The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks Analysis

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Value The book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, is one of a kind. Rebecca Sklook procured the story of Henrietta Lacks, a woman that history forgot, and brought her back to life in front of the reader’s eyes. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is and a very valuable read based on the truth produced about the Lacks family and the HeLa cells, as well as what it reveals about ethics in medicine in the 1950’s. In this book, Rebecca Skloot successfully brings together the story of Henrietta Lacks, The Lacks Family, and the HeLa Cells. Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant, was originally from Clover, Virginia before moving to Maryland. Originally a tobacco farmer, after moving to Maryland Henrietta was a stay at home mother. She married…show more content…
Rebecca Skloot makes it a point in the book to show all of the amazing advances that have been achieved in medicine through the use of Henrietta’s cells, but Skloot also makes sure that she points out all the sufferings the Lacks Family went through and the unjust actualities of how they have to live their lives, such as not being able to afford to “see no doctors” (9). Skloot is offering up a quotation from Deborah here to show that even though Henrietta’s cells did so much for science and medicine, her family does not have enough money to pay for health insurance. Skloot challenges the reader to put all their previous misconceptions about the unsanctioned removal and culture of the cells on the line and witness the goodness that came from one small iniquitous action. She includes the story of John Moore to show that Henrietta was not alone in this injustice. This inclusion illustrates that this was common practice in the…show more content…
This increase in wanting to know more is partially because of this book. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks has made me rethink what is going on every time I go to see a physician. I ask more questions about why they have to do what they are doing to me and I also make sure I read over very closely ever document I sign. In the book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot reveals very valuable truths to the reader such as: the Lacks Family, HeLa Cells, and ethics in medicine one would normally never consider in their daily lives. Skloot challenges the reader to be open to new ways of thinking about common issues and also leaves the reader wondering: was it all worth

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