The Help By Kathryn Stockett

The Help, written by Kathryn Stockett, was one of the funniest and most touching books I’ve read because of the amusing characters’ attitudes and the strong bond that grows between a young white woman and two black maids. The young, white, woman writes their stories of working in the homes of middle class white families in Jackson, Mississippi. This book will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. Set in 1962, The Help is about a young, white woman named Skeeter who has returned to her home town Mississippi fresh out of college. She has a degree now and wants to be a journalist, but her mother wishes only for her to be married. Constantine, the maid who raised Skeeter since very young age, has apparently quit while Skeeter was away at college. Skeeter is doubtful of this and won’t stop searching for the truth. Meanwhile, controversy about racism and the treatment of African Americans escalates. Skeeter decides to take this controversy

head-on and writes a book from the perspective of the black maids of Jackson, which has never before been done. As more and more people read the book, it opens up a whole new world of ideas, opinions, and secrets no one knew or spoke of until now. One of the aspects of this book that I found interesting was how it transitioned between the points of views of the two maids and Skeeter. The Help shows what it’s like to “live in someone else’s shoes” so to speak. It shares the stories of all three women and how they intertwine with each other.
Skeeter was raised by a black maid but she grew up with a completely different mindset than almost the entire town. She doesn’t look at being married and having babies as a priority. She is very independent and for her, school and career come first. Unlike the rest of her

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generation and generations before her, Skeeter sees people for what’s in their hearts and how they treat others, not the color of their skin, nor their social classification.
Aibeleen, one of the maids who lost her only son due to a work related accident, went to work for a white family where she was practically raising their young daughter, Mae Mobley.

Because Mae Mobley’s mother would have nothing to do with her, Aibeleen loved and cared for Mae Mobley as her own daughter. Aibeleen felt it was most important to teach the little girl to love herself, one of the ways she did this was by telling Mae Mobley every day, “You kind, you smart, you important.” (Stockett, 2009, p.199).

Minny, the second maid and Aibeleen’s best friend, has a physically abusive husband, Leroy, and five children. She’s constantly getting fired for her inability to stop sassing her employers, until she meets a very nice young white lady who has never before had a maid until she hired Minny. Minny is hesitant in the beginning about opening up to a young white girl with her stories because if they are discovered it could cost them their lives. However, once she does, there is no stopping

her.
Another facet of The Help that intrigued me was its setting. During the early 1960s Jackson, Mississippi led the south in a battle to keep racial segregation. The author’s portrayal made me feel like I was there, alongside the characters. The book is very descriptive as it explains the environment and the characters’ thoughts and emotions throughout the story. However, I believe the book should have given more detail concerning the events that took place outside of the writing of their stories, such as the assassinations of Medgar Evers and President John F. Kennedy. The significance of those happenings were too momentous to pay little
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attention to. Still, the book sucks you in and you cannot walk away dry-eyed or without a thrill of exhilaration.
I enjoyed reading about the journey of self- discovery and the triumph these ladies experienced. If you like a story that tugs at your heart, you will love The Help with its controversial subjects, lively settings, spirited characters, and intense mix of emotions it leaves you feeling. I recommend you read this book.