Unbroken Book Report

Laura Hillenbrand publishes the marvelous story of Louis Zamperini’s life in 2010. Louis (Louie) Zamperini accompanies Russell Allen (Phil) Phillips, Francis (Mac) McNamara, and Mutsuhiro (the Bird) Watanabe throughout their journey for survival. Angelina Jolie brings the story to life in “Unbroken” (2014). Playing Louie’s role is by Jack O’Connell, Phil by Domhnall Gleeson, Mac by Finn Wittrock, and the Bird by Miyavi. The book delivers deeper detail than the movie, especially on Louie’s strengths and struggles, which is why one will prefer the book.
Unbroken introduces the story of Louie Zamperini who begins a troublemaker but ends a remarkable man. Louie grows up with the duplicating habit of breaking the law, smoking, drinking and robbing

businesses. Louie’s older brother, Pete, is frantic on Louie’s behavior and wondering if he will eventually mature. Pete witnesses Louie’s talent for running; therefore, Pete forces him to join the track team at school. Louie improves on his running skills and shortly trains for the Olympics. Due to the occurrence of World War II, the Olympics are cancelling so Louie enlists into the Air Force. Louie proceeds driving off in a B-24 bomber on May 27, 1943, which crashes into the sea, leaving only three men surviving: Louie, Phil, and Mac. Forty-six consecutive days pass by with the three men who are struggling to survive in two small, inflatable rafts. In the event the men are sailing across the Japanese waters, a Japanese war plane triggers bullets towards the rafts repeatedly. Mac eventually leads to severe illness to where Louie and Phil lean him off the raft. The Japanese are capturing Louie and Phil and locking them into Prisoner of War (POW) camps. The guards are torturing Louie and Phil, both physically and mentally. Louie is receiving extra punishment for disobeying the guards and ignoring their questions. Louie must find the willpower to push through the POW camp to someday return home.
The movie and book have exceptional similarities; however, the book has significant differences on conflicts where Louie encounters himself.

In the movie “Unbroken”, Pete releases tension towards Louie to modify his presence and actions to others. With the condition of Louie changing, he endures numerous accomplishments that are not achievable in the past. The book Unbroken provides an abundant variety of conflicts Louie pledges with as a child and how he matures an adult. “He made hesitant efforts to connect to others, (12).” Reading the novel dispenses how Louie accomplishes his way of changing and building up strength. The reader must form a connection throughout the story to relate to Louie’s inflexible life. Additionally, another difference between the movie and book is Louie’s nightmares of the Bird. In the novel, Louie has a dream of him strangling the Bird; however, he wakes up strangling his wife, Cynthia instead (376). Louie’s nightmare is missing in the film, which leaves the viewer a lacking part of the story. An outstanding similarity in both mediums of Unbroken is the way Louie suffers from his beatings. Watching the film “Unbroken”, the audience recognizes Louie’s actions as he rebels against the guards. By reading the novel, the reader is capable of understanding the way Louie is suffering from the tortures and beatings. In the moment of weakness, Louie turns to his to faith to supply him the strength to deal with the adversity he is facing. “If you get me

through this, I swear, I’ll dedicate my whole life to you” (“Unbroken” Louie). Correspondingly, another similarity in the book and movie of Unbroken is (The Beam Scene). The officer forces Louie to hold up a wooden beam against his will for approximately forty minutes. As Louie is continuously holding the beam, he exclaims, “You cannot break me!” (“Unbroken” Louie). The story analyzes the scene; however, the movie provides a superior visual for the viewers to analyze his struggle. To leave an impact on a reader or viewer, they must feel and relate to Louie’s emotional story.
To conclude, a tremendous, true story becomes alive in the war thriller film and story, Unbroken. The reader believes the book relinquishes more emphasis to the story and the viewer believes the movie presents the conflicts Louie endures. The book delivers deeper detail than the movie, especially on Louie’s strengths and struggles, which is why one will prefer the book.