Sequeira 1

Ian Sequeira

Mrs. Lucidi

Advanced English 1, Per. 6

23 September 2019

Adrift

Two of the most important character traits in the excerpt of ​Unbroken ​is their keen

understanding of organization and their quick-thinking ability. Louie, Mac, and Phil crash over

the pacific ocean and start drifting toward the west. Every single move them make is critical to

their survivability level. In the start, Louie organizes all their supplies: “each man would eat one

square of chocolate in the morning and evening and also be alloted one watter tin each”

(Hillenbrand, pg. 6). They conserved a majority of their resources which therefore allowed them

to survive longer adrift at sea. If this had not happened, then they most likely would of died

before seeing the island that they were all slowly drifting towards. The decisions they make in

the start of the excerpt are also crucial to their survival as it decides how they end up in the end.

In the start, Louie uses his quick thinking ability and decides to go for the rafts before his

friends: “Louie saw a life raft… bobbing on the water. He knew he had to stop Phil’s bleeding…

but they would all perish if he went for him so he swam for the rafts” (Hillenbrand, pg. 4). If

Louie had not thought so quickly and clearly, they would of lost the rafts and ended up dying in

the middle of the ocean with nothing to float on or any resources. All in all, their organization

level helped them survive for much longer and Louie’s quick thinking saved their lives which

allowed them to ultimately reach their goal of survival.