Book Report On Unbroken

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand - Book Review
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is a novel that really showcases the strength and power of the mind. As a child, Laura Hillenbrand had to live with her siblings and mom, as her dad was serving in WWII at the time. After he returned, she could see the effects war had had on him. Hillenbrand has struggled with chronic fatigue syndrome since she was a teenager, some days not being able to get out of bed. She had to go through many hardships like Louie, and can connect with some of his struggles. The story takes place before and during WWII, focusing on Louie, a runner growing up during that time. Louie is sent from the US to Japan for the war, where the majority of the story is told. This novel thoroughly

describes the story of a teen that gets involved with WWII, faces several hardships, and perseveres until the end.
Louie is introduced as the troublemaker of his hometown, Torrance, California.

But, his older brother Pete manages to channel his energy into running. Louie ends up breaking high school records, and eventually having the opportunity to go to the Olympics to run the mile. Soon after he begins training, Louie gets very sick, and WWII breaks out in Europe. He decides that his running career is pretty much over, and enlists in the army to become a bombardier. Just a little while later, he and his crew encounter an enemy plane while flying, and end up in a battle. After this battle, his crew still manages to land the plane, but they soon get transferred to another, less reliable plane. While flying over the Pacific in this plane, called the “Green Hornet”, they get shot down, and Louie and two other members of his crew have to fend for themselves on a raft. Louie and Phil the captain, end up surviving for over a month, but get captured by a Japanese ship. They become prisoners of war in Japan, and move camp to camp in horrible conditions for almost two years. Louie goes back home and marries his love, they have a child, but they soon file for divorce due to Louie’s post-war actions and behavior. Billy Graham comes to their town, and Cynthia takes Louie to learn about God and be reminded about his past, she decides not to divorce due to his positive progress. The message helped him stop drinking, and he becomes a speaker. At the 1998 Olympics, Louie gets to carry the torch past

where he had been imprisoned in Japan.
There were several noteworthy and interesting parts to this story, but a few stood out.

One of which was in Chapter 18 after Louie and Phil had gotten captured. It says, “The crash had left Louie and Phil in the most desperate physical extremity, without food, water, or shelter. But on Kwajalein, the guards sought to deprive them of something that had sustained them even as all else had been lost: dignity. This self-respect and sense of self-worth, the innermost armament of the soul, lies at the heart of humanness.” This was an important passage because it is one of the first times the Louie realizes that these POW camps are just trying to take away his dignity. This gives him motivation to bear through the torture and live to see the end of the war. This quotation also hints at the theme of just how bad war is, because Louie explains just how cruel these countries were. Another example of Louie’s dignity shows up in the first chapter. It reads, “Confident that he was clever, resourceful, and bold enough to escape any predicament, [Louie] was almost incapable of discouragement. When history carried him into war, this resilient optimism would define him.” This quote is very straightforward, and explained who Louie is. The idea of dignity and self-respect is essential during this time of war, and is the overlying theme throughout the novel. These quotes show that this theme, along with many others, are well-represented in the novel. The book as a whole enhanced my

understanding of just how bad war is, and how easy it is to just give up.
This novel was extremely well-written, and would be perfect for any young adult or adult. The themes and ideas written about in the book are very touching, and to know that all of this is true adds a unique and interesting insight to WWII. Although the novel is about WWII, it is not focuses on the combat so much as the hardships and experiences that Louie and his friends experience. The novel along with the movie attracts a lot of younger readers, but it can be read by any adult looking for a great read.