World War II was a very traumatizing time for the soldiers that fought in it, with almost 90 percent suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Unfortunately, the war was also a very traumatic experience for the Japanese-Americans that were forced into camps. Key examples of those who have struggled through awful conditions are Miné Okubo and Louie Zamperini. Miné was a Japanese-American artist who was forced to live in squalor conditions surrounded by armed guards. Louie was an American soldier and a previous Olympic athlete that was beaten daily and starved almost to death in prisoner of war camps. Accordingly, these heroes perseverance and resistance throughout the monstrous conditions that they were forced to live in, proved that humans
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Louie resists invisibility when he was being beaten by sailors on the boat to Kwajalein and doesn’t allow himself to be punched . The author writes, “Louie tipped his head forward, then, when the sailor swung, jerked his head back. He made the man miss…” (Hillenbrand, 133). This small act of defiance, despite its own consequence, salvaged a portion of Louie’s pride and dignity. This is because Louie, rather than allow the sailor to win and give into his own weariness, finds it within himself to resist. Louie also resists the traumatic feeling of invisibility in the prisoner of war camps. Hillenbrand writes, “It began with sidelong whispers. Men scribbled notes on toilet paper and left them for each other in the benjo…. but the men were really speaking to each other” (Hillenbrand, 154). A rule in the camp is no communicating, by any means, with other prisoners. Despite the harsh penalties for doing so, the men must save some of their honor as so to not lose their hope as well. A final example of resisting invisibility can be found with Miné when she continued to document what was happening in the internment camp. Miné understood that, “Internees were not allowed to have cameras, but Miné wanted to document what was happening inside the camps. She put her artistic talent to use making sketches of daily life inside the fences” (The Life of Miné Okubo, 5). Miné lived in a horse stall, with almost every movement watched, notwithstanding she still defied the rules. Other Japanese Americans had been killed for disobeying rules, but she was still willing to resist invisibility. Although they are not huge actions of defiance, Miné and Louie defied the rules in ways that managed to save their honor and self
Louie resists invisibility when he was being beaten by sailors on the boat to Kwajalein and doesn’t allow himself to be punched . The author writes, “Louie tipped his head forward, then, when the sailor swung, jerked his head back. He made the man miss…” (Hillenbrand, 133). This small act of defiance, despite its own consequence, salvaged a portion of Louie’s pride and dignity. This is because Louie, rather than allow the sailor to win and give into his own weariness, finds it within himself to resist. Louie also resists the traumatic feeling of invisibility in the prisoner of war camps. Hillenbrand writes, “It began with sidelong whispers. Men scribbled notes on toilet paper and left them for each other in the benjo…. but the men were really speaking to each other” (Hillenbrand, 154). A rule in the camp is no communicating, by any means, with other prisoners. Despite the harsh penalties for doing so, the men must save some of their honor as so to not lose their hope as well. A final example of resisting invisibility can be found with Miné when she continued to document what was happening in the internment camp. Miné understood that, “Internees were not allowed to have cameras, but Miné wanted to document what was happening inside the camps. She put her artistic talent to use making sketches of daily life inside the fences” (The Life of Miné Okubo, 5). Miné lived in a horse stall, with almost every movement watched, notwithstanding she still defied the rules. Other Japanese Americans had been killed for disobeying rules, but she was still willing to resist invisibility. Although they are not huge actions of defiance, Miné and Louie defied the rules in ways that managed to save their honor and self