Unbroken is a book written by Laura Hillenbrand. The book is about Louie Zamperini. Throughout his childhood, he was always a troublemaker. He stole, he lied, and wreaked havoc in his town. In highschool he decides to do track and dedicates all his time to it. A lifestyle of danger changed to a lifestyle of success, he wins numerous races and even attends the olympics. When the Olympics became suspended due to WWII, Louie became depressed. In order to do something with his life, he enlists in the military. A lot happens which causes him to be captured by the Japanese and he ends up working at a Japanese camp for many months. After this traumatic experience, Louie and many other officers suffer from PTSD. PTSD, also known as Post-traumatic stress …show more content…
The name may not be very fitting for him, but the officers chose that nickname because it didn’t have a negative connotation which would help them avoid getting beaten. He was a sadist, which is a person who derives pleasure from others' pain or humiliation. The Bird would often find the most miniscule reasons to abuse the officers. For example, Louie was simply existing when The Bird came up to him and accused him of doing something he didn’t even do. The Bird proceeded to attack him. This occurs on page 175, “No sooner had Louie stepped outside than the Bird found him, accused him of an imaginary infraction, and attacked him in a wild fury. The next day came another beating, and the next, another.” After this, Louie talks about how the Bird continues to target him for no apparent reason. However, readers can make an inference that he was picked on because of his past. He’s a former Olympian, and The Bird may be targeting him because he’s jealous of his success. He also may be targeting him because he’s simply …show more content…
There were multiple incidents with the POWS because of their PTSD. People suffering from PTSD can be triggered by anything that reminds them of the traumatic event that caused them to have it. The triggers for the POWs are anything that remind them of the war, or the camp they were kept in. Some of these are loud noises, asian people and certain smells. For example, the text states that some men had episodes when they saw an Asian person (Japanese or not), or heard even a little japanese. Most men suffer from constant nightmares, some even feeling like they’re trapped in a loop of their traumatic
As a result, Louie had so much hatred that he wanted to kill the Bird, and even dreamed of strangling
In addition, in the last pages, after the story had been closed on Louie, she said that this was easier to write about than her previous story “Secretariat”. To the author, why would this be easier. I have read both of the stories she has written, and the hardships of Louie would be heart wrenching to write about, it was hard enough
How long could you survive in the middle of the deep blue of the ocean? How much weight could you hold above your head? How many times could you take punch after punch until you fell to the cold hard floor? These are just a few of the things that Louis Silvie Zamperini had to endure as a POW in a Japanese camp, but he didn’t spend his entire life in POW camp. He had a life before and after the famous World War II.
Louis is able to grasp the bird and kill it. Unable to eat the meat themselves, the smell prevented them from getting it past their mouths, they use it for bait. Fish is how they survive all the time that they
The Bird was mostly the one doing all this to Louie. The Bird would starve him, make him to physical torture as well. In the POW camp Louie had no way to communicate or talk to his family. In the book Unbroken it states.. ”The Pacific POWs who went home in 1945 were torn-down men.
When Louie heard about the fate of the Bird, “ Something shifted sweetly inside him. It was forgiveness, beautiful and effortless and complete. For Louie Zamperini, the war was over” (Hillenbrand 386). Louie no longer had the Bird haunting over him. Before Louie had left Japan, Louie had done something that the captors where completely surprised by “[they] watched him come to them, his hands extended, a radiant smile on his face” (Hillenbrand 387).
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is a non-fiction novel that takes place during World War II. It is an inspiring book that allows individuals to learn many life lessons about perseverance and never giving up no matter the situation. The purpose of Laura Hillenbrand writing Unbroken was to be the person telling all of those who would read this inspiring/factual novel about the conditions and different situations that the POW campers had to endure during World War II. She also was able to show an individual how a situation can make a person stronger even if he or she feels defeated on the inside through having hope.
This letter shows that Louie is forgiving because he forgave Matsuhiro Watanabe, aka the bird, even though Louie thought of killing him. Cynthia took Louie to Graham who talked about god because Louie was in a bad state and started drinking heavily. When Louie got there, he remembered what he said to god. He said, “ … If you’ll save me, I’ll serve you forever. And then, standing under the tent on a clear night in Los Angeles, Louie felt rain falling on his face.
Louie didn’t want the Bird to see him in pain because he wanted to take control and turn the power around. He needed to be resilient and stay mentally strong. Later, for stealing, the Bird had made every man in the camp punch Louie and a few others in the
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is a compelling and powerful story of survival, resilience, and redemption. The book follows the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete turned World War II prisoner of war, as he endures unimaginable hardship and suffering, but ultimately triumphs over adversity. The book opens with Louis' childhood, providing crucial background information that helps the reader understand his personality and character. Louis grew up in Torrance, California, and was often getting into trouble. However, he discovered his love for running and went on to become an Olympic athlete, participating in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
However, at home, he began to have terrible nightmares of his tormenter, the bird, killing him. Louie began to drink in order to prevent himself from seeing this. He also tried running again, but he didn’t really enjoy it and was physically not capable of what he previously had done. Louie quickly went on a downward spiral as he became completely alcoholic. His wife, Cynthia, nearly divorced him as he began to be increasingly violent.
During the build up to the Olympics, Louie had to train hard everyday. When he raced in the Olympics he had to push himself unimaginably hard. Louie had to work hard just to stay level with his competition In the POW camps, Louie was forced to do manual labor everyday. As Louie was starved and beaten, everyday was a struggle. He had to deal with broken bones, infection, and hunger, all extremely taxing on his body.
The novel Unbroken is set in Torrance, California in the summer of 1929. Louis Zamperini is a twelve-year-old delinquent who is struggling to find his way as an Italian immigrant in a small town. The theme of redemption and forgiveness are shown throughout the book and in each area of Louie’s life. Every aspect of Louie’s life shows how he redeems himself and how the ultimate act of forgiveness is the most powerful resource for redemption.
This was until Louie noticed a bird flying, got an idea, and slowly inched his hand closer and closer to the bird. All in one go, Louie closed his hand, and while the bird is pecking he closed his hand and then snapped the bird 's neck. In order to get the meat from the bird, Louie
But at one point the mental unstableness the war had caused him shot to an all time high when Louis decided that he was going to kill The Bird. Louie thought that only The Bird could restore him from taking his dignity by watching himself kill The Bird. The use of dignity in Louie’s story shows the impact all POW’s faced while