The three-time U.S. track and field Olympian, Gail Devers once stated, “Sometimes we fall, sometimes we stumble, but we can’t stay down. We can’t allow life to beat us down. Everything happens for a reason, and it builds character in us, and it tells us what we are about and how strong we really are when we didn’t think we could be that strong.” In the nonfiction book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the courageous Louis Zamperini emulated with Devers words when, even in times of hopelessness and doubt, he survived a World War II bomber plane crash into the great Pacific, where he was left and considered dead for 47 days. To say the least, Louie’s resilient and courageous personality kept him alive and sane throughout the dire situations
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With Phil, the pilot, injured, Louie accepted responsibility for himself and two other people without hope of rescue or food. Sitting in the scorching heat for many days makes Phil and the other crew members do something “...almost suicidal” (158). Phil waits for the sharks to wander off a bit, then plunges himself into the water. Taking his precious time in the water, they pull Phil out just before the sharks reach him. Louie and Mac, the other two passengers, “...thought it worth a try, and took their turns in the water”(159). Getting into the water, Louie worked together with the other men to fight off the fearsome sharks; while one took a dip, the others jabb at the sharks with oars on the raft. Thus, Louie needs to trust that his raft mates would do their jobs. Because he could have easily died in this situation if Mac or Phil started to tire and took a break, or if he did not have the strength to pull himself back into the raft. After the death of Mac and 47 days on the shredded raft stranded, Louie and Phil had been rescued, but not by America; they had been rescued by Japan. The Japanese fed them and nurtured the duo back to better health. Phil and Louie thought they were safe on this boat, but that thought did not last long. Soon the Japanese transferred the men to a POW camp. Here they know could easily
With Phil, the pilot, injured, Louie accepted responsibility for himself and two other people without hope of rescue or food. Sitting in the scorching heat for many days makes Phil and the other crew members do something “...almost suicidal” (158). Phil waits for the sharks to wander off a bit, then plunges himself into the water. Taking his precious time in the water, they pull Phil out just before the sharks reach him. Louie and Mac, the other two passengers, “...thought it worth a try, and took their turns in the water”(159). Getting into the water, Louie worked together with the other men to fight off the fearsome sharks; while one took a dip, the others jabb at the sharks with oars on the raft. Thus, Louie needs to trust that his raft mates would do their jobs. Because he could have easily died in this situation if Mac or Phil started to tire and took a break, or if he did not have the strength to pull himself back into the raft. After the death of Mac and 47 days on the shredded raft stranded, Louie and Phil had been rescued, but not by America; they had been rescued by Japan. The Japanese fed them and nurtured the duo back to better health. Phil and Louie thought they were safe on this boat, but that thought did not last long. Soon the Japanese transferred the men to a POW camp. Here they know could easily