Term Paper on "Rocket Boys Chapters 15-19 Stop Your Sniveling"

Term Paper 4 pages (1228 words) Sources: 1 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Rocket Boys Chapters 15-19

Stop your sniveling," Doc hissed, "Godamighty, don't you understand what kind of a place this is? The men of this down go down to the pit and hold hands with death every day" (248). In Chapter 18, entitled "The Bump," Homer weeps because he feels guilty that Mr. Bykovski is dead, stating that if it weren't for Homer, he would still be alive. However, Doc's words bring home the reality that death is always present in Coalwood, for the men of the mines. The incident highlights for Homer why his mother is so adamant that he leave Coalwood, and seek his fortune and livelihood elsewhere.

But the incident also highlights the heroism of Homer's father. Doc says "a dozen men would have died tonight if it hadn't been for your dad. That's something every son should know" (248). Homer realizes that his father is not simply someone who mocks Homer's ambitions of building rockets. He sees a noble side to his father that he has seldom seen before, when his father is quarreling with his mother. On one hand, this makes Homer want to emulate his father, and save lives rather than create destructive objects. On the other hand, his mother's warnings that life in Coalwood is rapidly dying remains a potent warning.

This incident shows how parents are seldom either good or bad, and when parents quarrel one parent is seldom right or wrong. There are two sides to every issue, and every person can act nobly sometimes, and in petty ways at other times. But Doc is cruel about human emotions, feelings, the natural impulses of a young man, and softness, including a desire to know more about the world from an intellectual perspective: "don't ever let me see you act like a sob sister again," he says, unintentionally taking sides against the women of Coalwood who are brave in their own way, "Coalwood is no place to be weak" (249).

Rocket Boys Chapters 20-21

You drink, don't ya?'... 'Not before school,'" responds Homer, politely to Jim's question (268). Homer's house is now in a state of tenuous peace or truce. His father's eye is permanently damaged from the mine accident, and Homer's parents at least are not fighting all of the time. As a junior in high school, Homer also feels more confident. He has gained some respect because of his experimentation, and now he is older although he still feels somewhat uncomfortable with Jim's leering, sexual innuendo and banter. Also, when Homer misses the bus, however, Jim has a chance to meet Homer's teacher, whom Jim is immediately attracted to: "Forget the school bus kid, you've got a chauffer any time." (269).

For the first time, Homer realizes that his feelings about Miss Riley are not entirely Platonic. He realizes that he is "jealous" of this man, who is an engineer, while Homer is still a boy, although he acknowledges he owes the man "a good recommendation" (269). It used to be that Miss Riley always showed a special interest in Homer, but now Miss Riley is interested in knowing more about this other man and Homer must tell all, just as Miss Riley demands of him, because Homer believes in a fair exchange.

This incident, for anyone who has ever had a crush on a teacher or an older authority figure, reminds the reader of how painful adolescence can be for a young boy. Homer is old beyond his years and peers intellectually, but he still has a great deal of growing up to do, emotionally and physically. Now he understands how his desire for adult approval, validation as an attractive young man, and sexual… READ MORE

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