Chapter 1-2 Henrietta Lacks

Literature Circles Chap 1-2: Quote Master

1. “’I got a knot on my womb,’ she told the receptionist.” (13)

-         This is important because it shows her worry that something is wrong and that she actually feels symptoms for something that she has been ignoring for quite some time. This was the first time she took initiative and went to see a doctor about.

2. “This was the era of Jim Crow- when black people showed up at white-only hospitals” (15)

-         This quote shows the era that Henrietta came from and the time period, it gives a glimpse of how the story will be during that time because we are able to infer based on that era of how African Americans were treated.

3. “It was no surprise that she hadn’t come back all those times for follow-up.” (16)

-         This shows Henrietta’s way of showing how she does not worry about her health. There are plenty of things that she needed a checkup on but she declined, but it also shows how she could possibly be hesitant towards medical things because she is not that educated and does not know what they are talking about.

4. “No one knows how she became Henrietta.” (18)

-         This could signify the identity of Henrietta because nobody knows how she adopted the name Henrietta when her real name is Loretta.

5. “At the age of 21, Henrietta stared through the train window…for the first time, heading toward a new life.” (26)

-         Judging from her age, Henrietta probably sought away from her family at a very early age and because of this it shows a different aspect of her life. One that later relates to how she is now, especially what is happening to her regarding cancer.