Name______
UNBROKEN
Comprehension and thematic questions
CHAPTER 1:
1. What events are listed from 1929? Why do you think the author chooses these events in particular?
2. At what age did Louis begin smoking and drinking?
3. Describe 5 instances of Louie’s childhood mischief.
4. What was the one thing Louie was afraid of as a child?
5. Describe the common practice of Eugenics. What was the purpose of it and who were the victims?
CHAPTER 2:
6. Describe Pete’s training methods.
7. Who is Glenn Cunningham and what is the childhood tragedy that he overcame?
CHAPTER 3:
8. In what event did Louie qualify for the Olympic team?
9. How many times had Louie run the event before heading to the Berlin Olympics?
CHAPTER 4:
10. Who (which athletes) was on the ship with Louie on the way to the Olympics?
11. Describe Louie’s eating habits while en route to Berlin. After having read the book, how does the author use this information as foreshadowing?
12. Describe the road to the opening ceremony? What was the appearance of the city? What was the only evidence of discord? Where were all the Gypsies and Jews?
13. What place did Louie finish in his race? How fast was his last lap?
14. Which country would host the 1940 Olympics?
CHAPTER 5:
15. Who is Jimmy Sasaki? What did he pretend to be, but who was he really?
16. For what school did Louie run?
17. How did Louie sustain injuries in the NCAA Championship held in Minneapolis?
18. Describe Japan’s Imperial Destiny.
19. What military branch did Louie join?
PART 2 CHAPTER 6:
20. How long did the attack on Pearl Harbor last? How many Americans were killed?
21. Who is Russell Allen Phillips? Describe his personality.
22. What are the nicknames for the B24?
23. What was the name of Louie’s plane? How did the plane acquire that name?
CHAPTER 7:
24. Who is Charelton Hugh Cuppernell?
25. Describe the success of Louie’s training missions.
26. What did the men do when not training?
27. What were some of the practical jokes they played on one another?
28. How did Louie stay in Olympic shape?
29. Where was Louie’s first assignment? (pg 72)
30. Describe the mission. Was it successful?
CHAPTER 8:
31. What were some of the reasons the B-24s so frequently crashed?
32. Why is quick escape essential for B-24 survivors?
33. What are some of the problems with the rescue procedures?
34. How does Louie deal with the sober reality of the B-24 crash survival and rescue rates?
35. How does this chapter filled with statistics and stories of other unlucky B-24 crews increase the tension of Louie’s story?
CHAPTER 9:
36. During the battle over Nauru, how does Louie help save the lives of his crewmates?
37. Once the battle is over, what is the condition of Superman? How many hours away is Funafuti? What is the potential problem with being able to land?
38. When Funafuti is bombed, where do Louie and Phil take cover?
39. How is Louie involved in the surgery on Pillsbury’s leg?
40. What is wrong with the Green Hornet?
CHAPTER 11:
41. How is “luck” with Louie when the Green Hornet goes down?
42. Reflect back on Louie’s life. How has his life been a study of luck? In what ways has he been lucky and unlucky? In what ways has “good luck” later led to “bad luck”?
PART 3 CHAPTER 12:
43. What survival provisions do the survivors have with them?
44. What is the condition of each survivor?
CHAPTER 13:
45. What does Mac do during the night that causes a huge problem?
46. What happens to Louise Zamperini when she heard the news of Louie’s disappearance? How did she feel about his demise?
CHAPTER 14:
47. What happens on the 9th or 10th day in the raft that changes their situation?
48. How does an article about Eddie Rickenbacker and information from a college physiology class help Louie cope with the situation?
49. Read page 147 – 148. The author sets apart a section of text. Why is this section set apart? What is the theme of this section? How does it foreshadow what is to come for the survivors? What emotional effect do you suppose the author is going for? How is the final paragraph of this section an example of a nearly “perfect” paragraph?
CHAPTER 15:
50. How would you have handled the choice between sharks and bullets? Although this is a very real choice for Louie, how can this choice be symbolic? What could sharks and bullet symbolizes in our own life’s journey?
51. How do Phil and Louie use the information gained from the attack to help them? What is Mac’s reaction?
CHAPTER 16:
52. How does Mac redeem himself?
53. In your opinion, to what can the singing Louie’s hears be attributed?
CHAPTER 17:
54. What keeps Louie and Phil from reaching the island?
55. How are Louie and Phil treated by their rescuers?
56. How many miles had they drifted?
PART 4 CHAPTER 18:
57. Do you agree with the statement, “Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen? The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man’s soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it. The loss of it can carry a man off as surely as thirst, hunger, exposure, and asphyxiation, and with greater cruelty.” Why or why not? Why does the author make this statement at this point in the book?
58. Who is Kawamura and what does he do for Louie?
59. What does the doctor do to Louie and Phil some 3 weeks after their arrival on Kwajalein?
CHAPTER: 19
60. What old friend does Louie meet when he first comes to Ofuna?
61. What is Ofuna and what happens there?
62. According to the captives, what are the 2 most common characteristic of Ofuna guards? (pg 194)
63. How does the author compare Ofuna to the experience of Frederick Douglas? (BONUS: Who is Frederick Douglas?)
64. What is the kill-all policy?
CHAPTER 20:
65. Who is William Harris? Describe his unique intellectual abilities.
66. What does Harris keep hidden?
67. Describe Louie’s first “race” in captivity.
CHAPTER 21:
68. What is the attitude of both Phil and Louie’s families regarding their apparent deaths?
CHAPTER 22:
69. What are Harris, Tinker and Louie planning? What happens to suspend their plan?
70. How do Louie’s bad childhood habits help him at Ofuna?
71. What happens to Harris when his map is discovered?
CHAPTER 22:
72. What Japanese corporal greets Louie and the other Ofuna veterans when they arrive at Omori? How does the author describe his appearance?
73. Why does this corporal slug Louie upside the head?
74. Compare/contrast Louie’s and Wantanbe’s childhoods. How do their attitudes toward success and disappointment differ?
75. What is one explanation for Wantanabe’s brutality?
CHAPTER 24:
76. What is Wantanabe’s name for Louie?
77. How do the enlisted men transform themselves from being slaves to being soldiers again?
78. What is the University of Thievery?
79. Describe Private Yukichi.
80. How is the theme of good/bad luck once again shown in the Postman Calls radio announcement? (pg 246 – 247).
CHAPTER 25:
81. What is B Niju Ku?
82. Describe Louie’s experience with the Postman Calls radio show.
CHAPTER 26:
83. How is the theme of good/bad luck ironically dealt with in the radio message that is written for Louie?
84. Why has Louie been allowed to live this whole time?
85. Why did Louie not make the 2nd broadcast?
86. Where has Phil been?
CHAPTER 27:
87. What has happened to Harris?
88. Describe what happens on Feb. 16th.
CHAPTER 28:
89. Where is Louie transferred to? Describe it.
90. What is the lucky/unlucky result of Louie being injured?
CHAPTER 29:
91. What was the punishment when fish was stolen from the gallery? How many times was each man punched? How long did the beating go on?
CHAPTER 30:
92. What is Louie’s punishment for seeking a doctor’s advice?
93. How long does Louie hold up the beam?
94. What happens on August 6, 1945? How does the US tried to protect Japanese citizens? Why does it not work?
CHAPTER 31:
95. Describe what is happening to Phil at Rokuroshi POW camp.
96. How many POWs does Louie share the chocolate and 19 cigarettes with?
CHAPTER 32:
97. How do Phil and Rokuroshi celebrate at the end of the war?
98. How is Kano treated by POWs? What ultimately happens to him?
CHAPTER 36:
99. What happens to the Bird after the war?
100. What happens to Sasaki?
CHAPTER 37:
101. What becomes Louie’s obsession?
102. What is Louie’s financial situation?
103. What is the “paradox of vengefulness”?
CHAPTER 38:
104. In September 1949, who shows up in LA?
105. What does it mean to Louie when he hears the words, “To know who sees him, God makes himself unseen”?
CHAPTER 39:
106. To where does Louie return and to answer what question?
107. What finally makes the war over for Louie?
108. What is the Victory Boys Camp?
109. Why was the arrest order for Japanese war criminals lifted?
110. What was The Bird’s excuse for being so severe?