Structure

Everything Happens For A Reason is divided into nine chapters of unequal length plus a prologue and two appendices. The prologue serves to contextualize the philosophies through which Bowler will explore American cultural approaches to tragedy, death, and life by explaining the tenets of the prosperity gospel. It also introduces the three central questions that resonate through the mind of a person dealing with tragedy, thus also framing the reader's understanding of the material to follow by offering an understanding of where she, as the author, is coming from. The book's chapters are all of unequal length as they focus on different periods in Bowler's life. The chapter titles suggest the nature of each period and indicate how she categorizes and distinguishes between them. For example, the first chapter: Diagnosis, focuses on the early days of her cancer diagnosis and treatment. The second chapter: Object Lesson, flashes...