Hillenbrand presents the story of Louie Zamperini with a focus on his unique qualities and how these serve him throughout his life. As a child, he is described as resourceful, quick-witted, and creative. Although he demonstrated these qualities while being a public nuisance, the challenges that he faced were not a deterrent to his behavior; rather, he was “thrilled by the crashing of boundaries” (6). Eventually, Louie’s resourcefulness, wit, and creativity enabled him to survive his most difficult life experiences.

Early in the book, Hillenbrand parallels Zamperini’s child self with the man he became during World War II: “When history carried [Louie] into war, [his] resilient optimism would define him” (7). When Louie had yet to see conflict while enlisted in the Air Corps, his cheeriness manifested as practical jokes. When his life took a dramatic turn after the crash of the Green Hornet, his “resilient optimism” and his psychological strength kept him alive. His survival instinct strengthened as the living conditions and his mistreatment worsened during his imprisonment; Louie’s steely determination to live manifested as sheer defiance against his captors.

Despite Louie’s resilience, he was willing to seek help and acknowledge a dependence on others. Early on in the story, he “surrendered” to his brother, Pete, when his life was heading down the wrong path; at the possibility of dying of thirst, Louie pleaded to God to bring him out alive.