Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand

Faith and Forgiveness “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly father will forgive you” (Matthew 6:14). In the book Unbroken written by Laura Hillenbrand, Louie Zamperini is a troubled kid, who discovers his love for running. After becoming an Olympic champion, Louie finds himself fighting for his life in World War II. He is a changed man when he returns home. Throughout the book, Louie learns a lot about himself both physically and mentally. By Louie Zamperini finding his faith after the war, Hillenbrand shows how he is able to forgive those who tortured him. Louie reached his lowest point in his life when his wife Cynthia, forced him to go see Billy Graham. Louie was experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after returning home from the war. Louie became an alcoholic

Louie had planned on talking to the guards as well as the Bird. For the first time since the war had ended, Louie returned to Japan in 1950. Louie went to observe the guards who tortured him. Louie walked up and down the rows and looked at all 850 men, but one person who Louie did not see was the Bird. The Bird was the one who had made Louie believe he was a lesser human. Louie was upset, but then remembered the night he found God. “That night, the sense of shame and powerless that had driven his need to hate the Bird had vanished. The Bird was no longer his monster. He was only a man” (Hillenbrand 386). Years later, Louie heard the Bird was still alive, and Louie asked if he could visit with the Bird, but the Bird refused. Louie no longer felt any reason to be mad at any of the guards. For the first time, Louie felt as if he were free from the war. “At that moment, something shifted sweetly inside him. It was forgiveness, beautiful and effortless and complete. For Louie Zamperini, the war was over” (Hillenbrand 386). Louie had forgiven everyone who had made his life miserable during the