Rhetorical Devices In Unbroken

Unbroken
Laura Hillenbrand, the author of Unbroken, wrote the book about Louis Zamperini’s fight to survive though tortured, beaten, and a barrage of gunfire. After surviving a plane crash in the middle of the ocean, where he spent forty-seven days slowly dying of intense hunger and thirst, the book shows Louis Zamperini’s quick wit and will to survive despite being tormented as a Japanese POW (prisoner of war). The author uses rhetorical devices such as syntax, diction, imagery, and tone to amplify certain moments, Hillenbrand uses imagery to convey the scene and appeal to the reader’s senses and uses precise diction to elaborate on certain scenarios. She uses tone to convey the characters’ attitudes and to give the feel of certain moment.

Hillenbrand depicts the battle scenes beautifully, describing even the most minute of details, to make the reader feel as if he or she is actually there. “The plane was gravely wounded, trying to fly up and over onto its back. It wanted to stall and wouldn’t turn, and the pilots needed all their strength to hold it level. Three Zeros (Japanese Plane) orbited it, spewing streams of bullets and cannon shells.” (100) She also makes the reader want to throw up with her graphic descriptions of punishment and torture. She explains the scene with every bone cracking detail. For example a pilot, Garret, had been captured with an infection in his leg, and the Japanese promised him treatment in exchange for secrets, to which Garret refused. “His (Garret) ankle festered, maggots hatched in it…” (200) “ Two days after Christmas, Garrett was tied down, given a spinal anesthetic, and forced to watch as the Japanese corpsman sawed at his leg, then snapped it off. Though the infection was limited to the ankle, the corpsman cut the entire leg off, because, he told Garrett, this would make it impossible for him to fly a plane again.”