While reading and even re-reading this passage, I continuously amazed with the author’s use of imagery. This description makes me immediately dislike the owner of those hands and I have no idea who they are. The fact that someone can keep enough poise while wrapping their hands around a screaming child makes me imagine them as emotionally detached person who cares little about the well-being of Henrietta’s oldest daughter Elsie and the rest of the patients. I am extremely impressed that the author noticed this minute detail and was able to paint such a vivid picture. A word that stands out to me with a negative connotation is “wrapped”. Hearing the phrase “wrapped and the throat of a crying child” makes me very uncomfortable and I cringe inwardly while imagining the same thing happening to me. The contrast between the hands and Elsie is shocking and makes me wonder what part of the story I am missing. Elsie died in the same hospital where this picture was taken and I am filled with dread when I think about what she must of had to go through.
I think the direction Henrietta’s family interpreted the HeLa cells is extremely interesting. Considering her family didn’t receive the best education, it makes total sense that they believe this. The main
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In both cases, the organism is changing forms entirely instead of merely shrinking. We see butterflies so often we know every part of their life cycle and none of it is a mystery to us. On the other hand, we know very little about jellyfish and do not observe their life cycle on a daily basis. Because of this, it was ingenious for the author to include this comparison. I also really like the use of the word “metamorphosis”. It is much easier to think of the immortal jellyfish as a creature able to reverse