Rebecca Skloot Character Analysis

“Don't you make me be in that book by myself! You're part of the story now too—Henrietta's gonna get mad and come get you if you try to leave yourself out of there!" Deborah Lacks exclaimed. Rebecca Skloot, the author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, was reluctant at first to include herself as a character in this piece of nonfiction. However, she became remarkably entwined with the Lacks family, specifically Deborah, that it was imperative she incorporated her character in the work. Skloot’s character added depth and meaning to the narrative, and without her presence there would be a lack of truth. Rebecca Skloot was justified for inserting herself in her book for a plethora of reasons. One rationale was the bridge Skloot’s character constructed between the reader and the story. This sympathetic bridge toward understanding the people she was writing about allowed for the reader to connect with the story. “Until I read those dates, I hadn’t done the math: Henrietta was barely four years old when she lost her mother…” (Skloot 121). The aforementioned quote exemplifies how Skloot wrote about Henrietta’s past alongside her experience as she uncovered information, thus granting the reader a relatable, unforgettable character …show more content…
Nevertheless, as relationships were cultivated she was thrust into Deborah and the Lacks family’s story. A theme in the story was the ethics in journalism, and due to Skloot and Deborah’s research excursions it was vital she be included. The dynamic of their relationship transformed greatly, which is evidenced by Deborah’s term of endearment towards Skloot, calling her “my reporter.” On Skloot’s website she wrote, “In the end, I realized it would be dishonest of me to leave myself out of the book. It wasn’t about me inserting myself into their story, it was about admitting that I had become a character in their story without realizing