Determination In The Rocket Boys

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Brady Tucker Mrs. Schroder 8/25/17 7th Period In the book Rocket Boys, there were many themes throughout the book, such as coming of age, determination, dreams / goals, family relationships, and man vs. society. I think the most relevant theme of all was determination. Determination can be one of the best things for someone, but also one of the most dangerous things for a person to have. If someone is determined about something to happen, they can and will make it happen no matter the circumstance. This can become a bad thing if someone is determined for the wrong reason or is determined for something to happen to someone or have something bad happen. Determination is the amount of drive someone has to get something done. If someone is extremely determined to get something done or to have something happen, …show more content…

Many people can take their determination to great lengths, risking virtually everything they have to achieve something that they want. Some people may find having a lot of determination dumb or stupid. They may think that the reality of risking everything you have for something that you may never get and that may seem unlikely to be able to receive or achieve. Homer “Sonny” Hickam and his friends show large amounts of determination throughout Rocket Boys and throughout their lives. In Coalwood, most every young man either goes into the military or goes to work in the mines after they finish high school. While there are ways to avoid going to into the mines or into the military, they can be difficult to achieve. Sonny’s older brother, John, is trying to get on one of the more difficult paths out of Coalwood, by trying to perform well enough for his high school

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