TOW #8

One of the most haunting and effective chapters of Unbroken, is titled "200 Silent Men". Author, Laura Hillenbrand uses descriptions and imagry to express the horror and hardships the American prisoners had to face while being captured by the Japenese during World War II. The main character Louie was captured during war, and taken to a place called Ofuna. He soon learned that Ofuna was not a POW(Prisoner of War) camp, but a place off the records to the government where Japense interrogated high profile Americans. The title of the chapter becomes apparent to readers when it is revealed that none of the prisoners are allowed to speak. Louie faces harsh punishments, betrayal, and immense fear at his time at the camp. Hillenbrand writes, " There were rules about every detail of life, from the folding of blankets to the buttoning of clothes, each reinforcing isolation and total obedience" (199). This description expresses the severity of what was expected from the prisoners. They had no freedom to do anything, and there were consequences if they did not obey. Hillenbrand also writes, "Men were beaten for folding their arms, for sitting naked to help heal sores, for cleaning their teeth, for talking in their sleep" (200). This expresses how often they were attacked and how impossible it was to avoid being beaten. The descriptions and imagry created in these sentences by Hillenbrand appeal to pathos, allowing the audience to feel sad and afraid for the men in the interrogation center. This helps the author show the hardhsips the men and the main character Louie faced during his time as a prisoner. I think this chapter was necessary in telling Louie's story. His time spent at the camp played a huge role in shaping the man Louie becomes. Although it was one of the harder chapters to read, because it talked a lot about the torture these men faced, it was very effective in understanding Louie.