Hillenbrand uses many statistics in the book to help convey her purpose. Throughout the book you see statistics in terms of death count, dates, times, etc.
"Japan held some 132,000 POWs from America, Britain, Canada, Holland, New Zealand, and Australia. Of those, nearly 36,000 died, more than one in every four"
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This statistic is horrifying considering the International POW laws were supposed to be enforced in every country, but gives the reader insight to what the death toll and treacherous circumstances which Zamperini lived. It takes a real man to be able to hear those numbers and still have hope.
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"August 6, 1945... At 8:25.17, the bomb slipped from the plane."
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This quote gives the reader hope for the future of our protagonist. Now that Hiroshima has been destroyed, this marks the end of the war and hopefully the end of Louie's torment. Some readers may know this is not exactly the case due to the Japanese torment, but it still gives readers a little hope for what is to come.
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