What is the "big idea" (theme) in this book?
Hope, that you can accomplish something relatively difficult.
What were your thoughts, ideas and opinions about the "big idea" before beginning this novel?
I had really no expectations for this novel and didn't quite know what it was about and how the story would play out.
What do you think now?In the novel, the world is a better place because...
The world actually isn't a better place, nothing much has changed outside of Coalwood.
I could make the world a better place by...
Applying myself, and helping to solve current issues.
I think that Homer would have joined the Vancouver riots. I believe this because I think that Homer is easily swayed to do bad or unsensible things. I also think that he would have joined the riots because of how violent he has been in the past. Finally I think he would have joined the riots because of his personality.
Visualize:
This image relates to the novel in my mind. Whenever I look at this image I feel a presence of hope, which to me is one of the main themes in this novel. Also this image connects with the fact that the novel is about Homer Hickam who wants only to send rocket ships into space. Finally this image represents the fact that during the time that this book was written, the great space race was taking place.
Asking Questions:
1. Why is Homer's Mother so obsessed with Homer being nothing like his father?
Homer's mother believes that his father was unsuccessful in life and does not want that for Homer.
2. What is the reasoning behind everyone hating Homer's father?
His father didn't get a college education, and doesn't really deserve his important position.
3. How do "The Rocket Boys" start up?
Homer and his friends are inspired by Sputnik to create their own rockets and launch them into space.
4. Why does Homer hate Jim so much?
Jim is the complete polar opposite of Homer. For example Jim is: athletic and popular in school, unlike Homer who is nothing of these things.
5. How did homer meet Roy Lee?
The book doesn't go into detail about this, but from what I understand Hoemr and Roy Lee met when they were very young.
Text to Text:
While I was reading October Sky, I connected to the world. The connection I made was with how in the real world many people live an extremely similar life style like in the book October sky. In October Sky, all of the residents of the small town of Coalwood are coal miners. And in the real world, many people live in a similar pattern: Get up, go to work, leave work, do extra work, go to sleep. This life style is practiced by millions of people around the world.
A text to text connection I made was with the book Hunger Games. In the Hunger Games, everyone in District Twelve is a coal miner because it is their District's speciality. In October sky, the town of Coalwood is also mainly populated by coal miners.
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