Soul Surfer

Title: Soul Surfer

Author: Bethany Hamilton

Genre: Biography

Pages: 102/262    

I have just read chapter 5” Attack”. In the chapter before the 14 foot shark has just bitten her arm off. Bethany did not even scream, people will often ask her if she was terrified, or if she wonders if she would have been eaten alive but she can’t really remember what she was thinking probably because of the shock or denial. The one this that she is glad of is, ‘I’m glad I never saw the shark closing in on me. I’m glad I never had more than a split second to wrap my brain around the fact that I was being attacked. If I had, I’m not sure I would have been so calm. I’m not sure I’d be able to live with the nightmares or even go back in the water again…’ (Hamilton 56).  Bethany thinks that her shiny light blue Rip Curl watch, with the reflection attracted the shark. But the shark came slow and silent, she thinks that if she turned her head she would have seen everything. But when the shark bit off her arm there was no pain at the time, and when she felt the pressure ‘the sharks teeth were like serrated edges like a steak knife and they sawed through the board and my bones’ (Hamilton 57).  In her mind over and over again she said to herself, Get to the beach. Bethany laid on the board and Holt Alana’s dad swam her into the shore. At the same time she was praying like crazy, and was the general afraid, I’ve been hurt, I don’t know what is going to happen to me.

They tied a rash guard around the stub of her arm to act as a tourniquet. Bryon, Alana’s older brother was stroking ahead of them like crazy to the beach so that he could call 911. Holt kept on asking Bethany questions to make sure that she was still with him. When they finally got to the beach people started to gather around her. She could start to feel the pain in the stump and she remembered a few times shouting, I want my mom! Paul Wheeler the captain and paramedic came and started to examine the wound. He told Bethany that she was going to have to get a lot of surgery. During this time Bethany kept passing out a lot because of the loss of blood. The ambulance was taking to long so Holt lifted Bethany on his surf board and carried her to his truck and put her in the truck. She can remember sirens of emergency vehicles, being slide onto ad stretcher, and being struck with needles.

What is the ‘great human path’? Is there one that I can clearly describe?

For me the great human path is where first it is not easy. You cannot just walk as if you are on the side walk, it cannot be that easy. For a great human path you need to jump from rock to rock over boiling lava. To have a great human path you need obstacles and challenges, that will be hard to get over. But still in life to have fun things as well. All the great people in history would not be who they are today if they did not have any challenges. Overcoming those challenges is what made them such amazing people. To have challenges is what will give you the great human path.

Describe your figure’s early life, family, homeland, and upbringing.

Bethany has always lived in Lihue, Hawaii, she is the daughter of Tomas and Cherilyn, and has 2 brothers…. Her father was a surfer nut, he lived in Ocean City, New Jersey when he was younger and he would go surfing when it was dead winter where there was snow and icicles hanging from buildings. In 1968 he graduated from high school and went to Manhattan Beach in California. But then because there was war going on, he enlisted in the navy. He then finally made it to Hawaii. Around the same time Cheri Lynch was in California. Eventually both met on the shores of Kauai. Bethany also has two brother, Noah who is 21 and Timmy who is seventeen. Bethany started surfing at a very young age. When she was eight she entered her first competition, and won both long and short board divisions.  Around 4^th grade it was her third to last year before being home schooled  She figured that it would be easier to practice surfing and become a professional surfer if she was home schooled  Many other kids did that too such as her friend Alana.

In your opinion, hoe did these facts reflect/influence your figure?

First because of her mother and father loving surfing so much of course that has influenced Bethany to love it as well. Having two brothers also brought a lot of competitiveness  and since she is the youngest and a girl she has to show what she’s got! So she will always try her hardest and her best. But at the same time her family is also very strong as they will all really love and care for each other. I think staying at school would have made it harder for her to accomplish her dreams and goals because of homework, time etc. But since she decided to have homeschooling life was easier because she could surf during the day but then during whatever time that day she would then study and learn. So her family has made a big impact on who she is today. 

 

This is a picture of Bethany in Thailand in 2004 and is showing kids that they should not be afraid of the ocean as they just had the terrible tsunami. She is showing them how much fun it is in the ocean and that it will not harm them.