Mrs Skloot Analysis

If Ms Skloot had not been a part of the story, the book would not have been as interesting. Ms. Skloot's inclusion to the life of the Lacks family allowed the viewers to be in her shoes. The readers were able to see through the eyes of the author, as she goes on the quest to earn the trust from the Lacks and later on show the world that Hela wasn’t just a world changing cell but a person with a family and a life. The faith healing scene in page 289 would also have felt different because Skloot's existence in the scene gave it a feeling of bond that she had made with Deborah and Gary. Some other scene that made a difference because of her presence is in chapter 6. She was so eager to connect with the Lacks family. Skloot constantly calls

Skloot’s initial interest in Henrietta was born out of sheer curiosity, but turned into a genuine want to help Deborah know her mother and understand what happened to her. Skloot’s genuine care for people can be insinuated in her description of the time she spent with Deborah, as she says, “Each time I visited, we’d walk the Baltimore Harbor, ride boats, read science books together, and talk about her mother’s cells” (Skloot 251). The book took a backseat to helping Deborah. She wasn’t concerned with publishing her book quickly and making money quickly; she truly wanted to help Deborah understand what happened to her mother. She handled Deborah’s erratic bouts of paranoia with grace, patiently and calmly waiting for her to come around

During Henrietta treatments George Gey, the doctor that was helping her ended up taking cells from her body. He did so due to the fact he discovered that her cells were immortal. He named them HeLa cells using her first and last name in abbreviation. George told the discovery to his colleagues spreading HeLa cells throughout the world. In response the doctors used a variety of ways to go about the cells. For example, “Southampton began injecting prisoners in June 1956 using HeLa cells that his colleague, Alice Moore, carried from New York to Ohio in a hand bag” (Skloot 129). The cells were used for testing on innocent subjects. The discovery may have changed the world, but it will never change the fact they used and abused the cells. Skloot clearly shows the use of the cell provider and her cells. The reader will have a sense of imagery reading along the book because of Skloot’s

famous for her cells. Rebecca Skloot wanted to know more about henrietta 's life so she met with

Rebecca Skloot is an award writing author who’s book about the untold story of Henrietta Lacks was the New York Times Bestseller. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was published February 2 in 2010 by Crown Publishing Group. Skloot first heard about Henrietta Lacks in her community college biology class where her professor was teaching about cells and cell reproduction. At the time she was lost and confused about what she was learning in her biology class, but later on in life she would come to write about HeLa cells. She was so fascinated by the importance of Henriettas cells and all that her cells had allowed science to discover that Rebecca wanted to find out more about who the owner of the HeLa cells was.

While Fadiman uses the Rogerian approach, Skloot uses an Aristotelian approach, which is a more aggressive style of writing, but much more persuading. To use the Aristotelian approach, you must state your claim at the very beginning, and then use evidence, the three appeals, and counterarguments to back up your claim, which is exactly what Skloot does. Skloot starts off the first couple chapters of the book by describing Henrietta and her family, and how Henrietta did not deserve what had happened to her. By doing this, Skloot shows her side of the argument and develops an emotional connection between the readers and Henrietta, which is an example of pathos. Later on in the story, Skloot interviews Henrietta’s cousin Cootie after her death and Cootie says, “‘Everything about Henrietta dead except them cells… You know other countries be buying her for twenty-five dollars, sometimes fifty? Her family didn’t get no money out of it’” (80-81). Skloot uses this interview to support her claim that Henrietta did not deserve to

had to contact many close family members. Skloot had to gain the trust from the family which was previously lost by the lack of information given to them about HeLa cells. They also had bad past experiences by previous reporters who had patronized them and were making money out of it. Skloot, over the course of several years, finally gains trust from the family and creates an unbreakable bond between themselves. R. Skloot becomes particularly close to Henrietta's’ daughter, Deborah.

Rebecca Skloot the author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks became obsessed with learning the story behind Henrietta Lacks when hearing about her and her cells in a college biology class. She wanted to know more and find out who this woman was and why her cells were so important to science because there was little known about her. Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman whose cancer cells were the first ever immortal cell line in science. Skloot decides to tell their story but when she begins to dig and research she realizes that the family is very standoffish and does not like the idea of sharing information with reporters therefore it was very difficult to connect with them and gather more information about Henrietta.

In the book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Skloot pictures the life of both Henrietta and her family. Skloot first starts with illustrating the early and adolescent life of Henrietta, and also ending it with Henrietta’s fight with cervical cancer. Skloot covers heavily on the ethics of researchers or scientists taking cells of Henrietta without her consent. The medical field becomes more involved with the creation of the HeLa cell line and starts getting out of control. Therefore, causing problems between the Lacks family and the hospitals.

The resulting book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, combines the story of the HeLa cells with that of Henrietta and her family. Skloot works hard to gain the trust of the Lacks family, who were angry and distressed about HeLa and the way in which they had been treated. No one had ever explained to them what HeLa was and what it was used for; they struggled to reconcile the immortal existence of their mother’s cells with their own religious beliefs; they have had experiences of being misled and patronized by scientists and other people trying to exploit them; and some members of the family, who live in poverty and cannot afford health insurance, feel that they are entitled to a share of the vast profits that HeLa has made. Over several years, Skloot forms a relationship with the Lacks family, who begin to realize that she is not trying to exploit them. She becomes particularly close to Henrietta’s daughter, Deborah, who desperately wants to learn everything she can about the mother who died when she was just a toddler. Deborah also wants her mother’s story to be

(p. 282). In Elsie’s report, she is described by one word, “idiot.” After seeing how her mom is only known for HeLa, it is hard for Deborah to see another family member be mistreated and used by doctors. Overall, Skloot and Deborah’s journey to find the medical records at Crownsville make the reader feel as though they too are a part of the expedition. The Deborah’s passion to find out what happened to her sister makes Elsie’s story such an important part of Henrietta’s story, and one of the most fascinating pieces of the Lackses

Skloot elicits pathos throughout the book by telling the emotional story of Henrietta Lacks’ cervical cancer, and how it affected her family. Henrietta

When first starting the book, I had no idea who Henrietta Lacks was, let alone what a HeLa cell was. This is the main reason why Rebecca Skloot sought out to write this book: no one knew the origin of HeLa cells, no one knew the life this woman lived, and no one seemed to inquire about the information either. Some might say Rebecca solely wrote this book for the money she would make off of it. However, I believe her true intention of writing this book was to get the world talking about Henrietta Lacks and for people to know she was the woman behind the famous HeLa cells. There are other approaches she could have taken to get her information without having to have complete trust from Henrietta’s family members, but yet she chose to gain their trust, which speaks volumes to me.

Skloot had issues when it came to her education, but not because of a lack of intellect. Skloot was and is a perfect example for those looking to critique the American public education system. She had issues with the standard school system, and declared herself a “derelict” kid, and as a result had to repeat several grades. While learning at an “alternative” school, she took college classes, more specifically, a biology class. This class is where she first learned about the HeLa cell and Henrietta Lacks. Inspiration struck, and her life path was forever changed. Skloot became almost obsessed with Lacks, and little did she know that she would be forever associated with a wholly unrelated figure in medical history. Rebecca soon was off to a Portland community college, and after learning to become a veterinary technician, she gained her B.S in biological science from Colorado State University and her MFA in creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh. during her time in Colorado, she discovered her hidden talent for writing. Rebecca was encouraged to pursue her passions in both science and writing, and her fascination with Henrietta plus her talent with writing would soon guide her skills and non-existent stardom to new

In the first nine chapters Rebecca Skloot tells the personal story of Henrietta and her treatment for cervical cancer, gives an account of cell culture history and the beginning of HeLa, and begins to describe her journey with Henrietta’s family and friends that made the book possible. Throughout the telling of these events, the author creates a vivid picture of segregation and its effects in the lives of black Americans. African-Americans were forced daily to live with stark reminders that they were seen as ‘less’ by white citizens, the government, and even medical institutions. The reader begins to see this immediately in chapter one when Skloot notes Henrietta walking “past the “colored” bathroom” (1).