Perseverance In Unbroken

Unbroken is a story about a man going through the most difficult time in his life and emerging, unbroken. The name of the novel is reflected in the main character's perseverance. The book often foreshadows upcoming tragedies and misfortunes that will happen to the main character, yet through each encounter Louie survives and carries on. The novel explores how the horrors of war can wither away at a man's dignity, yet in the end he finds the strength to forgive the people that abused him.

Even though Unbroken takes place in the context of World War 2, the novel itself does not really discuss the politics of the war and is more of a premise for the main characters. At its core, Unbroken is about personal and spiritual issues. The novel almost always focuses on how the main characters feel. When Louie returned from war, he suffered from PTSD, a condition that lead him to become an alcoholic. When Louie was stranded on a raft, thoughts of God and prayer kept him going. Tragedies, like being beaten by the Bird or the crash landing of the Super Man solidified Louie's character, which helped him conquer his issues of depression, lack of dignity, and vengeance against those who wronged him.
Louie suffered from substance abuse and PTSD but that only pushed him to achieved greater things for himself. When Louie had nightmares about the Bird, he swore vengeance. He wanted to murder Watanabe, but through religious guidance and prayer he overcame his evil wants. He understood that killing someone does not make him a better person, so he found the strength in himself to forgive. Louie's injuries from the war implied that he would never be able to run again, yet that didn't stop him from carrying the Olympic torch in Japan. In the end, Unbroken brings about ideas about one's personal issues from difficult