The great American Industrialist Henry Ford once said, “Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward”. In the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand Louie Zamperini undergoes many hardships; however, time and time again, his determination coached him through his trials, finally allowing him to return home to his family and friends after surviving the atrocities he encountered as a POW in two different Japanese prison camps.

Described as a delinquent at the beginning of his biography, Louie soon dropped his mischievous behavior and focused …show more content…
After the plane hit the water and Phil, Mac, and Louie drifted in the life rafts, Hillenbrand wrote,“He could see that Louie had a nasty cut on his finger near his USC ring, but was otherwise unhurt and lucid. He asked Louie to take command, and Louie agreed” (132).Louie understood that Phil didn’t have the right mindset to take the lead; therefore, Louie accepted the role and took charge of the situation. After being adrift for 47 days, the survivors were “rescued” by Japanese Naval officers. They were transferred to prison camps where Louie suffered inhumane living conditions, food, and duties: “Out of all the violent and vile abuses that the Bird had inflicted upon Louie, none had horrified and demoralized him as did this. If anything is going to shatter me, Louie thought, this is it. Sickened and starving, his will a fraying wire, Louie had only the faint hope of the wars end, and rescue, to keep him going” (291). Louie, determined as a cat chasing a mouse, never let his hope get away from him, but he kept chasing it until he had a firm hold on it. The Bird’s torture was relentless; however so was Louie’s determination; “Time ticked on, and still Louie remained in the same position, conscious and yet not, the beam over his head, his eyes on the Bird’s face, enduring long past when his strength should’ve given out. ‘Something went on inside of me,’ he said later. ‘I don’t know what is was’” (334). The Bird was the exact opposite of Louie. He was Louie’s FOIL. In the prison camps, the Bird practiced cruel, spiteful, and unreasonable behavior while Louie demonstrated care, bravery, and respect .Even though the Bird continuously focused his violence towards Louie, Louie unceasingly stood strong and kept fighting what he thought would end up breaking