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Saving Henry Character Analysis

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Saving Henry written by Laurie Strongin chronicles the emotional journey of her child
Henry’s life and death from Fanconi anemia. Her story serves as both a way to memorialize her son’s life and also wrangle support for controversial scientific advances, specifically preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Saving Henry is directed at an audience of the same class as
Laurie and her husband- upper-middle class individual with at minimum a college degree. The novel’s utility is limited due to its polarizing perspectives- namely the selected target audience, the nature of Strongin’s narrative discussing raw details of a sick child and her personal struggle with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).
Strongin’s writing is most appropriate for an educated …show more content…

Additionally, politicians that are against scientific advances, like PGD would benefit from the perspective discuss by Strongin. Having this story could help persuade policy makers into being more open-minded about PGD.
On the whole, I struggled with this novel. I appreciated the memoir, but just felt it was so depressing and too political at times. I also feel that Strongin and her family are incredibly privileged and lucky people and felt myself being annoyed with them and thinking real people have to work when their child is sick and this is absolutely ridiculous! The unbearable fate of losing a child is not fair for any parent. No parent should have to lose a child. The opportunities this family had were amazing and I am happy for the family, but at times when Strongin was describing her anguish I felt she neglected to realize how this could come off to fellow parents who had lost a child that were less fortunate that their family. I am glad to have known Henry through this account and to have a better understanding of a terrible disease, but I think some sparing of details could have allowed Henry to reach a wider

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