Outside Reading Week 1 Part A

The memoir I'm currently reading is October Sky aka Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam Jr.

Vocab:
bituminous (1)- resembling or containing any of various substances as asphalt, maltha, or gilsonite, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons.

pulpit (5)- a platform or raised structure in a church, from which the sermon is delivered or the service is conducted.

Appeals:
"He called to my dad on the other side of the room, 'Homer, he's just like you!'"(15). These are very loaded words and are also an emotional appeal. Homer's grandfather has commented on how much Homer is like his father. In most cases, this would be a compliment, but to his mother, and even to Homer who has never wanted to be like his dad, this is an insult. This expression is used to display the differences within the Hickam household and it makes us wonder how their family relationship will be affected later on.

"No you're not. No you're not. All through my growing up years , she kept singing it, one way or another. It was only when I was in high school and began to build rockets that I finally understood why" (16). This is definitely an emotional appeal. Homer's mom is telling him that he isn't like his dad, and when he states that he doesn't find out why until high school, it makes us as the reader want to know why and read on.

"I guess it's fair to say there were two distinct phases to my life in West Virginia: everything that happened before October 5, 1957 and everything that happened afterward" (18). I would consider this a logical appeal though I suppose it is a bit emotional as well. October 5, 1957 was the day that the Russian satellite Sputnik was launched into space, a very true fact. This is the day that changed Homer Hickam's life forever.

Quote:
"Talk on the church steps afterward was mostly about the football team and its undefeated season. It was taking a while for Sputnik to sink in, at least in Coalwood" (20). Coalwood was a small town that was mainly focused on mining and could probably care less about what happened outside of their community, in the rest of the world. This quote displays the simple life that most Coalwood miners and their families lead. Unlike Homer, most people aren't interested in the field of science and it foreshadows the difficulties that lie ahead for him when it comes to building rockets.

Theme: At the current moment there isn't very much about theme. The story is still being set up, but if I had to say what I think the theme is, then it would be something like: there's nothing wrong with being different, but if you are, you should embrace the qualities that make you special.