The Help

    I am currently in the middle of reading Kathryn Stockett's, The Help.  I really like the book and I think that the story is very creative and a great idea.  The Help is about Skeeter, Abileen, and Minny.  It takes place 1962, Jackson, Mississippi.  Skeeter is white, Abileen and Minny are black maids, and Skeeter would like to write a book using their stories and perspective to show what it's like to be a black maid in Mississippi at this time.  They have to keep it a secret because aside from Skeeter, the town is completely racist, as most white people probably were in states like Mississippi in 1962.  

    Skeeter is a young, white, socialite, who lives on a large plantation.  She has just returned from college.  Unlike most of her friends who just went to find a husband and then drop-out, she got a degree and graduated fourth (I think) in her class.  In general Skeeter is just different from the other ladies in her town.  Her main goal in life is to write a book, or become a journalist.  Most of her friends of the same age are already married and have kids.  Another thing that differentiates her, is that she understands that racism is wrong.  That's why she is writing this book with Abileen and Minny (and hopefully more maids will come.)  I think that she understands how messed up things in the South are, and is not afraid of change.  I think that this also comes from the fact that her maid Constantine has always been like a combination of a mother, sister, and best friend to her.  She taught Skeeter everything, and raised her.  When Skeeter returns from college, Constantine is gone.  Her mother denies it at first, but she fired Constantine.  Skeeter is very sad, and appalled that her mother would do that.  I think that that is part of what motivates her to write the book with Abileen and Minny.  While she writes the book, Skeeter also changes, as well as learns, a lot.  

    Abileen has been working as a maid for white people since she was in her early teens and had to drop out of school to be a maid to earn money.  She is very smart, and is respected by her whole community.  She is also aware of the risks she is taking by telling Skeeter these personal stories.  I think she trusts Skeeter, and sees that she is different, but is afraid that someone could find out.  Recently, an African American kid in their town was beaten until he was blind for accidentally using the white bathroom.  If one bad thing is heard was heard about Abileen, she would be fired and never have another job in that town in her life.  But even with the risks, Abileen has chosen to do this.  I think it is partially because she is sick of just quietly taking orders and letting things go on as they are.  I also think it has to do with the children she raises.  She raises all of these white kids better than any of their own mothers ever would, and loves them, but they turn out to be just like their parents in their racism when they get older.  Abileen describes it as one day they start thinking that black people are just inferior to themselves, and from then on nothing is the same.  Her son, Treelore, was hit by a truck several years ago and killed.  The white people driving the truck just threw his dead body in the back of the truck and dumped him onto the ground in front of the hospital.  This has left Abileen devastated.  She loved him more than anyone else in the world, and was so proud of him.  He was smart and kind, and the one who came up with the idea of showing African American perspectives in the South, (Abileen told Skeeter, who decided that they should write the book.) I think that Abileen is sad that while she was raising kids that were not her own at other people’s houses, other’s were raising her  own child at home.  She is now ready to tell people about these things.  

    Minny is Abileen’s best friend and tells the stories to Skeeter for the book as well, but does not have the same trust for Skeeter that Abileen does.  I’m only half way through the book though, so that could completely change.  Minny is also known everywhere for her absolutely amazing cooking.  Her pride and love for her own food and food in general come second only to her children.  Despite her incredible food, Minny has a problem with talking back to people.  Clearly it hurts her sometimes by causing her to get fired; but I kind of respect it.  Right now, Minny is in an interesting position: she is working for a newcomer with many secrets, who can be pretty weird, but this Mrs. Celia also doesn’t order Minny around.  Mrs. Celia comes from a different type of background than most of the ladies in Jackson, but this poorer background results in her treating African American people better.  She wasn’t raised around the principle that white people are superior to black people; she just sees Minny as a person who keeps her company during the day.  Mrs. Celia and Minny are more compatible because of this, and Minny is certainly glad to not have orders all day.  Minny began working for Mrs. Celia in the first place, because she was fired from her job.  Her previous employer had told the rest of the town that Minny had stolen from her.  This was a total lie, but Minny also soon realized that she would never get another job in Jackson again.  Until she heard of Mrs. Celia.  Mrs. Celia is new, and not accepted into the social circle, and other groups for one particular reason.  This means that she never heard about the Minny stealing silver rumor.  So when she needed a maid, she hired Minny.  I don’t think Mrs. Celia would have really cared to much anyway.  This whole ordeal has changed Minny and might have played some part in her deciding to tell stories for the book.  

    In conclusion, I am loving this book and think that the viewpoints are so interesting.  Especially when I read an essay the author had written in the back of the book, and it was about her personal connection to this issue.  She was pretty much raised by a black maid, in her Southern home.  She had experienced first-hand, the complicated relationship that occurred during that time, in the South.  She loved her family’s maid Demetrie, and Skeeter loved Constantine in the book.  I think her idea of trying to show these perspectives is great.  Although Minny, Abileen, and Skeeter are all pretty different (mostly Skeeter from Minny and Abileen,) they all have views that in their small southern town are far ahead of their time.