Memoir Historical Investigation for Amelia Earhart By: Elisa Pokorny
Primary Source
I chose a book called Unsolved: What really happened to Amelia Earhart? by John Micklos Jr. I chose this source because it shows a particular photograph of a plane flying over the Atlantic Ocean on pg. 36 in the book from John Micklos Jr. The plane belonged to a very rich lady called Mrs.Guest who wanted to fly over the Atlantic as a passenger, but her husband wouldn’t let her because she was too old. This picture relates to the book because it was this particular flight over the Atlantic Ocean that inspired Amelia Earhart to break the record for a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. This would make her more famous than ever. In the
photograph above it shows the plane that she flew across the Atlantic on her very own. Secondary Source My secondary source I am planning to use is another book that is also about Amelia Earhart that also is a biography that explains about her life. I chose this source because I wanted to compare the facts I had in the one book to the other book to see if they were true or played around with. For example it said on page 17 that her parents let their children play “unfeminine� games such as baseball. This same information was given in the other book, stating that Amelia was different. The book title of my secondary source is called Amelia Earhart by Leigh Hope Wood.
Review: In my book it all starts out with Amelia’s childhood and teenage years. She was very different when she was a child and when she grew up because in her mind everyone was equal. But this was at a time where girls still walked around in pretty dresses. The book then moves on to the rising action of her life. What everyone would expect was the first time she saw a plane she wanted to fly, but this was not the case. Amelia instead went to Medical University because the plane she saw the first time didn’t interest her. She dropped out of University to help the wounded men in World War I. This is where she discovered her real love. If you would like to know more, you should read the book!!! Summary: Two reasons why an Eighth Grade should read and learn about Amelia Earhart, is because she was an inspiration. Her disappearance on July 2, 1937 released a big mystery that is yet not solved. This book wants to make the reader read about her courageous life which ended with a mystery so important; it is still a mystery 80 years later. She also supported the right of everyone being equal, already from an early age on. The book explains how brave Amelia Earhart was from her childhood, to days she came close to death multiple times like when she was flying over the Atlantic Ocean, until she finally did meet it on July 2, 1937.
You can even look at two famous quotes after and before her disappearance. The one after her disappearance is truly inspiring; it states that, “On July 18, 1937 the search ended. But the attempts to solve what was to become one of the world’s most famous mysteries had just begun.” The quote right before her disappearance was from J.A. Collopy, stating that, “If Earhart and Noonan were nervous, it did not show. J.A. Collopy spend time with both of them over the last two days and neither of them seemed concerned about the long trip ahead, although both clearly realized the dangers they faced ahead.” In short words it said that Amelia Earhart was brave and did not fear. Now, I have given you a reason to read the book, and you can’t turn me down because Amelia Earhart is one of the few people in the world who achieved greatness from just being different.
The Clouds of Lies "You could have been killed!" screamed my mother over the phone. "Killed I say!" she repeated loudly a second time. Full of dread and embarrassment I forced my mouth open and whispered "I know." It was the morning of March 17, 1937; the early frost had awakened me with curiosity for I was supposed to test a very important plane that would help with my route around the world. As 5:00 am struck, I had just arrived at the airport when my mechanic called in sick. He had probably heard my disappointment since he quickly told me about a first-class mechanic that lived down the road from the airport. Despite not knowing this mechanic I forgot my disappointment and decided to give him a call. At 6:00 am, the new mechanic had arrived with a taxi and a dark blue tool box. I could immediately tell there was something familiar about him; the way he looked at me. All of a sudden he greeted me with a light hearted voice, he said, "Amelia.....Amelia, remember me, its Dallas...From grade school." A bell went up as he mentioned grade school. Yes, I remembered Dallas. He was my best friend, despite his mental problems which include a change in plans, being afraid of red, and hating being left alone, he was the only friend who had accepted me for my vivid mind. Knowing I was being rude, I replied, "Dallas...It’s nice to see you...It’s been quite a while." With the small hand on 7:00, light started to chase away the darkness of my office. I had my head between my hands as the un-forgetful memory came flooding back to me, I running of embarrassment and him crying after me.
I was pulled out of my thoughts as 9:00 am struck. Dallas had been working on my plane quite a while now, and I was beginning to get anxious. When I entered the mechanic workstation the smell of gas reached my nose. With my sleeve covered over my nostrils I exclaimed, “Why are you taking so long?” Dallas looked up with a sly look on his face and said, “Oh my dear Amelia, this plane is in a “very awful” condition I might have to fix it before it can liv- I mean, fly on.” With a quick nod I left the work station. 50 minutes later the plane was ready to go and was making its way to the start position. I on the other hand had my mind full of routes where to fly my plane, Red, around. At that very moment Dallas came into my office and with the same sly look as before he whispered in my ear “Why didn’t you come back? “Quickly, I backed away, grabbed my coat and flying goggles and left my office, Just as I looked back at the two black cold pearls, my green cuckoo clock in my office screamed 10:00 am. It felt strange in my gut, like my last hour had struck. 10:15 am, could not have come sooner enough, the fireball of Red was roaring loudly, full of power and energy; it was ready to take off. I moved the plane towards the end of the runway. It was gaining speed every meter until suddenly it left the ground with a jerking movement. 10:30 am, and I was right on schedule, when the noise of a thousand bones breaking erupted behind me, I waited for it to stop. It never did. Keeping my hands on the controls I stole a glance behind me, only to meet the emotionless eyes of Dallas glaring into my mind. No movements. As my eyes traveled down his arm I saw a hammer. The back of it had made the revolting noise. I looked behind him to the far end of the plane, my
eyes widened; the fuel tanks were gushing like fairy-tale sparkles. I looked back at Dallas and in a choking voice I said, “You are trying to kill me.” A creepy smile crept over his face and he replied, “Lucky guess.” 10:35 and we were still glaring into each other’s eyes. Minutes rushed by until there was a loud bang. The fuel tanks had exploded. The plane was going nothing but down towards the gravitational force of earth. 10:40 and tension was rising inside of me. “I am going to die,” were the simple words repeated in my head. Dallas leaned over the rumbling noise of the dying engine, “I know what you are thinking,” he shouted, “but you never came back, what was I supposed to do? Stop loving you? Oh no oh no, you can’t hide from the truth Amelia.” I knew that he just brought up the dark memories of the past, of being settled down forever. To bring up the last bit of guilt he yelled, “Amelia Earhart, will you marry me?” I could have killed him, but instead I acted quickly. I was on a plane with a maniac. All I had to do was to get to the parachutes in the cabinet above the fuel tanks. As I was slipping and sliding and holding on to nothing but the steel ground of the plane, the wings started to burn. I did not have long. With last bit courage buried inside my body, I pulled myself up towards the parachute cabinet. Dallas had realized what I was doing but he remained seated in the cockpit. Watching every move I took. Then I opened the door. I took a last look behind me. As the plane was soaring towards earth I smiled and shouted over the failing engine, “But I don’t love you.” and blew him a kiss. And I jumped. I jumped out of the plane. Below me Red, including Dallas, hit rock bottom and exploded into millions of pieces.
I was getting ready for bed when the phone rang. I answered. In a calm voice it said, “Amelia, I love you, with all my heart.�
Works Cited My sources from Easybib: • Micklos, John, Jr. Unsloved: What Really Happened to Amelia Earhart? N.p.: Enslow, n.d. Print. • Wood, Leigh Hope. Amelia Earhart. [New York]: Chelsea Juniors, 1997. Print. • AMELIA EARHART: PLANE 1932. - The Lockheed Vega Flown by Amelia Earhart on Her Solo Crossing of the Atlantic in 1932. N.d. Photograph. The Granger Collection, New York. Britannica Image Quesy. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. <http://quest.eb.com/images/140_1653209?subjectId=0&c ollectionId=0&keyword=Amelia+Earhart+plane&localizeMe taData=false>.