Analysis Of Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand

In the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, it gives strong detail about the life of Louie Zamperini. From his past childhood up to his life as a World War II prisoner, as well as his post-traumatic experiences after returning home. Some of his most traumatic experiences he recalls have to do with how poorly the POWs were treated, why the guards treated them so badly, as well as the guards experiences that caused them to act the way they did with the prisoners. In describing treatment from the guards the author recalls several different instances in detail of how cruel the prisoners were treated. One of the worst instances being “The Bird” himself. Anything done before Mutsuhiro was in control didn’t even compare to the things done under his control. A few examples from the book state, “He beat POWs every day, fracturing their windpipes, rupturing their eardrums, shattering their teeth, tearing one man’s ear half off, tying another to a tree for days”(Ch. 23, Pg. 174). Another example stated is, “He ordered men to violate camp policies, then attacked them for breaking the rules”(Ch. 23, Pg. 174). In simpler words, Mutsuhiro was an absolute monster who found joy in making the prisoners suffer, and nothing could have been

In the book it states, “Japanese soldiers and civilians usually carried caustic prejudices about their enemies, seeing them as brutish beasts or fearsome devils”(Ch. 19, Pg. 150). It is also stated, “The revulsion most Japanese felt for those who were captured extended to Allied servicemen. To abuse, enslave, and even murder a prisoner was acceptable, even desirable”(Ch. 19, Pg. 151). It is because of these racial beliefs that produced the inspiration to abuse and mistreat prisoners. Thus explaining the actions of the guards being because of the knowledge they were raised to