This extraordinary novel written by Tom Wolfe is mostly based in Florida and California in the 1940s. It begins with the first chapter called “The Angels”, and in this part of the novel Wolfe introduces a newly wed couple, Jane and Pete Conrad. Jane is learning the “unspoken” codes of Navy test pilots in which their names were unknown. Pete is a pilot and word of frequent deaths is appearing through Group 20, and in Pete’s first post in Florida. After receiving a promotion, Pete is stationed in the Navy’s new test-pilot school in Patuxent River. All of the pilots appear to be pessimistic because they believe that the causalities would not affect them. Contrastingly, Jane is horribly concerned about her husband’s safety portrayed through her…show more content… Unknown of each pilot’s abilities, the individuals receive standing ovations when they are roll called even though Glenn clearly surpasses the others in accomplishments. They are asked questions about their love ones and their opinions on going on this mission. They also are given the impression that they are liable to die on this mission to challenge the Russians, which in this time, the USA is in the Cold War with the Soviets. Yeager is then brought up because he is not selected for this mission and he says he does not regret not being chosen. As the chosen few begin to go through training, the other astronauts figure out that they could ignore the required four hour exercise per week, but Glenn is able to do the daily work out of ambition and since he is the oldest, he has to maintain his fitness. This makes the other astronauts not like him, but he does not care. Each and every one of the test pilots aspire to have their first flight because they believe that they will be written down in history, but each of them has a huge ego and believes to be the best. A man by the name of Leo DeOrsey negotiates a deal with Life Magazine and allows each astronaut to get 24,000 dollars extra a year. Then, the story shifts to a not so beautiful beach called Cape