Character Analysis
Surrogate Mom, Full-Time Ninja
We can't help cheering when Lawrence's wife, Bobbette, insists that they take in and raise the younger Lacks siblings to get them out of the clutches of the abusive Ethel and Galen. Bobbette makes it pretty darn clear that if they ever touch the kids again, she's going to open up a can of on them.
In Henrietta's absence, Bobbette also acts as a mentor and inspiration to young Deborah. She tells her to stay in school because that's what will get her success in life. She also encourages her to fight off the advances of her boy cousins because, she said, "That's uncalled for." (115) She warns her about the dangers of first cousins having children together.
The Skeptic
Bobbette was the first to hear about the HeLa cells, through a chance meeting with someone from the National Cancer Institute who'd been working with HeLa cells. She told Skloot it was like a "nightmare" for her. She calls Lawrence to tell him that "Part of your mother, it's alive!" (181) This got Lawrence and Day mighty confused.
When Skloot meets with the Lacks family, it's pretty clear that Bobbette would be hard to win over. But she does offer some valuable insight into Lacks' family's perception of all the HeLa shenanigans.
Bobbette explains why so many black people in Baltimore, the Lackses included, have a serious distrust of the medical community and why they're so willing to believe some of the crazier and distressing claims about how Henrietta's tissues are being used. Bobbette was well-informed; she knew about the Tuskegee experiments, and learning about HeLa just made her more wary. This is crucial for Skloot as she attempts to break through these barriers and make sense of the story.