Amanda van der Merwe Wide Reading #6 - The Help “Help people even when you know they can’t help you back”. The Help written by american author Kathryn Stockett was published in the early 2000’s. Set in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1962, Stockett’s first novel is narrated by three women: Aibileen and Minny are both black maids working for ladies from the cream of white society, while Miss Skeeter is the 23-year-old daughter of one of those pillars of the community. Aibileen has raised 17 white children, but her own son has been recently killed in an accident at a lumber yard; Minny is forever losing jobs because she talks back to her employers; and Miss Skeeter, so called because she looked like a mosquito when she was born, is ungainly …show more content…
This code of conduct becomes the social norm, where most people see no other way of life. They become completely oblivious to their wrong ways. Provincialism of the caucasian minority is encapsulated by a quote from Mrs Holbrook, “They carry different diseases than we do. That’s why I’ve drafted the Health Sanitation Initiative.” Clearly ‘they’ is people of colour - this is absolutely false, yet people believed it. A similar quote is used in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ , “Prosecuting comes from people who are prejudice”. It would be impossible for children to escape these beliefs if their teachers, who are pillars in their community, are ignorant of their own bias. Stockett incorporated many examples of inequality and discrimination in ‘The Help’ , and gives readers an insight into the prejudiced actions of people in the 1960’s. The important idea of the power of literature is highlighted throughout the entire novel. At the time black maids were victims of constant maltreatment from their employers, because of the beliefs of the communities in Mississippi in 1960’s. People of colour were never seen or treated as equal, leaving them with no escape from the harassment they endure. An example of this is when Mrs. Holbrook accused a maid of stealing some silver cutlery. This maid had no way of protesting or fighting against this injustice. To release and express their feelings against the
Kathryn Stockett’s, The Help, introduces two main characters in the novel who reveal their drastic experiences of the day-to-day life of an African American during the early 1960’s. These hard working ladies, Aibileen Clark and Minny, dedicate and spend their lives taking care of white families and raising their innocent children. Discrimination played a big role in the society during this era, and was considered normal; however, these tough and independent women took every day as a new challenge to look for the the best outcome. In the novel, Kathryn Stockett interprets nature imagery to symbolize the traumatic experiences and struggles each black minority undergoes.
“The Help” by Kathryn Stockett is a personal memoir written in the perspective of 20 year old graduate Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan. This story begins with Skeeter finishing school and coming home to a house with her maid, Constantine Jefferson, no where to be found. She begins questioning her mother about her whereabouts, with no luck. She begins to understand the prejudice that comes with being black in the day and age of 1962, with hopes of getting these women to tell their sides of the story she sets out on recruiting Aibileen.
The novel, “The Help”, written by Katherine Stockett, is a story written about black maids in the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. In this novel woman were the queens of the domestic world whilst men climbed the corporate ladder, earning money to provide for their families. The more money the man earned, the more powerful and successful the his family was perceived. There were huge gaps in society based on race - black people were believed to be the serving class, and not as the white people’s equals. Through the character main Skeeter we are able see a change in this opinion this over time. Through the influence of Aibileen, Hilly Hillbrook and Charlotte Phelan we are able to see the different characters in the novel and how they are used
As Zora Neale Hurston once said, “If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” In The Help by Katherine Stockett, three brave women of different races join together to stand up for what they believe in and publish an anonymously written book based on the treatment of black maids working for white families in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. In the novel, Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter tell their stories from different perspectives in order to give voice to those who cannot be heard.
“‘Don’t you ever wish you could change things?”’ (Stockett 10). In Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. A woman ahead of her time, Miss Skeeter, proposes an idea to write a book about the lives of colored maids in Jackson. Aibileen and Minny, two maids, are among the first ones to agree to help Skeeter, despite the potential danger to themselves. In The Help, Kathryn Stockett creates an engaging and immersive world that explores racism and social injustice by using well-developed writing, the ideal amount of imagery, and strong characters.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett is set in the time period of the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. During this time, slavery has ended but segregation was still happening every day. African American women, at the time, worked and cleaned for a white family households. Minny Jackson and Aibileen Clark are both maids for white families. During Minny and Aibileen's lives, as black maids, they are treated with disrespect and injustice by Hilly Holbrook and Elizabeth Leefolt, and are only treated with kindness by Cecilia Foote.
“‘Don’t you ever wish you could change things?”’ (10). In Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960’s, woman ahead of her time, Miss Skeeter, proposes an idea to write a book about the lives of colored maids in Jackson. Aibileen and Minny, two maids, are among the first ones to agree to help Skeeter, despite the potential danger to themselves. In The Help, Kathryn Stockett creates an engaging and immersive world that explores racism and social injustice by using well-developed writing, the ideal amount of imagery, and strong characters.
There are many artistic elements located throughout the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett. These elements help to create images in the readers’ minds, which make the book a strong piece of art. At the same time, the book is also a powerful cultural artifact due to the incorporation of valuable past and present themes of culture. Even though Stockett artfully enhances her book with literary elements, The Help is a stronger cultural artifact than it is an artistic work of literature.
The book , The Help by Kathryn Stockett, is about a women named Aibileen who is a black maid. She is taking care of her 17th white baby now. She works for a woman named Miss Leefolt. Aibileen has never disobeyed an order in her life and never intends to do so. Her friend Minny is the exact opposite. When she is around her boss, she has to hold herself back from sassing them all the time. Skeeter Phelan is different than the rest of the white ladies. She thinks that blacks aren’t all that bad. She decides to write a book about the lives of maids for white ladies. Otherwise known as the Help. She with the help of Aibileen and Minny hope to create a book that starts a revolution about what white people think about blacks.
The Help is set in the early 1960’s in Jackson Mississippi. Kathryn Stockett chose this location because that is where she was born and raised. Though she was born in the 1970’s a whole lot hadn’t changed regarding white and colored people. The only thing that had changed were the law books but what didn't change were the kitchens of white homes.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett is ultimately about the racism in Jackson,Mississippi and how it invaded every aspect of social life. The story highlights the life of a girl named Skeeter she has just graduated from Ole Miss and has an interest in writing as she edits the news letters for The Junior League,but she really wants to be an author. She comes up with the idea of telling the true stories of the domestic victims this soon becomes a reality once the publisher approves of her idea she soon finds out the horrific stories about everyone around her. People may say this story only highlights the domestic victims life this may be somewhat true the book is in Skeeter’s point of view. This story's theme is about racism,segregation,and overcoming obstacles in society.
Kathryn Stockett's The Help is a novel set in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi and follows the lives of two black maids, Minny and Aibileen, and a privileged young white woman, Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan. Together these three women set out to compile a book explaining how it is to work as a black maid in Jackson. While some critics argue The Help perpetuates black stereotypes and confines black women into "Mammy" roles, the novel actually promotes discussion of racial issues faced in the 1960 by black maids in a realistic manner without confining black women to a racist role.
This week for english I read chapters 12 through 23 of The Help. The Help is an inspiringing novel by Kathryn Stockett about two black women living in America in the 60s. With help from a white friend, Miss Skeeter, the women Aibileen and Minny get to share their thoughts and feelings towards how they’re treated. Miss Skeeter is working hard to become a writer and journalist, and needs the help from these two black maids. She regularly interviews them about what it’s like to be a colored civilian and the challenges they face. Unlike Skeeter’s friends from college, she doesn’t like how people treat the colored people. I really love her character because she stands up for what is truly right, even though many dangerous risks come with it. If
The Help by Kathryn Stockett, is a book set in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi, told by three different women: Abilene, Minny and Skeeter, in each of their perspectives. Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan is a graduate student whose dream is to become a writer, but when she tries for a position at the local newspaper, she is given the job of writing housekeeping tips.
Kathryn was born in Jackson Mississippi, and lived there all of her childhood. While living in Mississippi, her Grandmother owned a colored maid named Demetrie. Stockett loved Demetrie, and out of everyone else, Stockett was Demetrie’s favorite. Demetrie joined Stockett’s family when she was twenty-eight. She worked for them until her death. Before she died she would talk to Kathryn all day, but when she was on break, Stockett’s grandmother would not allow Kathryn to speak to Demetrie because that was Demetrie’s alone time. Also, Demetrie was seen as lesser than whites, and no white fellow was to sit at a dinner table with an African American. Stockett and Demetrie would discuss life, and Demetrie would always compliment Kathryn because Kathryn was lacking self confidence as she was growing up (“Kathryn Stockett”). Demetrie is who inspired Kathryn Stockett to write her famous novel The Help; Demetrie was always there for Stockett and her two other siblings. During the time of Stockett’s parent’s divorce, Demetrie turned into a motherly figure that made Kathryn feel secure and at home. Therefore, when Demetrie passed away--Stockett was only sixteen at the time--the death did not settle very well with Kathryn. She eventually moved out of Mississippi, and on to New York. New York is where she began writing The Help