by. Linda Terry Hickamm. During their conversation about building a rocket. Test. She said she already has plans but will study with him on Sunday. He never forgot that day. Why does Sonny ask Dorothy to the dance? We hope you found this October Sky summary useful for your comprehension of the book. Miss Riley is an attractive woman who catches the eye of Jake, but a little while after they begin dating she is diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. The sermon was about how fathers should be respected by sons, the company made Rev. They are ready to arrest them, but their teachers point out a few problems in the logic. What observation do the boys make? Like many of us, Miss Riley has at least some interest in having a romantic relationship. Homer teams up with math geek Quentin Wilson, who shares an interest in aerospace engineering; with the support of friends Roy Lee Cooke and Sherman O'Dell, and their science teacher at Big Creek High School, Miss Freida J. Riley, the four construct small rockets. What does the author reveal about each of the BCMA boys in the Epilogue? He calls his mom for help and the town sends him new stuff through the bus system. Around this same time, his mother finds him. After the launches of Auks IX-XIII. His mom wouldn't let Sonny quit until the coach told him not to come back. Riley, the teacher who inspired the Rocket Boys and is depicted in the film October Sky. The first is that the woman sells moonshine and other things to men. So he can give the other boys a chance at getting scholarships for college. Voila! The boys present their findings to Miss Riley and the school principal, Mr. Turner, who determines the cause was a flare from a nearby airfield. She has an argument with one of the football players who brought her and takes Sonny to the back seat of his car. To stick it to his dad and to give his friends an opportunity to get scholarships so they can go to college. Miss Riley gives Sonny a book on rocketry: "Principles of Guided Missile Design". He's very smart and Sonny seeks his help with building rockets. Josh Cassada, who launched to the ISS back in October, shared a stunning photo of the Northern Lights on Twitter. How does Miss Riley assist the boys? taglines. What range do the rockets attain? Sonny sees academics more as a way to improve their rockets, a means to what they desire. He then joins the marching band and plays snare. She was only 31 years old. Why do they disband? Finally, everyone else comes out alive, but his father has been injured and will likely lose his eye. Here he discovers that his brother has taken the girl he has been in love with for years out on a date. This means that they will need a new formula, but the zinc they want to use needs to be mixed. Sherman: Publicity. Two years later, he would play the title character in 2001'sDonnie Darko, going on to star inBubble Boy (2001), The Good Girl (2002), Moonlight Mile (2002), and The Day After Tomorrow (2004). Homer Hickam Jr.'s father was not named John. (Epilogue). Sonny sees it as a no-lose situation. It lands near the mine and knocks a chunk out of Homer's office wall. 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. What does Geneva Eggers do for Sonny? What about Jim Miss Riley Homer Sr and Elsie? Quentin helps design the next two rockets. What do they call their new rocket fuel? . What two problems do the boys need to address? What do you think this symbolizes to Elsie and to Sonny? Sonny wins this thanks to the rush of new rocket parts from the town. This bit of misfortune leads to his father calling the man who helped him a thief. The Freida J. Riley Teacher Awardannually recognizes an American teacher who overcomes adversity or makes an enormous sacrifice in order to positively impact students. His mother wants Sonny to succeed. Sonny find the place interesting enough but isn't drawn to it. This group of boys called The Rocket Boys would build rockets . Updated February 04, 2023 at 06:03 PM EST. AboutPressCopyrightContact. After racking up small screen roles on Boy Meets World,Picket Fences,7th Heaven, and Sister, Sister and making a brief appearance in 1998'sCan't Hardly Wait Chris Owen landed a role inOctober Sky. Miss Riley suffers ups and downs because of her illness, but no matter how badly she's feeling she makes every effort to be there for Sonny. He answers with the simple idea that they should go to the moon. Instead of punishment, his mother saw a chance to help her son escape from Coalwood. It's thanks to her experiments that the BCMA gets ideas for how to develop their own rocket fuels. More than 2000 extras were used in the movie. How does he feel about her? Miss Riley has a life outside of the classroom, too. Why does Sonny abandon the rocket building after the mine tragedy? Homer Hickam on the left - 1999. The school's curriculum would be twice as hard to keep up with the Russians. How does Buck Trant torment Sonny and his friends about the rocket? To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Is one of your favorite characters missing? Sonny tries to make a rocket and he blows up his mom's rose garden fence. The sermon reminds everyone that while a son should respect his father, it is a fathers job to help his son achieve his dreams. How does Sonny cope with the open drawer? John Dubonnet is the mine union leader and he butts heads with Homer because Homer is a "company man" who represents the company is Coalwood. The boys think the judges will think that their project is too dangerous or not expensive enough. This brings it back to the importance of Sonny Hickams own attempts to build a rocket. This seems to come to a conclusion at the church. Who is the narrator and how old is he when his memoir begins? ", "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. [8], October Sky opened on February 19, 1999 in 1,495 theaters and had an opening weekend gross of $5,905,250. Jessica_Tatum470. He tries out for football, like his athletic brother Jim, because he sees football as a chance to escape Coalwood via athletic scholarship. October Sky does not illustrate good parenting; rather, it evokes the realization that since parents have only a limited vision of how to shape their children's future, the job requires a huge amount of love and a lot of divine assistance. She's who he talks to when no one else will listen. He also discovers Valentine, a girl who he has been friends with but nothing more. This willingness to fight an unwinnable battle for his older son shows the gap between Sonny and his father even more clearly. What does the X-ray reveal about Homer? Mr. Turner is the principal of Big Creek High School. This doesnt stop him though. The Miss Riley reaches an altitude of 30,000 feet (9,100 m) - higher than the summit of Mount Everest. Who helps Sonny design the next two rockets? Laura Dern had an emotional turn in October Sky as Miss Riley. Jake is kind to Sonny and is actually interested in what he does. in the beginning, what questions does Sonny ask his mother concerning his father? In October 1957, news of the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik 1 reaches the town of Coalwood, West Virginia, where most male residents work in the coal mines. It also once again shows the character of his father who lead the rescue crew into the dangerous passages even though he didnt need to. Dern has continued to see critical and commercial success, starring in I Am Sam (2001),We Don't Live Here Anymore(2004),Lonely Hearts(2006), andLittle Fockers(2010). This conversation doesnt end well though as Sonny once again explains that he doesnt want to be a mine engineer while his father still wants him to be. Although I was having trouble with algebra at the time, Miss Riley believed in me and so I believed in myself. Sonny gets a signed picture of Dr. Van Braun as well as a letter from him about how he's impressed with his rocket work so far. Planning for the trip to the National Science Fair, Sonny is taken to get a suit. " "Show them what West Virginians . Though her cancer goes into remission for a few years, Miss Riley does end up dying from it when she is 32. O'Dell suggests going and digging up old railroad drainage pipes. What does the launch of Auk XX prove to the boys? They go out to dig out metal pipes from the ground for scrap metal. Who helps him understand his revelation? 6 rockets launched, 3,000 feet was the start. Use any form of the word $acquit$ in a sentence about a jury trial. Homer is frustrated to say the least. How does Sonny feel about Quentin? Elsie is beyond furious that Sonny even agreed to go into the mine. Author bklmusic. His question is simply what do you think we should do with space, and Kennedy turns the question back on him. He is on his own, literally, since there can be only one name on the science fair signup. How do Sonny's mother and father react to his first rocket launch? Having made his first attempt to launch a rocket, Sonny Hickam destroyed his mothers fence and scared most of the town with the explosion. Natalie Canerday played Elsie Hickam, offering maternal wisdom to Homer as he butts heads with his father. what is a "basis for modification"?, Anything that they have to change from one rocket to the next. Homer thinks Sonny should stay in Coalwood. What do they do? The screenplay by Lewis Colick, based on the memoir of the same name, tells the true story of Homer H. Hickam Jr., a coal miner's son who was inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957 to take up rocketry against his father's wishes and eventually became a NASA engineer. This revelation of what his mother thinks of him magnifies the pain of seeing someone he cares about hurt. Unfortunately, Miss Riley's life gets quite a bit more difficult the fall of Sonny's senior year in high school. Create New. Quentin though explains that the other boys have far more to lose. RAshton-Hall. 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. [3] Principal photography took place in rural East Tennessee, including Oliver Springs, Harriman and Kingston in Morgan and Roane counties. After making peace with his mother over his trip into the mine, Sonny decides to take his fathers advice and ask Ike Bykovski about Wernher von Braun. Offers may be subject to change without notice. He is also congratulated by Von Braun himself, though not realizing his idol's identity. What inspires Sonny to build a rocket? She's also appeared in episodes of Quarry, Still the King, and True Detective. Homer returns to school by special invitation; the boys return to rocketry and win the school science fair. What are the ramifications of his father's decision? Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. What does Jim tell Sonny about the rocket failure? He appears at first to be a bad influence. Two state troopers have arrived because they believe that one of the boys rocket started a fire and burned down some homes. This chapter begins once again by setting the time it happened not with dates but with the space race. Why? Their rockets are continuing to become successful reaching as much as three thousand feet on one trip, but they begin to fear that their rocket candy has reached its limitation. What do the BCMA boys decide to add since and sulfur to create rocket fuel? Jim goes off to college leaving Sonny alone, but with access to the Buick. Why does Miss Riley choose Sonny to represent the BCMA at the science fair? Why do you think Sonny asks this?, Why does Homer hate him? Still it works well, perhaps too well, as their rocket reaches a mile allowing it to land in Coalwood. How does Sonny feel? He ends up finding a book of his father's to learn from. What is "rocket candy"? October Sky: Directed by Joe Johnston. Chapter 16 of October Sky begins with Sonnys father visiting a conference to discuss the ventilation of his mine an honor for him because he is not an engineer. This movie has deep values. The police soon realized that their rockets could not have traveled over 3 miles and the boys were exonerated. October Sky is based on the lives of four young men who grew up in Coalwood, West Virginia. A book is just a book, but it's also a tool that can lead you to amazing things. After teaching for only a few years with Hodgkin's disease, Miss Riley passed away. How do the spectators react? Who are the "Great Six"? How do they react to Quentin's "dream" for a science trophy? What does Homer do after hearing Rev. Answer: Miss Riley Homer and the rest of the Rocket Boys dedicated it to many people, including Miss Riley. "A few years ago, I wrote a memoir titled Rocket Boys which has since gone on to become a classic. They name the rockets AUK, after an ancient bird that couldn't fly. Returning to school after having been in the newspaper, the Rocket Boys discover that they are treated a bit differently. After seeing Mr. Bykovskis death, Sonny blames himself and shuts down almost entirely. What is the result? As a result, Debs formed the American Railway Union in $1893$. Where does Auk IV land? The first being the slow understanding of the rocket book which they have finally gotten, which covers ideas such as De Laval nozzles. Wanting to learn calculus means asking to have the class. With the support of his teacher Miss Riley [Laura Dern] and three friends, Homer Hickam, Jr. sets out on an inspiring quest to build his own rocket. What is the result of the launch of Auk V? This means, among other things, that Sonnys brother is not going to be able to get a football scholarship and will have to find another way to go to college. They get him back just in time to get him stitches. That's when Sputnik was launched and it started his interest in becoming a rocket scientist. Dermot Murnaghan has signed off at Sky News for the last time by referencing the Will Ferrell comedy film Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy.. The chapter ends with Jake giving the boys a gift of a telescope that he used as a boy, allowing them to see Jupiter and the stars. His father has told him not to build the rockets but he does it anyway. October Sky movie clips: http://j.mp/1Jcn5VRBUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/s676IcDon't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6prCLIP DESCRIPTION:Mi. Having learned his fathers eye will likely never be fully functional again, the house is largely broken with everyone ignoring everyone else. As they do, Sonnys wrist is cut on one of the sharp pieces of metal and they are forced to carry him miles back to town where he collapses as the doctor is stitching him. Poppy is Homer Sr's father. How is the situation resolved? On October 4, 1957, a lot of people in the world were looking up into the sky. One didn't have enough fuel in it and the other had too much. What is their goal? What is Sonny's "startling revelation" about geometry? Quentin then explains that it is not a rocket at all but an aeronautics flare. I only hope I can be as good a man as you. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boy's pursuit of amateur rocketry in a coal mining town. Why? 4.9. Miss Riley brings in a map to show that the boy's rockets couldn't go that far. What is Sonny's response to Homer's statement that he might come to Cape Coalwood when he has time? The movie has had a total lifetime gross of $34,675,800 worldwide. Wherever I go, I am thanked by people of all walks of life, but especially by teachers, for telling her story. Chris Cooper joinedOctober Skyas John Hickam, the father to Gyllenhaal's Homer. All Rights Reserved. The film is based on a true story and follows a group of young men in rural 1950s West Virginia who take an interest in rocketry. Quote her statement relating to the gift and to his reaction to the gift? Who does the calculations for the first rocket based on the sum total of Miss Riley's book? Overnight, someone steals his machined rocket part model the de Laval nozzle and his autographed picture of Dr. Wernher von Braun. In an interview in 2014, Natalie Canerday recalled that Gyllenhaal was tutored on set because he was still in school and taking advanced classes. Updated Dec 03 21 # Qns 10. Sonny comments on how Buck's mom ran off with a vacuum cleaner salesman. Direction and letting the powder dry for longer before they load up the rocket. October Sky. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Rocket candy was the left over fuel from combining potassium nitrate, saltpeter, and sugar. Dorothy goes to the Dugout with Jim they slow dance right in front of Sonny. Their goal is to build rockets and launch them to space. Credit: MCA/Courtesy Everett Collection; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images, Credit: MCA/Courtesy Everett Collection; Todd Williamson/Getty Images, Credit: MCA/Courtesy Everett Collection; Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images, Credit: MCA/Courtesy Everett Collection; Youtube.com/createlittlerock. He feels more confident having someone friendly by his side. His father was furious and thinks he's too dumb to build rockets. Having discovered that something was wrong at the mine and that his father had went in, Sonny sneaks out of his house after his mother insists that he not go. Jake helps the BCMA with their calculations and science. (1993), andHomegrown (1998). Speedo. Why is the friendship between Jake and Sonny unlikely? What is the name of the first rocket using the new fuel? Copyright National Museum of Education. Who is Daisy Mae and why is she important to Sonny? All Rights Reserved. Stow, OH 44224. There are two annual festivals in honor of the Rocket Boys and the film. A lot of reviews focus on the main character's relationship with his father and on the actors' performances. Even worse, he leaves his nozzles behind and they are stolen. How many rockets do the boys launch during their final act as the BCMA? Match. How do you think his work affects his family?, Homer Sr. was 22 when he started. He says his future is in space and his life in Coalwood seems like a blur in the grandeur of all of space. . Mr. Turner is doubtful of anyone but the football team putting trophies in the case. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. At the same time, Sonnys father invites him to come to the mine with him. A math and science whiz, he helps Homer and his friends develop their rockets and make improvements as they test them out. Sonny because he can explain the concepts and is good with people. They get it from John Eye, the local moonshiner. How does he feel about this? How does Jim respond? Sonny reaches the National Science Fair and discovers the competition is bigger than he had expected. The Miss Riley reaches an altitude of 30,000 feet (9,100m) higher than the summit of Mount Everest. Later, Homer is inspired by Miss Riley to read a book on applied rocket science, learning to calculate the trajectory of a rocket. He disband because a boy named Tony fell out of a tree and broke his arm. He has been kept out of football this year, which means he has likely also been kept out of college, which means he will likely achieve far less in his life than he otherwise would have. Death 5 Aug 1969 (aged 32) Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia, USA. The radio stations say that the schools have to catch up to the Russian schools. October 5th 1957. In this chapter, The BCMA discovers a new a way to make rocket fuel. In this way, the young man meets his teacher. This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 12:35. This requires a lot of high level math that Sonny has to do. Homer lights the final rocket, Sonny encourages him to do it. Why do Buck and other football players accost Sonny and Quentin? What does Emily Sue tell Sonny about his love for Dorothy? Difficulty Average. How does Sonny compare his life in Coalwood with the capabilities of Jake's telescope? Buck Trant calls them "little moron sisters". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The chapter ends with Sonny discovering the book that his father used to help teach himself the math that he needed to run the mine and taking it for himself so that he can learn on his own. Everyone in town and a lot of other towns come to see the rockets. He's their dad's favorite. Why do you think he does this? He goes to Reverend Lanier for help but he didn't believe his message so he goes to Reverend "Little Richard". How does Home explain his acquaintance with her to Sonny? What is the financial result? "A man who loves her and won't stop loving her.". What height does Auk XII attain? Jake pays off their debt if they promise to wash his car for the rest of time. When the opportunity arises for one of them to participate in the National Science Fair in Indianapolis, they elect Homer. What causes Sonny's dream of reciprocal love from Dorothy to end? Canerday continued to act throughout the 2000s, picking up bit roles in Walk the Line(2005),Shotgun Stories (2007),The Last Ride(2012), Poor Mama's Boy (2016), Then There Was Joe (2018), and To the Stars (2019). Why do you think this event has such an impact on him? October Sky is a 1999 American biographical drama film directed by Joe Johnston and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, . Aug 1969 ( aged 32 ) Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia map to Show that schools. 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