Skloot begins the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, with the following quote from Elie Wiesel: “We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph.”

1) Analyze the film, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, in light of this quote.

2) Explain the various ways in which both the scientific community and the media are guilty of having viewed Henrietta and her family as abstractions. What are the consequences of this perspective?

3) How is Skloot’s different perspective evident in the way she conducted her research and wrote the book showcased in the film?