Summary Of Unbroken By Hillenbrand

Part A: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand was written in 2010. Hillenbrand wanted to be able to capture stories directly from the heroes of World War II and she was able to do so just before their generation died out. If she had waited any longer she would have had to get the stories from the veterans’ families and they may not have been 100% reliable from that second hand source. There is a ton of books, movies, etc. out there about World War II, but not anything specifically about Louie Zamperini. World War II had a huge economical influence. The economy is always booming during wars and enters a depression after it ends. World War II changed many things culturally and socially, especially for the specific groups of people who were affected

Most books or movies about war veterans only talk about the war, nothing before or after. Readers would like Hillenbrand because everything she wrote is factual, she did not dramatize things, she simply wrote facts. She allowed readers to learn more about Zamperini than most authors would have. Hillenbrand did not assume that the reader knew much because she does explain most everything. The only thing she assumes is that her readers have basic knowledge of World War II. The author establishes credibility by simply writing facts. The fact that some of her other works are about wars also helps her credibility. Simply, Unbroken is the story of Louie Zamperini’s life. Hillenbrand supports the main idea because the entire book is about Zamperini. “In the predawn darkness of August 26, 1929, in the back bedroom of a small house in Torrance, California, a twelve-year-old boy sat up in bed, listening,” (Hillenbrand 13). Hillenbrand starts out immediately giving readers background on Zamperini. Hillenbrand appeals to logos because the entire story is facts, but she also appeals to pathos because some of the things mentioned in the book are not the happiest and because it is a

She starts off talking about his childhood and builds from there. For the reader it makes it seem like the book could be some sort of made up story, when it is in fact true. Writing the biography in this way makes it easier for the reader to get into and easier to follow. “Fourteen-year-old Louie was in a locksmith shop when he heard someone say that if you put any key in any lock, it has a one-in-fifty chance of fitting. Inspired, Louie began collecting keys and trying locks,” (Hillenbrand 20). This quote shows cause and effect in a real world scenario and this is just one example because it occurs many times throughout the books. The use of this cause and effect style of writing not only ensures the book is in sequential order, but it also makes it easier for the reader to understand how Zamperini got into the things and situations he did. Hillenbrand also uses detail throughout the book to really explain to the reader what is going on. It appeals to the readers sense of pathos. As with sequential order, the use of detail makes biography read more like a novel. It engages the reader more and keeps them wondering. “The train carried him into a perpetual dust storm known as Ephrata, Washington, where there was an air base in the middle of a dry lakebed,” (Hillenbrand 48). This quote shows how the details can make the book seem like a fictional work, which in turn, makes it easier for some people to get into