Analysis

Away from the stabilizing influence of Pete and his Torrance supporters, Louie’s old bad habits return, though in a milder form. On the luxury steamship Manhattan, he steals simply because he has the opportunity to do so. He pranks other athletes out of boredom. His emotional insecurity shows up again through overeating, which compromises his athletic training and adds unwanted weight to his runner’s frame.

In Germany, he performs respectably, but the obvious question is, “What if…?” What if Louie Zamperini had stayed focused on the task before him? What if he’d trained aboard the steamship with the same intensity that he did when Pete was nearby? He can perform better, and he knows it. Still, he thinks the 1940 Tokyo Olympics will be his chance at runner’s redemption—a chance that will never come true.