Prologue

Questions

1. What does Skloot describe at the beginning of the Prologue?
2. How does Skloot introduce Henrietta at the beginning of the story?
3. What facts are provided by Skloot to give readers an idea of the scope of HeLa cell production?
4. Where did Skloot first learn about Henrietta?
5. How did Skloot become curious about Henrietta?
6. What does Skloot decide she wants to do when she learns that Henrietta's family has been left out of the loop by the medical establishment?
7. Which member of the Lacks family does Skloot most closely bond with?
8. Why does Skloot find her beliefs and assumptions challenged while spending time with Deborah?
9. What story does Skloot say that the book tells?

Answers

1. A photo of Henrietta Lacks that she keeps on her wall
2. As the unidentified patient whose cancerous cells were taken and used to create HeLa cells, the first immortal cell line
3. There are trillions of Harriet's cells growing in laboratories all around the world, which are used for all kinds of scientific research.
4. In a community college bio class
5. Her teacher doesn't have any details about Henrietta's life.
6. Tell the family's story
7. Henrietta's daughter, Deborah
8. Deborah and Skloot are completely different in their thinking and experiences.
9. That of the HeLa cells, but also of Henrietta's family and Skloot's own journey with Deborah