Independent Writing
“Immortality” means never die. Do you belief that someone will be immortal in this world? One book called The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks will tell you immortal life exists in the world. The author, Rebecca Skloot, spent ten years to research and to publish this book because she is interested in Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta Lacks who was only 31 years old, had five children, and died from cervical cancer. Later, the researchers who worked in the lab of Johns Hopkins Hospital found her cancerous cell. Her cells are very, very amazing. They could divide for per 24 hours. The researchers called this cells “HeLa” for the name, Henrietta Lacks. In addition, “HeLa” cells helped with some of most important advances in the world, especially in medicine. Rebecca Skloot divided this book into three parts: Life, Death, and Immortality. What is the significance of each part?
“Life” not only means alive, but also stands for the biography about one person. In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot entitles first part to “Life” because she wants readers to know who the main character is. Readers can realize the records about the main character. For example, in the chapter 2, page 18 to 26, the author states, “Henrietta Lacks was born Loretta Pleasant in Roanoke, Virginia, on August 1, 1920.” Those words “was born,” “Roanoke,” and “August 1.1920” shows that Henrietta’s birthday and hometown. Specifically, in chapter 1, page 13 to 17, the author writes, “... This was the era of Jim Crow--- when black people showed up at white-only hospital, the staff was likely to send them away, even if it means they might die in the parking lot... ” According to this sentence, readers can know black people were treated badly in that time due to discrimination. Henrietta was black, so she only could go to Johns Hopkins Hospital to cure her cancer when she knew she got a knot in her womb. Readers can know lot information about Henrietta Lacks by this part: Life.
“Death” shows after Henrietta Lacks died, Henrietta’s family and anyone who had contact with Henrietta Lacks had different conditions. In this part, Henrietta’s family had a miserable life and they did not know that Henrietta was still “alive”, except the doctor. However, Johns Hopkins Hospital not only did not want anyone to know “HeLa” cells belonged to Henrietta, but also John Hopkins Hospital and their doctors became more famous in the world by the “HeLa” cells. For instance, in chapter 14, page 105 to 109, the author writes, “... The woman behind the Hela cells would be known most often as Helen Lane...her family had no idea her cells were alive.” According to this sentence, readers can know the doctor who worked in the Johns Hopkins Hospital did not contact Henrietta’s family after they found the useful and famous “HeLa” cells. Furthermore, in chapter 15, page 110 to 117, the author writes, “Sometimes Ethel would beat Joe for no reason while he lay in bed or sat at the dinner table...He stopped feeling pain; he felt only rage.” Joe is Henrietta’s smaller son. He could not get a better condition after her mother’s cell became very useful in the world. His aunt, Ethel mistreated him all the time because she was jealous of Henrietta.
“Immortality” symbolizes Henrietta’s achievements in this world. “HeLa” cells were used in different ways after the researchers discovered those cells. For example, clone, the polio vaccine, chemotherapy, and so on. To illustrate, the chapter 32, page 259 to 267, the title “All that’s my mother” tells reader the main character, Henrietta Lacks, is alive by her immortal cell--HeLa cells. The word “all” emphasizes the magic power of “Hela” cells. It is all over the world.
Rebecca Skloot does not use chronological order in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks even though this book is divided into three parts. Following, two reasons will explain why Rebecca uses a good mode to publish this book. First of all, it is easy to add more details in each chapter. For example, in chapter 2, she wrote about Henrietta’s childhood. However, in chapter 6, it was talked about Rebecca interviews Roland Pattillo, Deborah, and Day. On the other hand, if Rebecca writes by the chronological order, she could not enjoy this advantage. She needed to spend more time to organize and publish. Secondly, the structure is not too rigid because it is not a history book; it is an emotional and actual story. Readers would continue to read by the true facts and amazing and rich plots. It is a good mode to publish an emotional biography.
To sum up, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a valuable book for people. Authenticity and structure are two important points in this book. Through the three parts of this book, readers realize Henrietta Lacks. She is an amazing and pitiful woman. Henrietta died when she was only 31 years old. It is a wonderful age in the life, but she could not enjoy that even though her cells help with the medicine in the future. It is an emotional book. I think everybody will want to read this book because he or she will want to know this unknown, amazing and pitiful lady, Henrietta Lacks.
“Immortality” means never die. Do you belief that someone will be immortal in this world? One book called The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks will tell you immortal life exists in the world. The author, Rebecca Skloot, spent ten years to research and to publish this book because she is interested in Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta Lacks who was only 31 years old, had five children, and died from cervical cancer. Later, the researchers who worked in the lab of Johns Hopkins Hospital found her cancerous cell. Her cells are very, very amazing. They could divide for per 24 hours. The researchers called this cells “HeLa” for the name, Henrietta Lacks. In addition, “HeLa” cells helped with some of most important advances in the world, especially in medicine. Rebecca Skloot divided this book into three parts: Life, Death, and Immortality. What is the significance of each part?
“Life” not only means alive, but also stands for the biography about one person. In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot entitles first part to “Life” because she wants readers to know who the main character is. Readers can realize the records about the main character. For example, in the chapter 2, page 18 to 26, the author states, “Henrietta Lacks was born Loretta Pleasant in Roanoke, Virginia, on August 1, 1920.” Those words “was born,” “Roanoke,” and “August 1.1920” shows that Henrietta’s birthday and hometown. Specifically, in chapter 1, page 13 to 17, the author writes, “... This was the era of Jim Crow--- when black people showed up at white-only hospital, the staff was likely to send them away, even if it means they might die in the parking lot... ” According to this sentence, readers can know black people were treated badly in that time due to discrimination. Henrietta was black, so she only could go to Johns Hopkins Hospital to cure her cancer when she knew she got a knot in her womb. Readers can know lot information about Henrietta Lacks by this part: Life.
“Death” shows after Henrietta Lacks died, Henrietta’s family and anyone who had contact with Henrietta Lacks had different conditions. In this part, Henrietta’s family had a miserable life and they did not know that Henrietta was still “alive”, except the doctor. However, Johns Hopkins Hospital not only did not want anyone to know “HeLa” cells belonged to Henrietta, but also John Hopkins Hospital and their doctors became more famous in the world by the “HeLa” cells. For instance, in chapter 14, page 105 to 109, the author writes, “... The woman behind the Hela cells would be known most often as Helen Lane...her family had no idea her cells were alive.” According to this sentence, readers can know the doctor who worked in the Johns Hopkins Hospital did not contact Henrietta’s family after they found the useful and famous “HeLa” cells. Furthermore, in chapter 15, page 110 to 117, the author writes, “Sometimes Ethel would beat Joe for no reason while he lay in bed or sat at the dinner table...He stopped feeling pain; he felt only rage.” Joe is Henrietta’s smaller son. He could not get a better condition after her mother’s cell became very useful in the world. His aunt, Ethel mistreated him all the time because she was jealous of Henrietta.
“Immortality” symbolizes Henrietta’s achievements in this world. “HeLa” cells were used in different ways after the researchers discovered those cells. For example, clone, the polio vaccine, chemotherapy, and so on. To illustrate, the chapter 32, page 259 to 267, the title “All that’s my mother” tells reader the main character, Henrietta Lacks, is alive by her immortal cell--HeLa cells. The word “all” emphasizes the magic power of “Hela” cells. It is all over the world.
Rebecca Skloot does not use chronological order in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks even though this book is divided into three parts. Following, two reasons will explain why Rebecca uses a good mode to publish this book. First of all, it is easy to add more details in each chapter. For example, in chapter 2, she wrote about Henrietta’s childhood. However, in chapter 6, it was talked about Rebecca interviews Roland Pattillo, Deborah, and Day. On the other hand, if Rebecca writes by the chronological order, she could not enjoy this advantage. She needed to spend more time to organize and publish. Secondly, the structure is not too rigid because it is not a history book; it is an emotional and actual story. Readers would continue to read by the true facts and amazing and rich plots. It is a good mode to publish an emotional biography.
To sum up, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a valuable book for people. Authenticity and structure are two important points in this book. Through the three parts of this book, readers realize Henrietta Lacks. She is an amazing and pitiful woman. Henrietta died when she was only 31 years old. It is a wonderful age in the life, but she could not enjoy that even though her cells help with the medicine in the future. It is an emotional book. I think everybody will want to read this book because he or she will want to know this unknown, amazing and pitiful lady, Henrietta Lacks.