worth reading. Overall,

Throughout his memoir, Rocket Boys, Homer Hickam shares the story of his life. From his difficult start as a child in a slowly dying coal town to his successes in high school with amateur rocketry and academics, this story depends heavily on the circumstances surrounding it. The United States’ loss of the first part of the space race and the economic instability of this time period drove Sonny to achieve like he never would have otherwise. Even more specifically, without his father’s access to resources

Virginia, all the boys grow up to be coal miners and Homer Hickam has no reason to think he'll be any different. Too small to earn a football scholarship, Homer has no way out of his predetermined life -- until the soviet satellite Sputnik flies over the October sky and changes everything. It's 1957 and Homer's world just got a lot bigger. Though his father is mine superintendent and has no greater wish than to see his sons follow in his footsteps, Homer embarks on a mission to build, launch and enter

The legendary car maker Henry Ford once said, "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." In Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam, many characters work with Sonny to help him achieve great things. The support from others in Coalwood is the main reason Sonny is successful. The townsfolk help him learn about rockets, make rockets, and launch rockets. First, the people of Coalwood help Sonny learn about Rockets. One of the people who helps Sonny the most throughout

Reading these three books, we will find many different perspectives of African Americans, women, middle class, and working class white men. All these perspectives have been brought about through the personal experiences the author’s went through at some point in their lives. But is any of this information trustworthy? All the perspectives are told through the author’s viewpoint. Even though all the authors had first hand experiences that led to their perceptions of these groups, could there be

you read the book October Sky or Rocket Boys you may have realized that Homer Sr. definitely has different point of view on life. As you probably know Homer Sr. wants his son to be a mining engineer while Homer Jr. wants be like Werner Von Bron and build rockets. Now because Homer Jr. has a curiosity about rockets he decides to gather a few pals and and they decide to launch a few of their very own rockets. The first time Homer Jr. launches off a rocket with a few of his friends it launches side ways

In October Sky, Homer Hickham has problems along the way, of wanting to be a rocketeer. It takes place in Virginia, 1957, where coal mining was a hug industry. Homers father wanted him to work in the coal mine, but he wanted to persue his dream as a rocketeer. Homer and his friends that he has had for a while now because of football, have came up with ways of building this rocket. A great lesson within this story, is to always use teamwork along the way. In the beginning, Homer had an idea of building

building rockets. Homer, the main character, has to deal with many obstacles, such as his family, the lack of wealth and parts, and he had to learn so much about rockets. The theme of Rocket Boys is overcoming obstacles in order to succeed. First, Homer had to deal with his father’s disapproval. Jim, Homer’s brother, has been their father’s pride and joy, while Homer is closer to his mother. Homer Sr. constantly brags about Jim’s abilities while never saying anything about Homer, at one point Elsie

While being pursed by Tasmanian Devil bonehunters, the musically talented Dog Y goes in search of his dogynaut father, whose space craft crashed while trying to save the world and now it’s up to Dog Y to complete the mission. BRIEF SYNOPSIS: FERNANDO, a dogynaut, is a skilled pilot. When he lands in Mexico, he immediately falls in love with ROSA, a Mexican beauty. They marry and have their first pup, DOG Y. Fernando hopes his son will follow in his footsteps as a dogynaut, but his hopes are

will join the business too. Later in the movie his son Jim receives a football scholarship and leaves Homer to fulfill His father’s dream, although homer doesn’t want to fulfill it. The news of Sputnik, Soviet Union’s satellite spreads within Coalwood with different reactions. Sputnik was seen in the starry night by the townspeople of Coalwood, with people in awe. This is where it all began, Homer Hickham’s journey of building a rocket. He is then joined by Quentin, Roy Lee, and Sherman and the troubles