Why is Hawaii so surprising to William Finnegan when his family moves there?

This question prompts students to think about how Hawaii was more racially and ethnically diverse than Finnegan's childhood neighborhood in California.

What was the attitude towards surfers in California when Finnegan was growing up?

This question asks students to reflect on how surfers were regarded as outcasts or rebels, not as celebrated figures, in the 1950s and 1960s.

Did you find it surprising how independent Finnegan was from his family as a teenager? Do you think teens are as independent today?

This question asks students to think about how norms around raising children have changed. While Finnegan was very independent and even surfed on his own at dawn, he raised his own daughter to be less independent.

Did you find it surprising that Finnegan dropped out of college to surf? What were his motivations?