Dreams In James Baldwin's October Sky

The theme of October Sky is follow your dreams, even if people tear you down. This theme is very evident throughout Sonny’s life in coalwood.

In life there will always be something or someone trying to tear you down and make you fail. This is the case with Sonny and his father John. Sonny dreamed of building rockets and going into space, to be somebody other than a miner in coalwood, like everyone else. He faced many obstacles in the process. His father and most of the town told him he would never succeed at his dream. Even when he and his friends had to go miles away from town to shoot off the rockets they made, he didn't give up. He was determined and never quit. And after all the criticism, he finally succeeded because he believed in