Symbolism in Unbroken “What stays with you latest and deepest? of curious panics, Of hard-fought engagements or sieges tremendous what deepest remains” (Whitman, Walt. “The Wound-Dresser” line 11 and 12)? In the novel Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, symbols like their plane, Super Man, the raft that Louie and his crew-mates survived on, and the names carved in the cell wall, represent the characters’ hope and perseverance in the face of their fear. The military believed they had more advanced planes than their enemies and that they would help them win the war. Towards the beginning of the book, all of the squadrons name their planes. Many of these names were crazy and all of them symbolized hope, despair or regret. “Phil would write that it was copilot George Moznette who suggested Super Man” (Hillenbrand 68). Louie and his squadron had been fighting the war for some time and their initial hope was fading, but they felt their plane was strong like its name and this belief helped renew their hope. While fueling up on a rest island the Japanese bombed the island ruining Super Man. “On May 24, Louie, Phil, and the other Super Man veterans were transferred to the 42nd squadron” (Hillenbrand 117). Losing Super Man made Louie and his fellow squadron’s hope to disappear. Without hope, Louie becomes depressed. Hope is a lifeline and when that lifeline is removed their fear takes over. Louie’s squadron is transferred to a plane that has a build defect. This plane crashes and Louie