Reproductive Rights of Women

Jodi Picoult uses A Spark of Light to examine both sides of the ongoing debate about the reproductive rights of women, specifically abortion, ultimately coming down on the pro-choice side of the movement. Several of the characters of the novel represent the pro-choice side of the issue, both the emotional aspects and the logical arguments. Louie represents the logical arguments in favor of abortion being a woman’s choice. Through him, the author presents facts she has discovered through the extensive research she obviously conducted to write the novel. For example, Louie suggests that there is a racial element to the movement to make abortion illegal. He explains that “the average anti-choice protester is…a middle-aged Caucasian male” (141) and that more African American women have abortions than Caucasian women. He believes that the anti-choice side frames their efforts as a means of protecting...