I am most happy that she lived long enough to see Neil Armstrong step on the moon. O'Dell suggests going and digging up old railroad drainage pipes. They attempt to sue the state but are turned down. O'Dell and Roy Lee get caught breaking in to the old mule barn to get some telephones for Cape Coalwood. This chapter begins with Sonnys parents deciding what to do about the gunshot. Test. Sonny cuts his wrist and almost dies of blood loss. ", "Real vs. Reel: Author Homer Hickam talks differences in 'Rocket Boys' and film 'October Sky', "Reviews: Rocket Billionaires and The Space Barons", Information and Photos of Filming Locations, Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Family Film, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=October_Sky&oldid=1139899543, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Is Homer Hickam still alive? Based on a true story, October Sky is the story of Homer Hickam's determined journey to escape his fate as a coal miner in Coalwood, West Virginia. Sonny doesn't want to do any of that. Homer stopped the strike, though not without a fight, so that the union could get all of the worker's rights, homes and jobs back. When I got arrogant because of my rocket successes, or in trouble for my failures, she kept me on an even keel with just a few words of appropriate encouragement and a form of tough love. How do Sonny. The boys find ginseng in the mountains to sell. He would build a real rocket and convince his father that he was smart enough for college. Check out the full preview! Who is the chemistry teacher at Big Creek High School? What is "rocket candy"? Auk C broke Elsie's bathroom scale and the boys replaced it. What do you think causes his illness? 39 lessons. It's his job, even if he hates it he needs to do it. At the launch of their largest rocket yet the Miss Riley John, who never attended any of the launchings, shows up at the last moment and is given the honor of pushing the launch button. He was very excited to be involved, so much so it gave him a heart attack. There are no winners or losers when sons go their separate ways. The school's curriculum would be twice as hard to keep up with the Russians. . Returning to school after having been in the newspaper, the Rocket Boys discover that they are treated a bit differently. Time 4 mins. In the image, the edge of the ISS can be seen in front of a jaw-dropping view of . what do the boys realize is the major problem?, Auk XII: 760 feet. He says Homer shouldn't object because it's a good skill to learn. Which one do you think will most impact Sonny? She finds Sonny lost in a snow storm, lets him stay in her house and gives him French toast. He calls his mom for help and the town sends him new stuff through the bus system. [4][5], October Sky is an anagram of Rocket Boys, the title of the 1998 memoir upon which the film is based. This bit of misfortune leads to his father calling the man who helped him a thief. He gets help from the machinists by trading favors for work. When Sonny brings up his need for a book about rocket design, she finds a way to get him a copy of Principles of Guided Missile Design, which includes information on rocket building. Homer drops out of high school to work in the mine and provide for his family while his father recovers. Baskin came into the role after making appearances in Moscow on the Hudson(1984),The Name of the Rose(1986),Love Affair(1994),Air Force One(1997),Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), and hitting the small screen on St. Built by Birdeye. A small switching yard allowed the filmmakers and actors to film the scenes with the boys on the railroad and gave them freedom to do as they pleased, even tear apart tracks. What complication does Sonny face at the National Science Fair? How does the Hickman family react? She passed away in 1969. Far more people have now begun to show up to the Rocket Boys launches as they become a more important point to the city of Coalwood. What is the result? Jessica_Tatum470. More than 2000 extras were used in the movie. Sonny thinks that means he likes him and wants him to stick around. An assistant engineer, Jake Mosby, whose father is wealthy and owns a considerable amount of the company that owns the mine. She also vows to shoot him if he ever goes near the mine again. Homer and his friends work against the odds to attain the goals they desire which in the begin seemed an unrealistic distance way. Her pre-Sky credits includeBlue Velvet(1986),Wild at Heart(1990), andRambling Rose (1991). How does Sonny plan to solve the problem? They were designed for 15-20k. To create the rockets, they need help with a few pieces of pipe. ", 4301 Darrow Road Jim gets smashed in the head with a pot and Sonny gets his ribs crushed. Miss Riley, in the beginning, is a student teacher who gets hired to teach chemistry at Big Creek High. How does she reply? He implies that Dorothy doesn't really care who she goes out with. Who are the "Great Six"? The chapter ends with the Rocket Boys beginning construction at their own cape, collecting the materials and building a small shack so that they can launch their rockets safely. His father was furious and thinks he's too dumb to build rockets. The Freida J. In Rocket Boys, I quote Miss Riley as saying, "All I've done is give you a book. He filled out his rsum with roles in The Butterfly Effect (2004), Beautiful Dreamer (2006), Nine Dead (2010), and The Magnificent Seven (2016), and TV appearances onCSI: Miami,Criminal Minds, ER, and The Neighborhood. While the Rocket Boys are going well, the town is not. What does she vow to do if he ever goes again? This chapter covers two things. This moment is told through the eyes of young boys who stay up all night to see the images of the launch. She has an argument with one of the football players who brought her and takes Sonny to the back seat of his car. Ike Bykovski is crushed and dies. It was her encouragement that brought these boys into manhood as believers in knowledge and hard-work. National Gallery for Americas Young Inventors, National Gallery for Americas Young Artists, Learn more about Rocket Boys and Homer Hickman. Synopsis. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. He finds out that Dr. Van Braun may have worked for the nazis but it's never clarified. What is the outcome? In a small town like Coalwood, West Virginia, Mrs. Freida J Riley was just what the students needed. "You always have time for Jim." Miss Riley does end up enjoying better health when the cancer goes into remission. They launch their rocket and he declares afterward they will change the propellant, telling them hes in charge and theyll do what he wants. Clinton Canton who is an amazing welder and interested in rockets. An epilogue, using home movie footage, reveals the real-life outcomes of the main characters' lives. In the film October Sky, the character Sonny is less selfish than he is in the book. Roy Lee became a banker. Why does he do so? Sonny, while delivering morning papers, meets him while he's drunk on the floor in his apartment building. Elya Baskin joined October Sky as Ike Bykovsky. The most enjoyable classes are the ones where not only are you interested in the material, but the teacher is passionate about the subject, too. Hickam, Homer. It is called rocket candy. October Skytells the true story of a young man pursuing rocket science, despite his father's wishes. She is the one to go to the principal with Sonny to fight for creating a calculus class. It lands near the mine and knocks a chunk out of Homer's office wall. action adversity age alcohol ambition America animals appearance communication conflict crime death education endeavor failure family . Big Creek would not be allowed to participate in the football championship this year. Homer lights the final rocket, Sonny encourages him to do it. What effect does the tragedy have on Homer and Elsie? Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Miss Riley in October Sky: Character Analysis & Quotes, Relationship Between Homer & His Father in October Sky, Smarter Balanced Assessments - ELA Grades 6-8: Test Prep & Practice, Study.com SAT Reading Test Section: Review & Practice, English 101 Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, Middle School Language Arts: Lessons & Help, Literacy Instruction in the Elementary School, GACE Program Admission Assessment Test I Reading (210): Practice & Study Guide, OAE Middle Grades English Language Arts (028) Prep, Common Core History & Social Studies Grades 11-12: Literacy Standards, Study.com ACT® Reading Test Section: Prep & Practice, The Organization Man by William Whyte: Summary & Analysis, Fun, Interactive Writing Activities: Individual & Group, Recursively Using Stages of the Writing Process, Mammon and the Archer Discussion Questions, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Elsie moved to Myrtle Beach and after 70, Homer left the mine and joined her. She manages to procure materials to conduct experiments with her own meager income, such as when she shows an example of ''rapid oxidation'' by setting fire to a mixture of potassium chlorate and sugar. Whom does Sonny consider the most beautiful girl in high school? In "October Sky," Ike Bykovski, a character who was a composite of real miners Hickam knew, died in a mine accident after helping Homer with his rockets. 4.9. What does Elsie add to her mural during Homer's intense demands from the coal mine? In a mining accident, John is injured rescuing others, and Ike Bykovsky (a mine worker who let Homer use the machine shop for fabricating rocket components, and later transferred underground for better pay) is killed. Gyllenhaal is perfectly cast as the West Virginia boy determined to pursue his crazy dreams. Mr. Van Dyke was fired for trying to negotiate and the union threatens to strike. This brings out Jake, but also a few other people including a small town newspaper reporter. As the town looks up to the skies, John slowly puts his hand on Homer's shoulder and smiles, finally showing . All Rights Reserved. Thiswith the permission of her sister, Iva Riley Dean. The heart of this chapter though is in the decision to join the science fair. They're brought before the company's head rep: Mr. Van Dyke who makes a deal with them. She plays the Rocket Boys' science teacher and their biggest supporter, continuing to cheer them on as she eventually battles cancer in the hospital. She keeps encouraging Sonny to enter the fair, even though he is reluctant at first. He understandably wants his son to follow in his footsteps, and one of the best elements of the movie is in breaking free, he is respecting his father. In addition, his father begins to show signs of real sickness including a spot the size of a dime on his lungs. 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