It kind of frightens me to realize that I was alive and in elementary school while real versions of these fictional events were unfolding in Mississippi. I remember hearing about civil rights - the marches, the riots, the speeches, the violence - and seeing the headlines in the paper. I remember my mother commenting on Martin Luther King's shooting. My father told us the story of getting on a bus somewhere down South during World War II and being told by a black woman that he had accidentally sat in the colored section and that this was not allowed. In the late 60's a young black man attended our small, Catholic school for one year and our reaction was fascination and an interest in how he would feel and how he would interact, whether he would feel welcome or out of place in our primarily white (with a few hispanic students) school. Never did I imagine the kind of everyday abuse and contempt heaped so casually on "the help" and other people of color in other parts of our country. These events were all happening somewhere else, outside the scope of my northern world. The Help brings a whole new perspective to the struggle for equality between the races; listening to the audio version truly brings the events and characters to life. The various dialects add so much depth to the story of Aibileen, Minny, Skeeter, Hilly, Elizabeth, and all of the other characters here.
Stockett writes The Help in the first person, with Aibileen and Minny, who are black maids in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 60's, and Skeeter, a college-educated white woman of 23, sharing narration duties. Skeeter is an aspiring writer who failed to catch a husband in college, to her mother's despair. She is tall and gawky and pitied by her friends, Hilly and Elizabeth, for her lack of social success. Aibileen works for Elizabeth, a mother without a maternal bone in her body. Aibileen comforts Elizabeth's children, cooks her meals, cleans her house, shops for her groceries, and polishes her silver. Short, fat Minny works for Mrs. Walters, Hilly's mother, until Hilly successfully installs her mother in a nursing home and fires Minny, telling everyone that Minny is a thief and warning them not to hire her. She finally finds employment with a woman who has secrets. Skeeter recruits Aibileen to help her write a home cleaning column for the local paper, but eventually they end up working on a bigger project that grows to unanticipated proportions, refecting the social changes that characterize the 1960's.
The personalities of the women of The Help are varied. Skeeter is at once thoughtful, sympathetic, and ambitious. Minny is sassy, Aibileen is calm and nurturing. The women of "the league" are like a herd of sheep, unthinkingly following their leader, but I suppose that this is what they were raised to do. Hilly is hateful, spiteful, and power-hungry, without an ounce of compassion or generosity. I feel like I know all of them after listening to this wonderful novel. It is complete unto itself, but I would welocme a sequel someday!
I am currently listening to this book and I was also a little girl in the middle of integration. My school integrated in phases so it happened in the middle of 6th grade, the beginning of Jr. High and then again in High School. I got to experience it three times. I still remember the "Colored" and "White Only Signs" and participated in some marches including a sit in at the Walgreen's lunch counter. Was also thrilled to be able to go to the "white" movie theater. As I listen to this book the memories come rushing back. My mamma was a maid from time to time.. but it never lasted long because she was quite a bit like Minny in temperament. :o)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comments, Willa. It's fascinating to hear from someone whose life was shaped by events like those described in the novel.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the book. i had multiple messages. I insisted that my daughter read the book. I highly recommend this book.
ReplyDeleteCurrently I am reading this book and cannot put it down. It is a heartwarming and wonderfully written story of 3 women and their struggle in separate ways. Though it is fiction, the struggle coloured people went through and are still going through in some countries is deeply and clearly portrayed. We have segregation even now.... I cannot for the world understand how the colour of a person determines how he feels, reacts or lives since we are all human and created similar to Christ and are the same inside out! I loved every page of this book and truly hope that people of all races who read it will understand that at the end of the day, we are all human.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in seeing the movie that is coming out based on this novel. Of course, the film is never as good as the bool, but it will be interesting to see how true to the story the screenplay trns out to be.
ReplyDeleteDue to the fact that comments on this blog are moderated in order to avoid people posting commercial messages and solicitations, there will be a delay in posting your comments. They WILL be posted, though. It just might take a few hours! Thanks for your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteCurrently reading this book and I am loving it - friend gave it to me 2 years ago but only picked it up because its now a film and winning awards - not seen the film and probably never will now after reading this most amazing book - Kathryn captures the heart in this book and as a white woman it makes you feel ashamed to be white but hopefully we still can now after everything become one together x
ReplyDeleteThe film is actually excellent, too, so see it if you get the chance. Of course, I like the book better, but I almost always do!
ReplyDeleteYou know the rare book which you don't want to read too fast because it will be over too soon? This is one of those rare gems. A true delight to read, and then to think and mull over for days.
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