The Help by Kathryn Stockett, which was my book club's October selection, has been celebrated and made into a movie already. Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter share the narration for the 1960s segregated Jackson, Mississippi, as the lines blur between the races and to social classes. While Skeeter's social class is not as pure as it seems, the Black maids are struggling to make ends meet and hold their tongues even as others are engaged in sit-ins at the local Woolworth's and marches. Stockett carefully illustrates the social and color lines in the South, while also paying careful attention to the harsh realities of Black maids in white households. This is not just a story about Black maids, but also about where stigma comes from, how it is perpetuated, and how it can be overcome.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Help by Kathryn Stockett, which was my book club's October selection, has been celebrated and made into a movie already. Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter share the narration for the 1960s segregated Jackson, Mississippi, as the lines blur between the races and to social classes. While Skeeter's social class is not as pure as it seems, the Black maids are struggling to make ends meet and hold their tongues even as others are engaged in sit-ins at the local Woolworth's and marches. Stockett carefully illustrates the social and color lines in the South, while also paying careful attention to the harsh realities of Black maids in white households. This is not just a story about Black maids, but also about where stigma comes from, how it is perpetuated, and how it can be overcome.