See a complete list of the characters in the immortal life of henrietta lacks and indepth analyses of deborah lacks, rebecca skloot, henrietta lacks, and george gey. Oprah winfrey and hbo announced plans to develop a film based on skloots 2010 book. Taking the least of you article by skloot about cell ownership. For the most part, the writing style is pretty matteroffact and informative when discussing the science, but she. Five starsit was hard to put down this compelling, admirable and eminently readable book.
Cells taken from her body without her knowledge were used to form the hela cell line, which has been used extensively in medical research since that time. Her 2010 new york times bestselling book, the immortal life of henrietta lacks, follows her efforts to win the trust of the lacks family and to join henrietta s daughter, deborah, as they both set out to discover the woman whose silent contribution changed the world. At the time, the johns hopkins hospital was one of only a few hospitals to treat poor africanamericans. Among others, the immortal life of henrietta lacks was awarded the national academies best book of the year award, the american association for the advancement of sciences young adult science book award and the wellcome trust book prize. But the immortal life of henrietta lacks succeeds despite itself. Throughout the book, skloot will return to the image of henriettas red nail polish in order to remind readers of her subjects humanity. That book became the basis for the hboharpo film by the same name, which was released in april 2017.
Discussion questions for the immortal life of henrietta lacks 1. The immortal life of henrietta lacks tells that story. She jumps back in forth in time to tell this story, setting the book variously in the 1950s and the 2000s, with many digressions in between to explore how hela cells. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the immortal life of henrietta lacks and what it means. How do you feel about a white woman creating the narrative of this story. Rebecca narrates henrietta s first visits to johns hopkins hospital, where doctors first tell her she is fine, but eventually diagnose her with cervical cancer and treat her with radiation. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. Project overview what is the henrietta lacks resource center.
Henrietta lacks, american woman whose cervical cancer cells were the source of the hela cell line, research on which contributed to numerous important scientific advances, such as drugs used to treat polio, parkinson disease, and leukemia. Yet her cells taken without her knowledge became one of the most important tools in medical research. Race and racism are woven throughout the book, both in the story presented and in the process of the research for the book. The immortal life of henrietta lacks is rebecca skloots debut biography about the woman whose cells have led to numerous scientific breakthroughs, without her consent. The book reminds us that in the 50s, johns hopkins had separate entrances and wards for africanamerican patients. This study guide and infographic for rebecca skloots the immortal life of henrietta lacks offer summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text.
Entertainment weekly now a major motion picture from hbor starring oprah winfrey and rose byrne one of the most influential cnn, defining lithub, and best the philadelphia inquirer books of the. Rebecca sklootauthor the immortal life of henrietta lacks skloot inserts herself into the narrative, and rightfully so, as her unrelenting commitment to tell the true tale of henrietta lacks went a long way in helping the overlooked and. The immortal life of henrietta lacks analysis shmoop. It was chosen as a best book of 2010 by more than sixty media outlets, including entertainment weekly, people, and the new york times. Winfrey, byrne and goldsberry on the immortal life of henrietta lacks duration. Jul 26, 2019 rebecca skloot later wrote a popular book on the subject, called the immortal life of henrietta lacks.
Throughout her childhood and adult life, she worked from sunrise to sunset on a tobacco farm. Get all the key plot points of rebecca skloots the immortal life of henrietta lacks on one page. The immortal life of henrietta lacks book summary by. Although this book is a story of scientific triumph, the same medical establishment that makes henriettas cells immortal cannot save henrietta herself. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. A journalist named rebecca skloot recounts learning about an african american woman named henrietta lacks, who died in 1951 of cervical cancer, but whose cancerous cells became the first immortal human cell line, called hela. The book the immortal life of henrietta lacks by rebecca skloot is an honest and moving story of henrietta lacks. Taken without her knowledge by the researchers at johns hopkins, the cells, known by the code name hela, became the ultimate scientific tool. In 1951, henrietta lacks died after a long battle with cervical cancer. Science writer rebecca skloot has always been obsessed with henrietta lacks, the africanamerican woman. The immortal life of henrietta lacks bioethics in brief.
The story of those cells known as hela cells, in lacks. Henrietta lacks immortal cells science smithsonian. The immortal life of henrietta lacks alternates chapters about the science of hela cells with chapters in which the author attempts to interview lacks husband and children, finally winning their trust. Original book summary overview henrietta lacks died of cervical cancer in 1951, but her cells did not.
Find summaries for every chapter, including a the immortal life of henrietta lacks chapter summary chart to help you understand the book. Henrietta lacks was born in 1920 in roanoke, virginia. From the very beginning there was something uncanny about the cancer cells on henrietta lackss cervix. No one actually had much information about henrietta, and skloot was the one plunged into learning.
The immortal life of henrietta lacks short summary. Henrietta lacks was a woman who unknowingly donated her cells here at hopkins in 1951. The immortal life of henrietta lacks introduction shmoop. About the immortal life of henrietta lacks rebecca skloot. The immortal life of henrietta lacks 2010 is a nonfiction book by american author rebecca skloot. The immortal life of henrietta lacks by rebecca skloot is a nonfiction book that describes skloots efforts to find out more about the history behind the hela cell line, and especially the woman. Rebecca skloots the immortal life of henrietta lacks chapter summary. The immortal life of henrietta lacks chapter 33 summary. This is an extraordinary book, haunting and beautifully told. An incredible summary, and analysis rebecca skloot, a specialist in the field of science and medicine, has authored the immortal life of henrietta lacks that has become one of her bestselling books on the market. On a bright day of august 1st, in the year of 1920, eliza and johnny pleasant brought forth a girl loretta pleasant, whos name was later on changed to henrietta lacks for reasons unknown to the family.
It won book awards and showed up on common reading lists for hundreds of colleges and high schools. Active themes get the entire henrietta lacks litchart as a printable pdf. Henrietta was a poor black farmer who was born in virginia in 1920. The immortal life of henrietta lacks book by rebecca skloot. Rebecca skloot later wrote a popular book on the subject, called the immortal life of henrietta lacks.
The immortal life of henrietta lacks study guide course hero. The immortal life of henrietta lacks johns hopkins medicine. Summary and analysis of the immortal life of henrietta lacks. The immortal life of henrietta lacks pdf summary rebecca. Because there isnt much information about henrietta and her family, skloot wants to tell their story. In 1951, a young mother of five named henrietta lacks visited the johns hopkins hospital complaining of vaginal bleeding. In 1999, rebecca skloot, the author of this book, attempted to make contact with the lacks family as she began her research. She first came across her name in a biology class, and since then the curiosity only soared. In fall 2011, grossmont college will be one of many san diego county schools and colleges engaging in its own campuswide. A brief summary of the key points in the book and how they relate to public health ethics. Discussion questions for the immortal life of henrietta lacks. Skloot explains that johns hopkins was one of the best hospitals in the country, but that it subscribed to deeply racist practices when it came to treating african americans. Science writer rebecca skloot has always been obsessed with henrietta lacks, the africanamerican woman whose cancer cells were harvested and used to create an immortal cell line for scientific experimentation. It was chosen as a best book of 2010 by more than sixty media outlets, including entertainment weekly.
The immortal life of henrietta lacks, by rebecca skloot. The immortal life of henrietta lacks by rebecca skloot is the story of a poor black woman who was raised in the south. This 32page guide for the immortal life of henrietta lacks by rebecca skloot includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 38 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Entertainment weekly now a major motion picture from hbor starring oprah winfrey and rose byrne one of the most influential cnn, defining lithub. She developed cervical cancer around the age of 30 and was treated at johns hopkins hospital. Biographies by the book, get henrietta lacks biography from. Rebecca skloot explores the racism and greed, the idealism and faith in science that helped to save thousands of lives but nearly destroyed a family. The immortal life of henrietta lacks summary four minute books. Rebecca explains that hela made possible some of the most important discoveries of the 21st century, but that we know little about the woman. The immortal life of henrietta lacks is the story of that discovery and the impact it had on the whole family especially henriettas youngest daughter deborah. For decades, scientists have been using hela cells in biological research, from developing the polio vaccine and studying the nature of cancer to observing how human biology behaves in outer space. The immortal life of henrietta lacks brings to mind the work of philip k. A massive bestseller when it was published in 2010 and the basis for an hbo miniseries of the same name, the immortal life of henrietta lacks tells the story of henrietta lacks, a young africanamerican woman killed by a particularly vicious form of cancer, and her incredible cancer cells, which opened up entirely new directions in scientific research due to their immortalitytheir. August 1, 1920 october 4, 1951 was an africanamerican woman whose cancer cells are the source of the hela cell line, the first immortalized human cell line and one of the most important cell lines in medical research.
Explore a character analysis of her daughter deborah lacks, plot summary, and important quotes. The immortal life of henrietta lacks is the story of that discovery and the impact it had on the whole family especially henrietta s youngest daughter deborah. The immortal life of henrietta lacks summary gradesaver. Because of the history of white journalists contacting the family for stories without offering transparency or proper compensation, in addition to the very recent ordeal with cofield, the family initially didnt want to. The immortal life of henrietta lacks study guide contains a biography of rebecca skloot, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes. The immortal life of henrietta lacks, rebecca skloot the immortal life of henrietta lacks 2010 is a nonfiction book by american author rebecca skloot.
The book weaves back and forth in time, spiraling outward from the ground zero moment of henriettas death from cervical cancer, during the treatment of which tumor cells were taken. The immortal life of henrietta lacks is a triumph of science writing it is truly one of the best nonfiction books i have ever read, and i was deeply affected by it on a personal level. The immortal life of henrietta lacks summary and study. Skloots debut book, the immortal life of henrietta lacks, took more than a decade to research and write, and instantly became a new york times bestseller. The immortal life of henrietta lacks summary from litcharts the. The immortal life of henrietta lacks summary litcharts. A summary of part 1, chapters 37 in rebecca skloots the immortal life of henrietta lacks. The henrietta lacks resource center is part of the henrietta lacks project, grossmont colleges own multidisciplinary celebration of the immortal life of henrietta lacks. Skloot was yet another white person asking the lacks family about henrietta.
Henriettas mother died when she was only four, and life got rougher than it had already been. She grew up in virginia, where most of her family were tobacco farmers. Their bond is central to the perspective skloot brings to the telling of henrietta lacks story. Winner of several awards, including the 2010 chicago tribune heartland prize for nonfiction, the 2010 wellcome trust book. In 2010, rebecca skloot published the immortal life of henrietta lacks, a compelling look at henrietta lacks story, her impact on medical science, and important bioethical issues. Henrietta lacks, a poor southern tobacco farmer, was buried in an unmarked grave 60 years ago. Like guinea pigs and mice, henriettas cells have become the standard laboratory workhorse. Nov 10, 2016 a brief summary of the key points in the book and how they relate to public health ethics. In 1951, an african american woman named henrietta lacks discovered what she called a knot on her cervix that turned out to be a particularly virulent form of cervical cancer. It talks about a destitute black woman named henrietta, who grew up in the south. Howard jones discovered a large, malignant tumor on her cervix. Henrietta lacks was an african american migrant in baltimore, a mother of five, who met with unfortunate death at an young age of 30 in 1951 due to cervical cancer. The immortal life of henrietta lacks by rebecca skloot. In her new book, the immortal life of henrietta lacks, journalist rebecca skloot tracks down the story of the source of the amazing hela cells, henrietta lacks, and.
Study guide for the immortal life of henrietta lacks. Henrietta lacks was born to a poor black family on august 1, 1920. Summary of rebecca skloots the immortal life of henrietta. The book contains elements of sexual assault and abuse.
A few more months go by, and rebecca finishes her book. When it was published in 2010 after a decade of research, it jumped onto the new york times bestseller list and stayed there for 75 weeks. The immortal life of henrietta lacks chapter summaries. Summary and analysis of the immortal life of henrietta. Throughout most of her life, henrietta toiled all day on a tobacco farm. Science writer rebecca skloots nonfiction book, the immortal life of henrietta lacks, is soon to be released as a film under the aegis of oprah winfrey, and in the classroom helps to frame questions about science and research ethics, as well as race, class, social justice, gender, and even the essence of human nature. The legacy of henrietta lacks johns hopkins hospital.
Winfrey, byrne and goldsberry on the immortal life of henrietta lacks. Oprah winfrey and hbo announced plans to develop a film based on skloots 2010 book and in. Skloot gives an incredible overview of the scientific history of the cells as well as the medical ethics that were developing right along with the growth of hela cells. Rebecca then introduces deborah lacks, henrietta s daughter, and a key figure in rebeccas quest. She later moved to baltimore with her husband and had five children. Henrietta lacks book chapter summary the immortal life of henrietta lacks summary science writer rebecca skloot has always been obsessed with henrietta lacks, the africanamerican woman whose cancer cells were harvested and used to create an immortal cell line for scientific. The immortal life of henrietta lacks summary shmoop.
Doctors cultured her cells without permission from her family. The head of gynecology at johns hopkins hospital, who was studying cervical cancer at the time, had asked the head of tissue culture, george gey, to develop a. Henrietta was not merely a collection of cells, but a real person with desires, emotions, and experiences. The immortal life of henrietta lacks summary from litcharts. It was the 2011 winner of the national academies communication award for best creative work that helps the public understanding of topics in science, engineering or medicine. The immortal life of henrietta lacks by rebecca skloot is a nonfiction book that describes skloots efforts to find out more about the history behind. The immortal life of henrietta lacks study guide contains a biography of rebecca skloot, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Here is a brief plot overview throughout most of her life, henrietta toiled all day on a tobacco farm. The immortal life of henrietta lacks summary and study guide. In this passage, skloot introduces the important symbols of henriettas perfectly painted nails. Known to science as hela, the first immortal human cells grown in culture are still alive today, and have been bought and sold by the millions. Rebecca explains that hela made possible some of the most important discoveries of the 21st century, but that we know. The immortal life of henrietta lacks is a book written by rebecca skloot. She married young and soon was a mother of five young children.