The Help by Katharine Stockett Review

Written by C.R.A.G.

Picture below: Author with her book

Information:

Author: Kathryn Stockett / Genre: Historical Fiction / Published: 2009

Summary:

This novel is set in 1963 Jackson, Mississippi at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In this segregated Southern town, two maids and one aspiring writer send shockwaves through the community with their anonymous book.

Skeeter Phelan, the recently graduated college student and writer, struggles to acclimate to her hometown which pushes her into a life of a married housewife and the recent departure of the former housemaid who raised her named Constantine. Skeeter gets into contact with two housemaids in Jackson: Minny, and Aibileen when she hears of a job offer from New York that wants to show her writing potential.

Skeeter persuades Minny and Aibileen to retell their experiences of being a maid in white homes that expect them to obey and not be heard. As they write the book, all three women find the strength within them to fight those who oppress them.

How the Book Relates to the Modern World

The Help brings insight into the topics of racism, segregation, white supremacy, and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

A number of events in the book, such as the treatment of black workers by white employers, the bathroom situation between Hilly and Minny, and the reaction from Stuart to Skeeter writing the book put into perspective the harsh and serious conditions of the Civil Rights Era.

But in the end, all the suffering was worth it because it empowered the women to lead a better lifestyle (Aibileen was able to quit the Leefolts and Minny was able to leave her husband) because of the financial and emotional additions that they received when the book became a bestseller. Their show of strength uplifted their whole community. The book goes to show that the underestimated and looked over have the power to change everything.

Why The Book Should be Read in Schools

This book should be read in schools because it is a good introduction to the Civil Rights Movement and provides an insight into what it is like in those times.

Rating

This historical fiction book is in all respects good and mixes a lot of humor with important topics.