Importance Of Hope In Wiesel's 'Unbroken'

Unbroken Essay

In Wiesel’s Nobel Peace Prize speech, he communicates the importance of hope in times of despair, and the memory of these moments in changing the world for the better. He says that “because I remember, I have the duty to reject despair. I remember the killers, I remember the victims, even as I struggle to invent a thousand and one reasons to hope.” Wiesel explains that one of the only ways to survive the despair is to find hope; a light in the darkness, in order to move on or prevent it. The biography Unbroken, it tells the story of Louie Zamperini and his life from being an 1936, track Olympic athlete, to a castaway, to a prisoner in a Japanese war camp. Louie holds on to every last hope in order to make it back home alive.

After he Had hear from Graham, Louie had been able to recover from his alcohol addiction which had helped him cope with him post traumatic stress, and he then found God. the book said that “it was the last flashback he’d ever have. Louie let go of Cynthia and turned toward Graham… Louie went straight to his liquor, carried the bottles to the sink and emptied them into the sink.” Louie had found God in Graham’s word and he grew past his obstacles. He gave up the alcohol and took back his life that had been slipping through his fingers. With this new found growth, Louie transitioned from having a burning hatred for the Japanese to where he was able to forgive them. He stated that “at that moment, something shifted sweetly inside him. It was forgiveness, beautiful, effortless, and complete. For Louie Zamperini, the war was over.” Louie had spent the whole war hating the Japanese for what they did to him. Even after the war Louie wanted to get revenge, to put justice where it should have been, to kill the Bird. But he heard Graham, and grew by learning to be the better man, and he forgave all the Japanese, including the Bird. Throughout all his obstacle, Louie came out of the war with more compassion and integrity compared to before his many