October Sky Essay

Having confidence in yourself versus listening to others can be beneficial in your dreams. Homer Hickam, a 17 year old young man from Coalwood, West Virginia, struggles with his wants and everyone else’s wants. Homer is looking to achieve his personal goals of freedom, determination, and in search of confidence. Homer is looking for a better life outside of Coalwood, with the opportunity of freedom from the mining town. Homer has a hard time keeping his morals in perspective as his father discourages him to work on the rockets, making him even more determined to succeed. At the same Homer is trying to gain the confidence to follow his goals despite his father’s requests. Choice of Freedom Homer’s opportunity for freedom starts on October 4, 1957, while he sits watching the Sputnik launch into orbit from the television. As he starts his journey, he realizes that his father does not want to hear of his quest. This creates a new challenge for Homer to accomplish freedom. For example, Homer sets his goal with freedom from Coalwood. It all starts with the statement from Homer’s father, â€Å"Can’t dream your way out of Coalwood†. With this statement Homer looks at this as a challenge and starts to design and build his rocket. He starts with risking his own reputation in high school as he sits down next to Quentin. From there it starts as a journey for himself to become something more. Ms. Riley starts to see the interest Homer has with rockets and the potential. She approaches him with the idea of the County Science Fair. A promise if you win you will go onto Nationals in Indianapolis. This is his first small taste of freedom for Homer. AUK 1; first rocket begins production; this is Homer’s attempt to leave Coalwood and be somebody. The next thing Homer realizes is his father does not approve. As they get into an argument, Homer states† I’m never going down there†, referring to the coal mines. With the start of this disagreement, it encourages Homer to strive even more to gain his freedom with rebellion. Determination over Pride Homer and Quentin start to review the process of the rocket. They were recently blamed for one of their rockets going missing and creating a forest fire. After Homer reviews all concepts, he realizes there is no way that rocket could have created that fire. With that, his determination kicks in, and they prove they did not do it. With that concern behind him he then focuses back on the rockets and starts again where it all began; the basement of his home. As his father approaches him on missing work that day to prove to Mr. Turner the principal and Ms Riley they didn’t start the fire; his father wants him back in the mines. With that Homer responds â€Å"I don’t work there anymore†. He stands his ground with his father. After the fight begins between Homer and his father; Homer yells at his father with anger and determination. His pride has been left aside for this moment. â€Å"The coal mine is your life, not mine†. Homer realizes his goal and dreams are closer than he ever thought. His determination gets the best of him as Homer states he will never look back and can’t wait to leave. Once again that taste of freedom is in his reach with the determination stirring him straight ahead. Just for him to gather the strength to take on his father and say what he feels was a major accomplishment to what he wants in his life. His determination becomes stronger once his father gets shot at by a town male due to the union strikes at the mine. He does not want to stay in Coalwood as he knows in time it will dry up and the mine will shut down. Homer realizes his determination once he stays up all night finding the way to prove they didn’t set the forest fire with that rocket. His main focus is proving his father wrong; he will be somebody. People in town felt the only ones who leave are the athletic ones on scholarships. Homer is setting his determination in proving to the town they are wrong in believing in this theory. He had determination to win even when all his items were stolen at the National Convention. Confidence in Hiding Homer’s confidence is compiled as he gets the support of his father, the one person he was seeking approval from. Once Homer won the National Science Fair; his confidence was surpassed by the meeting of his icon Warren Van Braun. Then to know he had won; scouts for colleges were approaching him as he walked out with his new medal. He had proven the town wrong with achieving such a goal. Once Homer returned back to Coalwood the town greeted him and applauded him on his victory. Homer was not a jock who just received a scholarship from a college; no he was a 17 year old boy who became a man overnight. For once the attention was focused on Homer and not his brother Jim who received a scholarship for football. Homer approaches his father at the mine after he realized his dad did not welcome him home. Homer walks up to him to invite him to the last rocket shooting event; his father makes a comment to him â€Å"How was it meeting your hero? † His father did this with a snide remark almost of jealously. Homer does not stand down he approaches his father with confidence that he done the unimaginable. Homer states back to him about the qualities of being hard headed and stubborn they are very much alike. In the closing statement Homer responds with â€Å"I come to believe I got it in me to be somebody in this world†. Van Braun is not his hero, his father is the man he looks up to. â€Å"I hope to be half the man you are† Homer’s final comment as he walks away to shoot the rocket. The town gains confidence in Homer’s dream. They supported him when it came to when someone stole his items from the convention. Everyone pulled together to show their support for Homer. Mr. Ballard was the one who spent the extra time to get this piece remade to his mother stepping up to his father to end the strike to have this done. Homer saw this display of support which built his confidence even more. Keep Shooting for the Stars Freedom, determination, and confidence are what make a dream come true. Homer realized all these qualities to help him keep his focus to achieving his goal. As the town gathers for the final shooting of the rocket, Homer watches for a certain person to arrive. He sees everyone arriving; he starts to walk towards Valentine, Dorothy walks up to him and offers a date with her. Homer has gained confidence enough to see what is the most important things in his life. Valentine was one who was there for him when Dorothy rejected him for his brother all over a scholarship for football. Dorothy was only seeking an easy way out. As he starts to thank the town for all their support he pauses after he says his thank you to his mother as right then his father arrives. Homer then walks up to his father and offers him to push the rocket launch button. AS they walk towards to safe house for the rocket launching his father puts his hand on his shoulder. This was a new sign of confidence for Homer as his father approves. In the end the Rocket Boy’s all achieve greatness. The most important person is Homer; he received his scholarship then completed college. He later in life achieves the goal of becoming NASA engineer who trains the astronauts for space shuttle missions. Homer made the sentence â€Å"I come to believe I got it in me to be somebody in this world† a true statement.