Unbroken by Laura Hildebrand

How did the main character change during the story?
Louis changed from being a winning Olympic track runner to an army pilot during World War II, then a tortured POW. When he was growing up in Torrence, CA he was very street smart, worked hard and had great confidence. This took him all the way to the Olympics in Germany.

He becomes a pilot during the war and is flying a plane called the Green Hornet which crashed in the ocean where many of his crew died except for Louis, Mac and Phil. They spent 47 days stranded on a raft without water, food or any supplies. Mac died on the raft. Louis was always confident that he wouldn’t die on the raft. I think his confidence kept him going and saved his life.

When he finally reaches land he is captured by the Japenese and taken to a secret prisoner camp. He was tortured, beaten and humiliated by the Japanese. He felt as if he was becoming a lesser man. He still always remained confident that he would get home. After years as a POW, he finally released and returns to Torrence.

He has a hard time getting back into life. While he was a POW, he saw things that were horrible for humans and began to feel bad about himself. At home, he became an alcoholic and smoker to escape the thoughts in his mind. There was one particular Japanese soldier called The Bird that was expecially cruel to Louis and other prisoners. The Bird haunted Louis through his dreams when he returned. Louis finally overcomes his fears from the war, when he goes to see Reverand Billy Graham. He didn’t consider himself a church person, but after seeing Billy Graham he said he would leave when everyone was quiet. On his way to the door he had his last flashback of being on the raft and he remembered something he had said on the raft. He said that “If God would save him, he would serve God forever”. Louis turned around and sat down. He gave up alcohol, smoking and straightened out his life. He learned that the only person that could help him was himself and God.


Are there other books with similar themes?

I haven’t read any other WWII books, but I’m sure there are others.

What would you change about the story?
Nothing, this was a great story.


How does the reader relate to the main character?

During the time they were on the raft Louis was always coming up with ways to use the few items on the boat to survive. He once put tied fish hooks on his fingers to grab schools of fish as the passed. I am always trying to use parts of things I’ve taken apart to come up with other uses.

What conflict did the main character experience and what would you
have done in that situation? Give specific examples.

He was stranded on a raft for 47 days after his plane crashed in the ocean. I would have grabbed as many things as I could if I had time. On the raft I would have try to save the emergency food for as long as I could. I would try to be very resourceful and not waste anything. This is what Louis and his boatmates did to survive.

During the time he was a Japanese captive, I would have been more angry then he was. I’d try to stay alive as long as I could. I’m not sure I would have been very nice to his college friend that ended up being a spy for Japan.

When Louis finally returned home I would have been so happy, but I would have celebrated that I lived and felt so fortunate. If I was having the flashbacks he had, it would have scared me. I’m not sure I would have wanted to be around anyone and would be cautious of the people I talked to. If I found myself myself smoking and drinking I would have gone to church sooner or tried to find help from a therapist.

By Hudson Brown