During the 1930’s, Americans had to live through excruciating conditions in order to survive and prosper. The Great Depression took the spirits of many Americans and increased the disparity among families throughout the country. It’s severity led to the beginning of World War II due to the expansion of communism and the rise of dictators across the world. In Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand describes the life of Louis Zamperini, a man with an extraordinary story, whose survival led him on the path of faith, forgiveness, and acceptance. Even though, Louie, grew up in a religious environment, he never truly felt a spiritual connection to a greater power. Throughout his life, Louie lived fearlessly and had a spark for defying all odds. When America joined the war, newer …show more content…
The crew did not know what expected them, but all they did know was that they were going straight into the arms of death. Only three crew members survived the crash. For fourth-six days, Louie floated across the sea in a yellow life raft. Phil, a close friend of Louie, who also survived the crash, had a tenacious grip on his faith of higher power. This influenced Louie, who had only prayed once in his life, to ask God to help them. His new found faith helped Louie throughout his time as a POW, a prisoner of war, in Japan and after he returned from war. After returning from war, Louie struggled within himself from the memories of his time during the war. Luke Zamperini, Louie’s son, once said that “[his] father was reminded about his promises to God on the raft and in the prison camp” and that “he would seek out and serve God should [h]e get him home alive.” Therefore, Louie turned his life around and found his purpose and chose to let go of his demons. He accepted God and was able to find forgiveness to those who did him wrong. His faith and the power it had over him allowed him to survive the nightmares and led him on the road to a better
In the events of September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945 world war 2 erupted and up came a man his name was Louis Zamperini. During Louie's life as a young adult, he decided to join the army to defend his country. Then during one of his missions on the way to the bomb site two, two of the four engines on their b-24 malfunctioned sending them plummeting into the ocean. In the book Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand uses the life experiences of Louie Zamperini to show the traits of optimistic and resourceful.
Louie, who has been missing for many years, kept holding on, determined to live he endured the pain and suffering the Bird threw at Louie. Louie who was courageous, stole newspaper from Japanese quarters, to draw out maps onto toilet paper, to find that the Americans are drawing near to the POW camp. Louie, who has been decorated with Two Purple Hearts, Four Air Medals, Distinguished Flying Cross, a POW medal, fought in the Pacific War as a crewman of Green Hornet and Superman. Louie has gone through PTSD, pain and suffering, and now is resting in
Being Unbroken is defined as not being damaged or being fractured. Throughout the two stories; Unbroken, written by Laura Hillenbrand and Night, written by Elie Wiesel, both Louie Zamperini and Elie Wiesel were challenged on many levels, both emotionally and physically. However, their perseverance through their struggles and their optimistic views is what truly got them through the pain and hardships and allowed them to stand tall and not let their faith fail them.
Louie’s rebellion not only hurt him, but also helped him on his journey. He drank his parent’s wine at the age of 8, which is an act of rebellion. “He began drinking one night when he was eight; he hid under the kitchen table, snatched glasses of wine, drank them dry, staggered right off the front porch, and fell into a rose bush.”(7) Louie did a lot things that got him hurt. He let kids in through the back of the gym into the basketball games. “Finally, someone discovered Louie sneaking kids in the back door.”(13) His rebellious side got to him and when he got to Torrance High he was seen more as a dangerous young man than a rebellious teen. In one of the multiple POW camps Louie was in, he had gotten a journal. “Louie had another private act of rebellion. A captive gave him a tiny book he’d made from rice paste flattened into pages.”(155) In this book he knew shouldn’t have
Laura Hillenbrand’s novel Unbroken incorporates the improbable life of the main character, Louie Zamperini. She introduces both the inspiring and powerful journey that Louie encounters in his life as he grows up. Hillenbrand looks to and successfully does catch the versatility of the human soul. Zamperini’s story including his involvement in World War II gives a persuasive stage in which the author demonstrates numerous qualities of Louie. Leaving readers to appreciate his courage, quality, grit and above all else, his bravery. “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.” Louie
Farewell to Manzanar Beginning in March of 1942, in the midst of World War II, over 100,000 Japanese-Americans were forcefully removed from their homes and ordered to relocate to several of what the United States has euphemistically labeled “internment camps.” In Farewell to Manzanar, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston describes in frightening detail her family’s experience of confinement for three and a half years during the war. In efforts to cope with the mortification and dehumanization and the boredom they were facing, the Wakatsukis and other Japanese-Americans participated in a wide range of activities. The children, before a structured school system was organized, generally played sports or made trouble; some adults worked for extremely meager wages, while others refused and had hobbies, and others involved themselves in more self-destructive activities. The smaller children that were confined to their families seemed to be generally unaware of the hardships they were facing.
him get back on track and Louie went on to become an Olympic athlete. Through mental
In the novel Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand uses both internal and external conflict to show the theme people can stand up against enemies even when the odds seemed stacked up against them. Whether it be simply defending himself or lying, Louie found a way to get through prison camp alive. After the war, this left him leaving the camp feeling euphoric. Louie’s experiences really show that no matter what situation someone is in, they can stand
In the short story "A Worn Path," the message that Eudora Welty sends to the readers is one of love, endurance, persistence, and perseverance. Old Phoenix Jackson walks a long way to town, through obstacles of every sort, but no obstacle is bad enough to stop her from her main goal. She may be old and almost blind, but she knows what she has to do and won't give up on it. Her grandson has swallowed lye, and she has a holy duty of making her way to town in order to get medicine for him. The wilderness of the path does not scare her off. She stumbles over and over, but she talks herself through every obstacle. Undoubtedly, the theme of perseverance is what Eudora Welty wants to point out to her readers. Just like the name Phoenix suggests
his life. He was able to reach a peace of mind from which he ended his struggles, and he
I enjoyed reading Unbroken which is a book that showed the struggles of a grueling air warfare between United States and Japan. Throughout the book, Laura Hillenbrand, author of Unbroken gripped the reader’s attention through the details of gut-wrenching conflicts. By showing the art of survival through the character, Louis Zamperini, Hillenbrand demonstrates the theme of resilience through persistency, intelligent choice making, and willingness to live.
Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945. Oxford History of the United States: Oxford University Press. Davidson, J. W., Delay, B., et al. (2005). The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary'.
Often, we find ourselves facing dramatic events in our lives that force us to re-evaluate and redefine ourselves. Such extraordinary circumstances try to crush the heart of the human nature in us. It is at that time, like a carbon under pressure, the humanity in us either shatters apart exposing our primal nature, or transforms into a strong, crystal-clear brilliant of compassion and self sacrifice. The books Night written by Elie Wiesel and Hiroshima written by John Hersey illustrate how the usual lifestyle might un-expectantly change, and how these changes could affect the human within us. Both books display how lives of civilians were interrupted by the World War II, what devastations these people had to undergo, and how the horrific circumstances of war were sometimes able to bring out the best in ordinary people.
Finally, after his wife dragged him to a religious preaching, Louie had a spiritual revelation and let go of his built up resentment of the Bird. He stopped drinking alcohol, no longer had nightmares, and devoted the rest of his life to preach and share his experience in World War II. He even visited his Japanese tormentors, now imprisoned and facing trial, and forgave them. Louie proved that it is possible to redeem yourself, and people who keep an optimistic mind during times of hardship are the ones who overcome