After watching First Man, I have more appreciation and respect for those who pursue to become astronauts. Neil’s story shows that his journey is far from smooth and that he overcame many challenges to experience the sweet taste of success. More specifically, having so many of Neil Armstrong’s loved ones pass away, especially in critical moments of his life (i.e. preparing for a mission), Armstrong managed to hold through and accomplish being the first man on the moon. I especially thought the moment he dropped Karen’s bracelet in the Little West crater was touching. However, I did find it ironic that Neil seemed to be very emotionally affected by the his loved ones’ passing but while preparing for Apollo 11 he seemed very occupied with his preparation that he at some points neglected and pushed away his family members. Overall, I really enjoyed the film and got to know Neil as more than the first astronaut to step on the moon.
Rose Scholars Fall 2020
Endless possibilities
I had watched this film when it first came out and I also thought it was heartbreaking how many people Armstrong lost while preparing to go to the moon. No one focuses on how difficult being an astronaut really is. Losing people during the program is a big risk in being an astronaut that many people gloss over. We like to focus on the really cool aspects of being an astronaut, being in space!
The whole back story with his daughter was very sad, but I also found it very touching how he dropped Karen’s bracelet into the crater. It was a sweet moment. This film also allowed me to get to know Armstrong more than just the man with the famous quote “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”