Decline and Redemption

The central theme of Unbroken is stated in the subtitle, "A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption." Louis Zamperini was saved from an undesirable fate several times in his life, as the author documents. As a boy he was rebellious and often in trouble. He was in danger of being expelled from school and descending into a criminal life when his brother and mother stepped in and encouraged him to enter athletics, putting him on a path to compete as an Olympian.

Louis' career as a bombardier in the Pacific was a dangerous one, and he narrowly escaped death at the battle over the island of Nauru, then survived the bombing raid on his base shortly afterward. He seemed to be very lucky, and his luck held when he was among the only three survivors of a plane crash in the Pacific who...