Elsie Hickam In The October Sky

Elsie Hickam is Sonny’s mother. Her husband, Homer Hickam Sr. works at the mine as superintendent. Reading the October Sky book, I would say that Elsie was an intelligent, ambitious and supportive woman generally. She doesn’t enjoy living in this small town and she doesn’t support her husband working at the mine. They usually argue about it, and almost all her family was involved in the mining so she hates every aspect of her life there. Living in Coalwood wasn’t a happy life for her. Elsie was a bit harsh towards her husband because she is not living the life she wanted and she doesn’t like the fact that her husband is so devoted to his job that he doesn’t have time for them. Homer Sr. wants his sons to work at the mine, but lucky for

When Sonny first tries to build rocket she supported him to follow his dream and build the rocket. Most women’s were not involved in their children life’s in the 1950’s, they usually don’t have a say. Back then, one’s family life depends on the father, he decides everything the mothers are just there to feed and raise their children, but Elsie was involved in Sonny’s life and tries to make his life better than theirs. Elsie told Sonny in order for him to get out of Coalwood he needs to show his father that he is smart enough to build a rocket and that his mother has always been right that Sonny was different (Chapter 3, P52-53). So now Elsie is pushing sonny to do what he loves and succeed, her supports and keeps him going even though his father doesn’t believe in him. Elsie was not like the other “housewives” in 1950’s who always agree with their husbands even if they wanted to voice an opinion they wouldn’t. She tries to change her life and her son’s life to be better by supporting her kids. Even though her husband couldn’t give her the life she wanted, she stepped up and saved money to buy a house at Myrtle Beach which was far away from