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The lifestyle in Coalwood is surrounded by mines, the city is economically based off of the mining and the mining company; in order to get out of town, a scholarship is most likely required. Collectively, the town is not rich, but it is not in poverty either -- the families are mainly middle class, some suffering more than others. Economically, dreams can also be crushed, due to lack of money or necessary funds to succeed in life. Goals in life can be forgotten or pushed aside from the worry of money, for example, paying for college or buying a house. Sonny is constantly asked why he isn't similar to his brother, a star football player, and compared to him as well. In today's society, people are compared to others, for example, stereotypes. Sometimes, stereotypes can become violent and demeaning, which can alter someone's view on themselves and what they believe they can accomplish.

A.abcnews.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

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Just as Sonny has a dream to be involved in science and rocket-building, many people in today's society also have dreams. Whether that dream be big or small, a dream is still a dream, and is a goal that people in life strive to achieve. Although Sonny's dream is shot down multiple times, he continues to pursue it with the help of his friends. Another dream of Sonny's is to prove to his dad, his brother, and the entire town of Coalwood, that he is more than just another miner; he is intelligent and brilliant. He hopes that his intelligence will take him far in life and help him out of Coalwood, similar to the dreams of many in today's society. Many people dream of education taking them somewhere, while others just want to prove to someone their worth and value.

Crystalinks.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

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Coalwood is over watched by Sonny's dad, John Hickman, who believes that the mine comes before family. Instead of believing in what Sonny presents, a young boy with a love for science, he thinks nothing of it. Sonny's mother, however, dreams big of her son, and wants him to grow and thrive doing what he loves. Jim, Sonny's brother, is just like his father, always teasing Sonny and putting him down for what he believes in. Despite the efforts of his mother, Sonny struggles with their judgement, valuing their opinions more so than others, since they are his family. In society, family can either help or destroy someone's confidence in their beliefs, for example, coming from a wealthy family, dreams are more accessible, however, decendants from a poverty-struck family can making achieving dreams much more difficult. Likewise, family opinions also play an important role in decieferring whether a dream is worthy or not of pursing.

Intrepidtravel.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

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Sonny develops a passion for science, astrology, and rockets, but when he plans to build a rocket and find a career in that field, he is quickly shot down by many people. Despite the lack of support, Sonny gathers up his friends and they begin to draw up prototypes and calculations. His father and brother constantly tell him that his dream isn't worth pursuing, but that doesn't stop him from believing in what he thinks is the best solution for himself. Sonny believes that this is his only way out of Coalwood, so it is his priority to prove everybody, his brother and father too, that he isn't just another miner. Society can sometimes play the role of Sonny's father, telling someone they aren't worthy of continuing in this passion they have, or quickly denying their goal. However, society can also act as Sonny's mother, who believes in him, and can quickly build up someone's courage to pursue whatever they believe in.

Weknowyourdreams.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

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October Sky  revolves around Sonny, the main character's, passion for leaving his current home, Coalwood, a mining city. Coalwood is economically based off of coal mining; his father runs the day-to-day production in the mine and is hard on the workers. Sonny struggles with the pressure from his older brother, Jim, a star football player. People wonder why Sonny is not like Jim; when Sonny tells people of his dream to build a rocket, they laugh at him. The entire town, his father included, expect Sonny to be nothing more than another miner when he graduates high school.  Society labels individuals of their worth many times. Often, it is used in a demeaning way to describe someone's work ethic or quality. For Sonny, he is labeled as "another miner" in the eyes of everyone, when in reality, he is a bright, intelligent, passionate individual, who eventually proves to everyone that he is more than what they see him as.

S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.