1. Group Discussion Questions
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
L. M. Freer
EN272
FIT/SUNY
Spring 2013

2. Beginnings
 How does the Wiesel epigram
compare to our understanding of
American individualism? Why do you
think Skloot chose it? Could this
epigram also apply to any of the other
works we read this semester?

3. Unstable Narration
 Does Rebecca Skloot’s inclusion of
herself as a character complicate this
text? How so? Can you compare her
to Nick, Irene, or other unstable
narrators we have seen throughout
the semester?

4. Editorial Intervention
 What does it mean to impose a
narrative, even a semi-linear one, on a
real person’s life? How does Skloot’s
effort compare to Neihardt’s?

5. Spirituality
 What role does spirituality play in our
understanding of HeLa’s identity or of
American identity generally? Compare
the spirituality we see in this book to
other works from this semester. Why
is spiritual fervor still such an
important part of American life?

6. Poetry as Self-Expression
 What is the meaning of Deborah’s
poem? Can we compare it to other
poetry we have read this semester?
Explain the meaning of this poem to
the class.

7. Relationships
 What does the argument between
Deborah and Rebecca symbolize or
bring up? Explain it to the class. How
does Deborah and Rebecca’s
relationship compare to other
relationships we have observed this
semester?

8. Looking Forward
 What role do you think health care is
going to play in our understanding of
American identity in the coming
years?