Cynthia Applewhite Character Analysis in Unbroken

Louie’s kind, beautiful, and fiercely independent wife whom he meets and marries after the war, Cynthia comes from a wealthy, respectable family. Their marriage disintegrates when Louie, affected by PTSD, begins to drink heavily and becomes abusive. She is about to divorce him when she attends a Billy Graham Christian revival meeting that fosters in her a renewed faith and determination to preserve her marriage. She then brings Louie to another meeting, resulting in his own “rebirth” in Christianity. Her patience, faith, and affection help Louie out of his downward spiral of depression and alcoholism.

Cynthia Applewhite Character Timeline in Unbroken

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

...Miami, while spending the two weeks of paid vacation awarded to returning servicemen, Louie meets Cynthia Applewhite on the beach. Cynthia comes from a wealthy family, but has an impulsive, passionate,... (full context)

In the following May of 1946, Louie and Cynthia marry in a small church near Louie’s home. In a hotel room they rented for... (full context)

In the later half of 1946, Louie and Cynthia have dinner with Phil and his wife, Cecy, as well as another war buddy Fred... (full context)

...night at a bar, Louie gropes a woman and gets beaten up by her boyfriend. Cynthia pleads with him to stop drinking, but it does no good. (full context)

In 1948, Cynthia tells him that she’s pregnant. Louie is excited but cannot bring himself out of his... (full context)

...his newborn daughter, Cissy, has no effect on pacifying his murderous fantasies and alcoholism. After Cynthia comes home to find Louie violently shaking their child, she takes the child and goes... (full context)

...large crowds to his tent revival meetings. After hearing about his sermons from a neighbor, Cynthia decides to go, but Louie refuses. When she returns, she says she has a gone... (full context)

Cynthia convinces Louie to go to another meeting. At the meeting, Graham preaches about how God... (full context)