Danie Zamperin Quotes

The Determined Louie Zamperini

From a troublesome child, a 19 year old Olympian runner, a bombardier lost at sea, then captured by the enemies! Louie Zamperini has had quite the adventure in life. He grew up in a small town of Torrance, California. He lived with the perfect brother, Pete, who his parents adored. As an outsider, Louie was attracted to misfit. When Germany introduced eugenics to the world, he got scared and decided to change his actions by training as a runner with Pete. Throughout his life Louie, from the novel Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, illustrates traits of deceitfulness and determination.

The polar opposite brothers may have looked similar, but couldn’t have acted more different. Louie was drawn to being the rebellious,

thievery type of kid. When World War II broke out, he volunteered himself to the military. As a famous runner and now servant to the country, Louie was an inspiration too many people, but he still beckoned his mischievous, deceitful side on the people who crossed him.

Here are some reasons that Louie was deceitful, as an adult. “On the dance floor, Louie spotted the hated lieutenant who’d ordered them to fly on three engines. He found a bag of flour, recruited a girl, and began dancing near the lieutenant, dropping flour down his collar with each pass. After an hour, the whole club was watching. Louie snagged a glass of water, danced up behind his victim, dumped the water down his shirt, and took off.” (63-64) Even with the expectations of a role model, Louie still loved getting revenge. When he was captured by the Japanese, he risked his life just to pull a prank on one of the cruel guards. Louie was being starved, and he was desperate enough to become a barber for the guards, in exchange of food. “A notoriously cruel guard called the Weasel came to Louie for shaves but never paid him the rice ball. Louie couldn’t resist evening the score. Shaving the Weasel’s forehead, he thinned his eyebrows to a girlish line.” (166) Although Louie loved to see an eye for an eye, he used his vindictiveness for the benefit of the other prisoners. He used his

knowledge and remembered one of the campers was able to steal rice through his pajamas. As Louie gradually starved, he decided to try out the trick. “That night, he donned his camp-issued pajamas, fitted with ankle stings. He tied the string tight, headed into the benjo, jammed one end of the reed through the knothole piercing the rice sack then put the other end into his pajamas. Rice streamed through the reed and into his pants.” ( 205) This shows how Louie is deceitful because he was being smart by referring to someone he encountered in the past. This is how Louie still restored his deceitful side from his childhood.
When Louie first started out as a runner, he had no will power.

Pete pressured him very hard. Then, Louie was starting to crack. He even ran away for a little bit with a friend. After a miserable time, he came home and agreed to continue training. He was growing this amazing, determined side to him. Later in life, he was training for the 1940 Olympics. He had his heart set on winning, and he began to work harder than he ever did before! “Focused on the 1940 Tokyo Olympics, he smashed record after record. By spring of ‘38, he’d whittled his mile time down to 4:13.7, some seven seconds off of the world record which now stood at 4:06.4… Every night, he climbed the Los Angeles Coliseum fence and ran the stairs until his legs went numb.” (41-42) Louie practiced self-discipline by pushing himself to greater feats than he ever could’ve imagined! When he was captured by the Japanese, the guards found out he was a former runner. To humiliate him, they brought professional Japanese runners and forced Louie to race. He felt awful! Since he was starved so bad, he had little to no strength in his legs. Then once particular race in the camp, he felt a burst of energy! He felt the intensity he needed! “Louie knew what would happen if he won, but the cheering aroused his defiance. He lengthened his stride, seized the land, and crossed the line. The captives whooped.” (158) This shows how Louie determined because he did not give up in that race. He felt he owed it the other captives a win.

It may show them that there is hope and how America will come out on top. Louie was being very compassionate because he knew he would get clubbed if he wins. But, Louie was determined in other ways than running. When he, Phil, and Mac were on the raft, Louie became a true leader. He was determined to keep everyone safe, but to also give them hope and perseverance. “For days, Louie lay over the side of the raft, fish hooks on his fingers, trying in vain to catch another fish.” (117) Louie was being a team player and had an aspiration to help the men. He was first, innovative by thinking to put the hooks on his fingers like a claw, but then he was resilient to catch a fish. These are major events where Louie demonstrated his determination.
Through Louie Zamperini’s great journey, he exhibited many different characteristic traits. Two traits are, deceitful and determination. They are easy traits to comprehend Louie because it he is usually referring to his mischievous, childlike side and his resilient side from his running career. Louie is an inspiration to so many people now! He is proof that dreams do come true!