Unbroken (The Young Adult Adaptation): An Olympian's Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of mental illness, substance use, graphic violence, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Unbroken tells a story of remarkable human endurance through multiple challenging phases of Zamperini’s life. Which part of his journey resonated with you most powerfully, and why?

2. Hillenbrand’s writing style focuses on factual detail rather than stylistic flourishes. How did this approach affect your experience of Zamperini’s story compared to other biographies you’ve read, such as Hillenbrand’s earlier work Seabiscuit?

3. The title Unbroken carries multiple potential meanings throughout the narrative. In what ways did you see Louie as “broken” or “unbroken” at different points in the story?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Louie found strength through various sources throughout his life—running, camaraderie with Phil, faith, and forgiveness. What sources of strength do you rely on during your most challenging times?

2. The narrative shows how Louie’s Olympic training prepared him mentally for survival. Can you recall a time when skills or mental discipline you developed for one purpose unexpectedly helped you in an entirely different situation?

3. Louie’s mother refused to believe he was dead, even when she was officially notified that he had died. Have you ever had a strong intuition about someone you care about that others dismissed, but it was later proved accurate?

4. After the war, Louie experienced PTSD and alcoholism until his spiritual awakening. Whether through faith or other means, have you ever had a transformative moment that fundamentally changed your perspective or behavior?

5. The book explores how forgiveness allowed Louie to reclaim his dignity and become free from his past. Has forgiveness (either granting it or receiving it) ever been transformative in your own life?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Unbroken explores the treatment of POWs by the Japanese during WWII. How does understanding this history influence your perspective on international laws governing the treatment of prisoners of war today?

2. The book describes how Japanese cultural attitudes toward surrender affected the treatment of POWs. How can we approach understanding brutal behaviors that stem from different cultural values without excusing them?

3. Louie returned from war to a society that had little understanding of PTSD. How have our cultural understanding and treatment of veterans’ psychological trauma evolved since WWII?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Hillenbrand weaves between Louie’s personal story and the broader historical context. How does this technique enhance our understanding of both Louie’s experience and the war itself?

2. The motif of running appears throughout the book, both literally and metaphorically. How does Hillenbrand use this motif to trace Louie’s development throughout the narrative?

3. Faith played a crucial role in Louie’s survival and redemption. How does Hillenbrand present the evolution of Louie’s relationship with religion, from his initial inability to understand the Bible to his conversion experience?

4. The Bird serves as the central antagonist in Louie’s story. How does Hillenbrand’s portrayal of him contribute to the book’s themes about dignity, redemption, and forgiveness?

5. Consider the structure of the book, which begins with Louie stranded at sea before flashing back to his early life. What effect does this narrative choice have on the reader’s experience?

6. How does Zamperini’s experience of survival at sea compare to other famous literary accounts of being stranded, such as Yann Martel’s Life of Pi? What makes Zamperini’s story so powerful?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. How would you cast a new film adaptation of Unbroken? Which actors would you choose for the key roles, and why?

2. What scene from the book would be most challenging to portray visually, and how would you approach it as a filmmaker?

3. The Victory Boys Camp that Louie founded helped troubled young men find direction through outdoor activities and his personal story. What elements of his approach would you incorporate into a program for at-risk youth today?

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