Soul Surfer begins with this statement from its author: “To be honest, I never wanted to write a book” (xiii). What purpose does this statement serve in accomplishing the goal of creating a connection between the author and the reader?

What is the central question of theodicy? How does it relate to Hamilton’s story?

Soul Surfer is written in a conversational tone and with a first-person point of view. Why do you think Hamilton chose to tell her story herself, as a memoir, rather than let someone else relate the story of the shark attack?