October Sky

By: Dmitri Sinitsky
College Now Course - SCI 1

In life there are many different issues and obstacles that have positive and negative effects on people's lives. Many of these issues are shown throughout the movie, "October Sky". Issues such as the effect of teachers on students and how science is a constant part of our lives every day are shown in "October Sky" from beginning to the very end. Although these issues are derived from the movie, it does not mean that these issues are deprived from our society. People experience significant changes every day that deal with the same instances that are shown in the movie. People are constantly learning, and although there are many people that do not go to school, these individuals have overcome obstacles that involve a certain way of learning. In the movie, "October Sky", Homer, who is the main character, experiences significant changes in his life, which causes him to overcome many obstacles that stand in his way. One obstacle that Homer overcomes is the fact that his father hates the aspect of Homer learning about rockets instead of learning about coal mining, which is the job of an average male in the particular society. Science was very important to Homer to achieve his goal, which was making rockets. With one obstacle in his way there came many more, just as it is in real life. With one obstacle in the way, there are always many more that follow. Overcoming economic obstacles is one of the few obstacles that are very common in many lives. Many individuals experience lack of money.

In the movie, "October Sky", Homer has to overcome the economic obstacle that stands in his way. Since Homer's family does not have a high income level, there are always things in Homer's way. When Homer needs supplies for his rocket experiments his father will not support Homer economically and mentally. The father believes that building rockets is pointless and is a waste of money. Many families that have more than two children are constantly falling in to economic obstacle category. Children that live in a family with low income levels are constantly hit in the face with money problems. When a child wants to fit in into the cool group in school money plays a very big and significant role. The first idea in that child's mind is that he/she needs expensive clothes that the "cool kids" wear, and the child has to face economic problems and not get any expensive clothes. Small things like clothes change a person drastically. Also, not having money in the family is a learning obstacle in a person's life. That individual has to focus on the education aspect while focusing on the economic problem, and that could be a very dramatic experience for someone. Homer overcame the fact that his family did not have money to throw away on rocket experiments, so he had to find the material that was needed for rocket building, and in some cases the help of teachers was always there for him. One of Homer's teachers gave him a rocket building book, which is such a great thing to do. That type of deed causes students to get help from teachers because the individual does not feel hopeless. In life there are many reasons to feel hopeless, such as being lonely, not having money, lack of love, but if help is provided by anyone, especially a teacher, having no hope is the last thing on an individual's mind, because love and care are there. Aside from economic problems, doing something that parents do not agree with is another significant obstacle that can make a child's life harder.

Although parents agree with most of the actions their sons/daughters perform, there are always some instances in life where parents disagree with a child's actions. Homer's father was not fond of the rocket experimentation, yet Homer went against his father's will and started building rockets. The action led Homer to become a successful rocket builder later on in life. In society there are always instances that require action that goes against the will of the majority. Albert Einstein, who was ahead of his time, was always being questioned. Most of the people who bothered to listen to his lectures would not believe a word he said. Then Einstein became famous and proved everyone who did not believe him wrong about their thoughts. Parents sometimes will not support their children and their actions because parents feel that they have enough experience in life to know what is right and what is wrong. That is not always true, and Homer showed that with his charisma and his willpower in the movie. Once a parent sees results from their child's different way of thinking, then at that point is when the guardian starts believing and supporting the child's action. It should not be like that at all. There are instances when parents should disagree with children, but it should not be over an educational experience which can lead to a great success in future life of the son/daughter. Although family relationship and trust is very important, believing in self is also an obstacle that is significant in importance.

A societal belief about you or others is less important that self belief and your own willpower. A person is always better off with advice, but there are always situations in life that require self belief and willpower to help get you to your goal. In the movie, "October Sky", society believed that coal mining is the most important job a male could have. These beliefs did not appeal to Homer, and he decided to change that belief. He showed society that it is good to have dreams and goals and go against the majority. Homer built a rocket and was successful at it. He showed society that, with willpower and self belief, anything can be achieved. In our society today many individuals follow society and every aspect of it. Our society consists of many followers, but few are leaders. Believing in self is a key to being a leader. When one believes in self there is a lot of willpower required to overcome the fact that society will not support any of your actions until proof is there to show that the stuff you believe in works. That requires lots of willpower so that quitting is not an option. Homer believed in himself and he went against society. That is the path he chose. That was the path that led him to great success. Society is not comfortable with change, and that is why being different scares many people that revolve around that particular society. The person who chooses the road against society will have to face many consequences that can murder one's dream. Believing in self allows for change in an environment that surrounds you. GMC was a company that made great change for society. Their plan was to buy all the trolley systems in America and replace that with their own vehicles, which are now called cars. Now GMC is one of the biggest monopolies throughout the world. It only takes one strange thought, and that can lead to a great change in society. Self belief is important to everyone. With self belief society is able to experience the great aspects of science in our everyday life.

Science is the major force that the world needs and is using everyday. Every single day life revolves around science just like the earth revolves around the sun. Our many various societies can be compared to many earths; earth cannot survive without the sun, just as our societies cannot survive without science. When an average person wakes up, there is so much science surrounding that individual that the brain does not consider the surroundings as science. Brushing teeth is a science. It cleanses a person from many germs and makes one feel better everyday. News that before was hard to obtain, is now right there waiting to be told to a person. Television and radio, and even a newspaper, are parts of science, which informs us of everything that we may want or may not want to know. Science is such a major part in our lives that most of us cannot survive without it. Electricity, heat and plumbed water are taken for granted every day. An average American will not and cannot survive without luxuries such as water, heat and electricity. Science is so enormous that it extends our life spans dramatically, although it does harm us slightly. Our five senses are nothing but science, and everything in the universe is science. The way one thinks and acts is science. That is how science can be considered as our very own organ, and to destroy science is the same process as to kill life.

That is how themes from the movie, "October Sky", relate to real life, just as well as these themes relate to the movie. Various themes that are shown in the movie can be virtually put into many people's lives and environments. The movie, "October Sky", captures all aspects of real human life and behavior. Through the use of themes and real life situation, the movie shows how life and its situations change lives of individuals every day. Overcoming obstacles is one major goal to a person, and not to achieve the goal is harmful, but to achieve it changes everything in one's society. That is how the movie, "October Sky", shows and proves the actual aspects of human life.

back to Student Work Menu