Analysis Of Unbroken

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is an unforgettable, action-packed, non-fiction novel that should be read in schools all over the world. Non-fiction action novels like Unbroken are beneficial for school curriculums in part because the events taking place in the novel actually happened with little or no added embellishment by the author. Just knowing that the person in the story actually experienced the events being recounted leaves the readers with an insightful look into history and how events such as World War II actually occurred. The trials and tribulations in non-fiction, action novels keep students invested in the curriculum by sending them on an emotional roller-coaster. Readers begin to feel their hearts race and their eyes swell as the

The life and events Louis Zamperini experienced are so incredible that one cannot help but feel the adrenaline, anger, and sorrow he must have felt. As Louis battles starvation and the constant torture of his captors, readers want nothing more than to rush to his aid in times of pain, cry with him in times of anguish, and cheer him on when all hope seems lost. While in Kwajalein, an island used to torture prisoners of war, readers travel alongside Louis, cheering him on as “the guards sought to deprive [Louis] of something that had sustained [him] even as all else had been lost: dignity” (Hillenbrand 212). One of the guards’ favorite humiliation tactics was forcing each of the 200 or so prisoners “to walk down the line striking [Louis] with his fist” (Hillenbrand 158); if the punch was not hard enough, both Louis and his men would be clubbed continually on the head. As readers become emotionally invested, the story becomes less about a stranger and more about a lifelong friend. The emotional connection readers develop for Louis makes the visual that much harder to endure, for every blow and hardship Louis faces makes readers feel as if they are helplessly watching a friend in need. Such enthrallment in a novel makes for such an excellent read and an overall outstanding non-fiction action

From start to finish, the novel emphasizes the importance of will power and determination. Will is unbreakable; you can put humans through hell and take everything from them, but as long as they make the consistent choice to remain determined and driven, the will power they possess will remain. Unbroken teaches readers that nothing is impossible. Far too often do we make such miniscule problems in life seem unbearable; however, Unbroken allows us to answer the constant question of “compared to what?” In times where Louis is forced to do things like “crawl through the filth of a pig 's sty… to save himself from starving to death” (Hillenbrand 128), one often wonders how selfish and ungrateful we truly are. Surely we can wait a few more hours before eating our next meal. The daily trials we encounter are nothing compared to the daily torture Louis endured, and his story seemingly puts our lives back into perspective. Unbroken is a remarkably powerful book because it opens up the eyes of readers and allows them to take away messages that seemed so obvious before. From a very early age we are taught to never give up and to keep your hope alive; however, we never truly understand what that means. The story of Louis Zamperini allows readers to reflect on the situations in life they deem “unbearable” and “impossible,” only to come to realize how shameful it is to complain