Louise Zamperini Character Analysis in Unbroken

Louie’s mother, Louise is the novel’s embodiment of belief, giving the rest of her family the conviction that Louie was alive even after the army announced his death. Like Louie, she has a love of mischief and a defiant streak. A great cook, she is a supportive and loving mother who worries tremendously for her son.

Louise Zamperini Quotes in Unbroken

The Unbroken quotes below are all either spoken by Louise Zamperini or refer to Louise Zamperini. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

That night, before he tried to sleep, Louie prayed. He had prayed only once before in his life, in childhood, when his mother was sick and he had been filled with a rushing fear that he would lose her. That night on the raft, in words composed in his head, never passing his lips, he pleaded for help.

Related Characters: Louis “Louie” Zamperini, Louise Zamperini

Page Number and Citation: 142

Explanation and Analysis:

Louise cried and prayed. From the stress, open sores broke out all over her hands. Sylvia thought her hands looked like raw hamburger. Somewhere in those jagged days, a fierce conviction came over Louise. She was absolutely certain that her son was alive.

Related Characters: Louis “Louie” Zamperini, Louise Zamperini, Sylvia Zamperini

Page Number and Citation: 145

Explanation and Analysis:

Louise Zamperini Character Timeline in Unbroken

The timeline below shows where the character Louise Zamperini appears in Unbroken. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The son of Italian immigrants Anthony and Louise Zamperini, Louie was a boyhood scoundrel. Smoking cigarettes by age five and drinking by eight,... (full context)

...every morning at two-thirty to run a three-hour paper route. Louie took after his mother Louise, who also loved making mischief. One Halloween, she dressed up as a boy and went... (full context)

...comes home to see his brother off. In a picture the family takes, Louie and Louise, on the verge of tears, squint and look slightly away from camera, as if blinded... (full context)

...Louie prays for help. Louie has prayed only once before in his life – when Louise was sick and he feared he’d lose her. (full context)

...his family that he is lost at sea. Anthony is stoic but, out of stress, Louise develops a rash all over her hands. Over the next few days, Louise develops the... (full context)

Back in Louie’s hometown of Torrance, Louise’s fierce belief that Louie is alive inspires the other family members to believe. Hillenbrand describes... (full context)

...saying they’ve intercepted his message, confirming that he is most likely alive. Hearing this news, Louise and Sylvia dissolve into tears and shouts of joy. Pete calls Louie’s friend Payton Jordon... (full context)

...“Zamperini Comes Back From Dead.” The family erupts with relief and excitement for his return. Louise says that September 9 will be Mother’s Day from now on because that was day... (full context)

...when he said that he’d meet her at this spot in another two years. Like Louise Zamperini, Shizuka believed that her son was still alive despite what she saw that day... (full context)