The shark that attacks Bethany Hamilton represents all of the seemingly random events that occur in our lives, both good and bad, that help God’s plan unfold. Hamilton establishes that her decision to surf at Tunnels Beach, which put her in the path of the shark, was seemingly inconsequential, but it had a life-altering impact. This is true for all people’s lives, she asserts, and we cannot prepare for these events or even anticipate how they will affect us. Rather, we need to accept that these so-called accidents are part of God’s plan and will reveal God’s purpose for us.

As Hamilton describes the shark attack, she makes it clear that she had no premonition that her life was about to change: “[Sharks] prefer to move silently and stealthily underwater, a total surprise to their victims” (124). Hamilton’s description could apply to any instance of fate or chance; she believes that God’s plan for each of us is also moving below the surface of our lives and often takes us by surprise.

Hamilton and her mother drive past several possible surf sites on the morning of the shark attack and eventually decide to go home. At the last moment, however, Hamilton suggests they try a place called Tunnels Beach.