The right to bodily autonomy is portrayed in Enormous Wings as a fundamental human right, essential for living a life of one’s own design. By creating a parallel between a 77-year-old woman and her 15-year-old granddaughter, both facing unwanted pregnancies in a state with draconian abortion laws, Laurie Frankel asserts that the denial of choice is a negation of a person’s future. This theme extends beyond the abortion debate, however, into the later stages of life, represented by Dot’s desire to die on her own terms. The novel pairs the struggle for reproductive freedom with autonomy in death to illustrate the personal and moral fight for one’s dignity and control over their own body.

From the moment Pepper’s impossible pregnancy is confirmed, her desire for an abortion is thwarted by Texas law, an obstacle that Lola faces when she, too, becomes pregnant. Dr. Kim explains that the supposed “life of the mother” exception to the abortion ban is a fiction in practice (82), requiring a patient to be on the verge of death before intervention is permitted. As a result, Pepper is told she must simply wait for her pregnancy to possibly end on its own, a potentially dangerous process that is entirely out of her control. This legal barrier traps her in a state of powerlessness, her body no longer her own but subject to the state’s mandate, reducing her to a passive vessel whose health and well-being are secondary to the preservation of a pregnancy she does not want and cannot safely carry. Similarly, when Lola discovers she is pregnant, she immediately feels her future has been stolen and admits that she “can’t do anything” because her hands are tied (216). For Lola, the pregnancy represents the end of her potential, forcing her onto a path she did not choose and is not ready for. Her conviction that she needs an abortion is not about ending a life but about having the chance to live her own.

Ultimately, Pepper’s decision to help Lola access an abortion highlights how, despite these obstacles, one can still assume autonomy over their own body. Risking arrest, Pepper drives her granddaughter across state lines to a clinic in New Mexico. She explains her rationale to Lola, stating, “I choose your life” (233). This declaration defines the concept of being “pro-life” as supporting all lives, not just the unborn. By the end of the novel, Pepper fully embraces this role, becoming an “abortion fairy” who secretly transports others to get the care they need. This evolution from a victim of the law to an agent of resistance demonstrates the power in fighting for bodily autonomy.

In contrast to the abortion debate, Dot’s decisions at the end of her life demonstrate that control over one’s body is not simply about reproduction but about having dignity right up until death. When Dot moves to the nursing wing of Vista View, she goes on her own terms, noting, “I thought there might be some dignity in walking over there, actually” (186). Instead of waiting until someone else must wheel her over, Dot wants the power to bring herself to the care she needs. This moment is emblematic of having more autonomy over end-of-life decisions. In fact, Pepper echoes this sentiment later when she tells Moth, “And when I do go, I want it to be my choice” (233). Both Pepper and Dot emphasize that the right to choose what happens to a person’s body extends throughout a person’s lifetime.