Discourse Analysis

Over the semester I have enjoyed noticing the values Loyal Jones wrote in my own life. I noticed several if not all in each book that we read. This class also motivated me to read Rocket Boys, by Homer Hickam Jr. It is an autobiography of Homer's life growing up in Coalwood, West Virginia. It describes how the launching of Sputnik I inspired him to build rockets. The most interesting value present in the book was Homer's relationship with his family. While Sohn's book talked about how people in Appalachia have closer relationships, Homer had the exact opposite. His relationship with his dad and brother were estranged the most of all.

The book Rocket Boys was made into a movie in 1998 called October Sky. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Chris Cooper among others.

The other value I found present was humor. There were some situations when I laughed out loud when reading, because some conversations were so funny. The laughing moments were typically found when I would least expect it. Another value I noticed is religion. The mine company owned everything in Coalwood including the church, so the denomination of the residents changed every few years. Over the next few months, I hope to read the sequels to this book, and learn more about living in different areas of Appalachia.