The determination to live comes from human nature. But the urge of giving up when we come across a difficult problem is also a part of human nature. There a few people in this world that have the characteristics of resilience. As author Kendra Cherry describes them, "People that are able to keep their cool have what psychologists call resilience, or an ability to cope with problems and setbacks" (Source A; Cherry, 1). An example of someone who has the characteristics of resilience is a bombardier name Louis (Louie) Zamperini. After Louie’s plane crashed in the middle of the ocean, he and two other survivors had to overcome a series of conflicts before they could make it to safety. Throughout Laura Hillenbrand's book, "Unbroken", Louie’s most important characteristic of resilience that contributed to his survival was his awareness. With his awareness of his surroundings and situation, Louie was able to overcome the conflicts he faced such as shark attacks, dehydration, and starvation. One of the first obstacles that Louie and his friends face while they were stranded in the ocean, was the possibility of a shark attack. The tired men were an easy …show more content…
Unlike Louie and Phil, Mac was less determined to live and had little hope that they would survive. While Louie and Phil told each other memories, Mac usually sat there in silence and grieved. “He shared few memories, and though the other two encouraged him, he couldn't imagine a future. To him, it seemed the world was too far gone” (Source B; Hillenbrand, 28). Mac had no source of motivation nor a way to motivate himself to live. Eventually, “Mac's body grew weaker, following his broken spirit” (Source B; Hillenbrand, 31). With no ambition to continue wanting to live, Mac perished after one month at sea. Mac’s lack of determination not only made him different from Louie and Phil but also showed how he lacked the characteristic of being