I know this happened like 50 years ago but according to homers IMd page he was born in 1943 if everything took place in 1957 that would make him 14 when he worked in the coal mines i didn't think they could let some one under 18 do hazardous work even in the 1950s
The movie does not follow Homer's (Sonny's) life with 100% accuracy. The book Rocket Boys/October Sky begins around 1957 and continues through his high school years into the 60s. Also, he never did work in the mines in real life. Hope that helps some confusion.
shareHe actually did work in the mines in real life, just not while he was in high school. While he was in college, he came home in the summer and worked in the mine. If you read another one of his memoirs, Sky of Stone, it clears things up.
“I’ve often felt that dreams are answers to questions we haven’t figured out how to ask.” —Mulder
yeah that clears it up thanks
shareI had a problem with the way this movie portrayed the coal miners and their union. It acted like they were just 'greedy thugs' and troublemakers. My great uncle helped form a union in a WV coal mine. He was not greedy - or rich - or even close. He worked his ass off in the coal mines and it ended up ruining his health. The unions fought for decent wages and safety protections for one of the most geueling dangerous jobs anyone can imagine. All the company cared about was making money by destroying the WV environment and abusing miners til they died of black lung disease or cave ins. I am glad Homer got the hell away from there. A lot of good men did not and a lot ended up dying horrible premature deaths. Yeah - miners are 'greedy bastards' - what a perverted joke. You want to see an accurate film on coal miners then watch Matewan - also starring Chris Cooper - in a much better role. Chris Cooper is an awesome actor by the way. A national treasure if you ask me.
shareIts not a stretch to believe it though, while many unionists are stand up men like your uncle, many industrial unions have terrible reputations for striking over the littlest things, thuggery, intimidation, doing a poor job for ridiculously high rates of pay etc.
I'm a miner in Australia and most of us shun the unions as we don't want to be tarred with the same brush and thought be greedy slackers, which is the norm of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) - the largest union in Australia. They are very political and very dodgy.
There are of course good unions concerned more of workers safety and conditions as opposed to just making the union money and power.
Another way of explaining Homers working in the mine if he did work there underage would be that his Dad was a foreman/shift boss. Nuff said :P
This movie doesn't portray unions in a bad light. You must have imagined that part.
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