The bird in “Unbroken” refers to a character named Francis “The Bird” McNamara, who is not an actual bird but a human character. He succumbs to his weakness and eats all the chocolate given to them for survival while adrift at sea, which leads to his eventual death from starvation and exposure.
In Laura Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken,” the story follows the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and World War II bombardier. The “bird” in the context of the book is a nickname for Mutsuhiro Watanabe, a notoriously brutal Japanese prison guard who tormented POWs, including Zamperini. However, if we’re discussing the actual bird incident involving Francis “The Bird” McNamara, it occurs while Zamperini and two other airmen, Russell Allen “Phil” Phillips and McNamara, are adrift on a life raft after their plane crashes into the Pacific Ocean.
During their harrowing ordeal at sea, the men face starvation, dehydration, and the threat of sharks. They manage to catch rainwater for drinking and rely on raw fish and birds they catch for sustenance. In a moment of desperation and weakness, McNamara consumes the only chocolate they have, which was meant to be rationed for all three men. This act of impulsiveness does not directly cause his death, but it contributes to the decline of his condition. McNamara’s health deteriorates over the 33 days they are adrift, and he eventually dies, leaving Zamperini and Phillips to survive for a total of 47 days before being captured by the Japanese Navy.
The story of their survival is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of extreme adversity. The experiences of Zamperini and his fellow airmen, including the death of McNamara, are depicted with harrowing detail, showcasing the brutal reality of survival during wartime and the psychological and physical toll it takes on individuals.