There is never a time in life when adversity is absent, but the true test of resilience comes in times when adversity seems completely bleak and totally relentless. In Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand describes the life experiences of Louis Zamperini, a successful former Olympic athlete who, after surviving a plane crash, endures the worst of World War II. Using several interviews between her and Zamperini as reference, Hillenbrand explains the global conflict through Zamperini's eyes, as well as the mental warfare that consumed him and his family in the months following the war. Hillenbrand recounts Zamperini's instances of mental toughness with powerful phrasing to compose an emotionally engaging story that demonstrates how the resilient optimism of the human spirit pushes the body through pain and adversity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Hillenbrand places a strong emphasis on resilience early on, often with the intention of triggering an emotional response from the reader. She describes a situation early in Zamperini's childhood where he deliberately held his head underwater to increase his total lung capacity, usually for long periods of time (Hillenbrand 12). By describing such a moment in Zamperini's life that required resilience to completely resist, Hillenbrand convinces the reader that he went through a time of adversity using this quality even from a young age. After a near-fatal plane crash, Zamperini and two of his companions find themselves stranded in the middle of an ocean. By discussing Zamperini's ability to maintain a hopeful attitude that could "displace [his] fear" and motivate him to survive (Hillenbrand 212), Hillenbrand demonstrates to the reader that Zamperini's resilient attitude guided him through a completely disastrous situation. After his capture by the Japanese, he was sent to several prison camps, where guards sought to dehumanize and destroy each of their captives (Hillenbrand 258). By showing the literal hell that Zamperini experienced, Hillenbrand inspires the reader to empathize with the character and recognize the importance of remaining resilient in times of extreme adversity. David Margolick of The New York Times adds that although Hillenbrand's depiction of Zamperini's resilient and optimistic attitude seemed mostly accurate and credible, his good friendship with Zamperini and his tendency to focus heavily on moments of resilience of Zamperini could have given rise to a more exaggerated story (Margolick). However, by focusing more on these instances of resilience, Hillenbrand elicits a more powerful response from the reader. In addition to its emotional appeals, Hillenbrand's choice of words when referring to Zamperini's resilience helps convince the reader of its overall importance. Using phrases such as "renewed vigor" to describe the feeling Zamperini experienced when he made a successful survival effort (Hillenbrand 211), and words like "paralyzed" to describe the actions of those who lacked resilience mental (Hillenbrand 212), Hillenbrand highlights how Zamperini was able to remain optimistic while others simply succumbed to their fears. When describing the atmosphere of the Japanese prison camps, Hillenbrand maintains a cold and somber tone, using negative and dreary words such as "deprived" and "dehumanizing" to give the reader a sense of the severity of these camps (Hillenbrand 260). plus how difficult it must have been to stay optimistic. Hillenbrand. 2015.