In life, there are times when we are put through terrible trials that will later on shape who we are. Sometimes these trials come at the hand of those that are culturally different than us. If they are different that means we can’t survive what they put us through, right? Wrong. The movie Unbroken shows that no matter the situation, or ethnic backgrounds there is always a fighting chance. The main character, Louis Zamperini, was a famous Olympian who was drafted into World War II and taken as Japanese war prisoner. Zamperini was forced through several brutal trials that help him fight stereotypes, discover his religious identity, and survive the harshness of ethnocentrism.
Starting from a young age, Louis Zamperini was faced with cultural differences. His family being from Italy during the 1950’s was not openly accepted by the people in his town. Louis was often picked on and called a “greasy wop” and a “dumb dago” which were both ethnic slurs against Italians. Believing that he was no better than what the town’s people thought, Louis fulfilled the stereotype that came along with being a foreigner. This means that he fit into the set predetermined group that people categorized him in before they even knew him (Communication Between …show more content…
Ethnocentrism is when one culture believes they are better than another and that is how the Japanese felt about Americans at the time (Communication between Cultures). Despite how bad the prisoners were treated and all of the slave labor the Japanese officers put them through, Zamperini never gave up. He continued to push himself beyond his limits, hoping in the end he would survive, and he did. When the Americans finally won the war, the camp was evacuated and Zamperini was able to return to his family. In later years after the war, Zamperini returned to Japan and had the heart to forgive his captures despite all the hell they put him
Starting from a young age, Louis Zamperini was faced with cultural differences. His family being from Italy during the 1950’s was not openly accepted by the people in his town. Louis was often picked on and called a “greasy wop” and a “dumb dago” which were both ethnic slurs against Italians. Believing that he was no better than what the town’s people thought, Louis fulfilled the stereotype that came along with being a foreigner. This means that he fit into the set predetermined group that people categorized him in before they even knew him (Communication Between …show more content…
Ethnocentrism is when one culture believes they are better than another and that is how the Japanese felt about Americans at the time (Communication between Cultures). Despite how bad the prisoners were treated and all of the slave labor the Japanese officers put them through, Zamperini never gave up. He continued to push himself beyond his limits, hoping in the end he would survive, and he did. When the Americans finally won the war, the camp was evacuated and Zamperini was able to return to his family. In later years after the war, Zamperini returned to Japan and had the heart to forgive his captures despite all the hell they put him