Free Essays - Ben Mikaelsen's Countdown Mikaelsen Countdown Essays

An Essay on Ben Mikaelsens Countdown

Countdown is a book written by Ben Mikaelsen and was first published in 1996. It has a total of 248 pages and published by the Hyperion Books for Children company. This book is mainly about sending the first teenager in space. And it is also about finding how a young coward becomes a village warrior. This story takes place in Big Timber, Montana and in Kenya, Africa. The setting starts off in winter and fourteen-year-old Elliott Schroeder is busy working around his family farm. On the news, NASA announces the first Junior Astronaut program and youth all around the country will get a chance to become the first teen in space. Meanwhile, in Kenya, Africa, a young fourteen year old Masai, Vincent Ole Tome returns from tending to his family farm also. Vincent was no ordinary boy either, his father had sent him to the wood school which is similar to regular school in America. With the education he had received, many boys disliked him and named him a coward for not working as hard in the family farms. Getting back to Elliott, many things occurred since the announcement of the Junior Astronaut program. Elliott is chosen to become to first teenager in space and begins his nine month training along with his alternate, Mandy Jane Harris. This was it, the only chance that Elliott Andrew Schroeder was going to become a national hero and the only thing in his way was Mandy. Because of that he developed a disliking towards her which almost costed them their privilege to go to space. Then Elliott realized that his disliking had to reasonable justification and they became the best of friends for the last four months of training. Then the day came, when Elliott was really going to become the first teen in space and his only duty was to speak to anyone on earth throughout NASAs space mission. While all of this was happening in America, in Kenya, Africa, Vincent is now being tested by the elders of his village along with all other young Masai boys to find who is the bravest of them to become a warrior. Leboo, a not so close friend of Vincent, tries to tear Vincents spirits down by naming him a coward. While this is happening, Sambeke, Vincents friend, his father, and village elders all try and teach him different ways of handling this type of pressure and in the end Vincent finds to be dishonored by his very own father and is asked to leave the family and live as a so called coward until he can redeem himself of their honor. Elliotts first communication was with Sambeke, Vincents close friend and teacher, communication could only be established while the shuttle flew over Africa so their talk would only be short. Vincent has been sitting next to Sambeke when this happened and asked if he could speak with the shuttle. This started another important event in this story. Vincent and Elliott spoke about how life is for both of them and in this they learned some similarities and differences that they shared. On Earth, recorded tapes of their talk had been sold and people all over the world had made this short daily talk about life between the two boys a daily event. Soon after, Houston declared an in-flight emergency when the shuttles cooling system was deemed unrepairable in space and required the mission to be aborted. Back in Africa, Vincent is asked by Sambeke to go with him to Senegal, the emergency landing destination of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Vincent asked Sambeke why him and the reason Vincent was chosen to go to Senegal was because NASA has decided that the two boys should meet upon the arrival of Space Shuttle Endeavour. Vincents father has given Sambeke the approval to take Vincent to Senegal and along with his permission, Vincent now has is honor restored back to him. Because of his fathers approval and honor, he took the offer and went with Sambeke. Their flight to Senegal would give Vincent his first experience on a jet. Sleep was not allowed in the shuttle during this intense time of reentry and Elliott just waited patiently to hear the good news that theyve made it safely. The Space Shuttle Endeavour began its final approach to Earth and at this point, the intensity was really felt by everyone including Elliott. After minutes of silence the Space Shuttle Endeavour heard from Houston that the final descent is a go and that they should be arriving in Senegal, Africa in moments. There they were, Vincent and Sambeke had just arrived in Senegal and were treated to a white mans breakfast and then was taken to the landing site where Space Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to arrive at. Then the moment everyone had waited for, the shuttle has just landed in Senegal, Africa without any damage. Now as television reporters and radio announcers were going about with their business the shuttle crew disembarked from the shuttle and Vincent was given clearance to meet Elliott near the shuttle. Everyone stood silent and the crowd of nearly ten thousand people hushed.(242) There they were, Vincent Ole Tome and Elliott Andrew Schroeder stood face to face with silence. Then Vincent broke the silence, soon after Elliott also broke out from his silence and they acquainted themselves with each other. Then Elliott gave Vincent an unfamiliar hug, they were now friends. In turn, Vincent asked if he could share the way his people showed friendship and after little hesitation Elliott agreed. Both he and Vincent held hands together as they walked back to the van which was waiting for them just a few steps away. With those simple words, on that morning in Senegal, two very different boys reached out and touched hands. Because of that moment, the future of a tiny planet named Earth, located in a distant spiral arm of a remote galaxy, glowed warmer against the cold black of a wonderful and undiscovered universe.(246) Elliott Andrew Schroeder is a very dynamic person in which he carries many different traits throughout the entire story. This fourteen year old has learned a lot through his experiences and in the beginning was a very caring: Youd be dead if I havent found you(1), and selfish person: ,..he had crossed the line and cheated(108). In the end, he shows to be a very respectful: If thats how the Maasai show friendship, I can learn to show friendship like that, too.(245), and once again caring person. He shows these traits and when he finally learns how caring one person can be which reveals one of this books themes. In summary, this story is a very humorous and thought-provoking book. This book has shared many different themes and the most important theme that this book has to share to its readers is that when you have an enemy, you are an enemy to yourself too, and when this happens you should learn how to respect your enemy before you can learn how to respect yourself. Elliott had learned well and so did Vincent for each of them have learned each others way of life and respected it for that same reason. The Earth is everyones home and if we set boundaries on it, we will continue to wage war on it but if we learn to respect each other, wars run far away for it fears true respect.