October Sky

By: Kristina Dubinskaya
College Now Course - SCI 1

The film, October Sky, consists of many significant themes. These themes include both personal and social issues. This film also reflects the lives of many teenagers today. At various points in the film, I even felt as if I was actually in it. Some of the personal issues associated with October Sky include getting along with parents, the importance of having friends, believing in yourself and acting on your dreams. Some social issues include the importance of science in our lives, overcoming educational and economic obstacles, and the positive role of teachers. Many of these issues reflect and connect to my life, as well as many other people I know. The two issues that I relate to the most are the positive role of teachers and believing in yourself.

In the film, the main character, Homer Hickam, lived in a family of four, with a brother and two parents. After the release of Sputnik by the Russians, Homer always dreamed of going into space himself. He was very interested in rocket science and trying out different experiments. Although, not everyone backed him up. Some people, like his father, even assured him that he was not going to be able to do it. However, Homer believed in himself, and with the help of his friends, succeeded.

Homer's parents seemed like very nice people and a happily married couple. Homer's mother loved both of her children very much and always encouraged them to achieve their dreams. His father, on the other hand, was different. He loved both of his sons, but in different ways. He worked in the coal mines and always wanted his sons to become what he was. He seemed not to have any conflicts or problems with the older son. Homer, on the other hand, was always the one to blame. After he found out that Homer wanted to go into space, he was not very pleased. But, Homer did not give up on his dream and did his best to achieve it. Even though Homer had conflicts with his father, he still loved him. When he was not able to work anymore, due to health problems, Homer took over. He went down to the coal mines and worked there instead of his father for a while. Soon, he realized that it was just not for him, and no matter how much he loves his father, he could not work there anymore. Therefore, he quit.

This film also reflects the concept of the positive role of teachers in students' lives. Homer's family were not the only people who helped him achieve his dream (especially, his mother). In addition, Homer received much help and advice from his teacher, Ms. Riley. She always admitted that Homer was one of her favorite students. Ms. Riley was a very nice teacher and was always proud of her students. After she found out that Homer was so interested in rocket science, she was there to help him in every way. In the end, when Homer succeeded, Ms. Riley was one of the happiest people who observed him.

While watching the movie, I felt as if I knew exactly what Homer was going through. Both of these themes relate to me, as well as many of my friends. Believing in yourself should be every person's motto. The reason is, that in life, there may be obstacles that may try to stop us from achieving our goals. However, one must never give up. Everyone knows - if you believe in yourself, only then will you succeed. Personally, there have been many times when I failed and it was most likely because I didn't think that I was able to do it. The fact is, not everyone is supportive during hard times. Therefore, believing in yourself is very important.

For instance, I always dreamed about becoming a singer. Although, everyone around me kept saying that it is all just a little girl's dream and that I should live in reality. At first, I argued and hired a music teacher, because I wanted to prove everyone wrong. However, these people kept trying to convince me that it was not worth it and this is just a waste of my money. Eventually, I became tired of trying to win these people over and quit. Now, I feel that it was the biggest mistake I have made in my entire life. It was my dream, and I should not have given up on it so easily. Therefore, I have learned that believing in yourself is very important.

Similarly, the theme of the positive role of teachers in life also relates to me. In fact, for as long as I can remember, I was always in good relationships with my teachers. Most of the people I know always tell me about this one teacher that they really hate. But, I could never understand what they were going through, because it never actually happened to me. Especially ever since I came to high school. Teachers play a very important role in the life of every human being. At one point or another, everyone attends school and deals with teachers. Some experiences with teachers may not be as pleasant as others. However, teachers are always remembered for what they have done.

For the past year, I have had a very busy lifestyle. I was always tired, and it was very difficult for me to concentrate in school. That's why many people in school, especially teachers, helped me very much to deal with all of it. Most of my help I got from my English teacher, Ms. Pers, who was my teacher since freshman year. In the film, the teacher that inspires Homer, Ms. Riley, is his Science teacher. Ms. Pers was always there for me, and I knew that I could talk to her about anything. She was always glad to help me if I had a problem. I used to even cry to her at times. She inspired me and supported me for the past four years, and I'm just grateful that there are teachers such as Ms. Pers. She is the best. One time in class, I was so tired that I felt as if I was going to faint, and that made me upset. Ms. Pers noticed it and gave me some advice on how to improve my sleep and live a healthy life. I was very surprised and thankful after talking to her.

Teachers play a very important role in every student's life. Most of the time this role is positive and the student learns a lot from the teacher. However, in order to achieve a goal, one must also believe in himself, no matter what. There will always be someone or some thing that will try to prevent the person's dream from coming true. But, if they never give up - they will succeed. From my experience, I agree with both of these themes, and I can definitely relate to them. These issues are very important when it comes to the movie, October Sky. They are associated with the main character, Homer Hickam, and the fact that he did not give up on his dream. Homer went through a lot in order to achieve his goals, but it was definitely worth it. Hard work always pays off at the end.

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