Kim
Rudyard Kipling and Zohreh T. Sullivan
Book
The text-that of the 1901 Sussex Edition-is fully annotated and accompanied by three maps that help...
Sonofdel (6291 KP) rated Who am I, again? in Books
Jul 24, 2020
Jason Dohring recommended Crash (1996) in Movies (curated)
PhoebeLV (147 KP) rated Noughts and Crosses: Book 1 in Books
Aug 8, 2020
Malorie Blackman writes very well; she has to be one of my favourite authors. I showed a whole range of emotions whilst reading this series.
This book has also been made into a BBC show. It is not exactly the same (which is good), but it is pretty much the same.
Overall, I would recommend this book, if this is the sort of thing you are interested in.
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
9.0
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Book
It has taken me a long time to get through this novel and not because I didn't enjoy it, but because...
Romance gay and lesbian friendship
Tobacco Road
Book
Unsentimentally realistic, this classic novel is a reflection of the effects of poverty on tenant...
TVFilthyFrank
5.0
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YouTube Channel
Filthy Frank is the embodiment of everything a person should not be. He is anti-PC, anti-social, and...
My Monticello
10.0
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Book
What we saw in those moments riveted us, and then it set us free In a time of rolling blackouts...
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Help in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The book is told in three voices: Miss Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny. All three are very unique and specific to each personality, and all come through as strong and confident voices. Truly, I cannot say which voice is the strongest, as they all are essential to the narration of the book, nor can I really pick a favorite.
I grew up in Louisiana, and I can remember some of the stories my dad told me of my grandma's having "help" part-time. This book "struck home" for me because I can remember very clearly my grandma's racism, and how even my own dad still harbored some of that racism. The book does a very thorough job of illustrating how racism can infiltrate every mode of thought and speech, from hygiene and bodily functions, to dress and etiquette. Miss Hilly is the epitome of this racism, wearing her ignorance like a badge of honor, but there are varying degrees in many of the other characters. It is easy to see that in many of these situations, the people involved are simply victims of the times and can hardly be blamed for their perspective, as they were never taught to think differently. For that reason alone, I wish that this book had been based on a true story, for the good such a plot could have done in real life.
Miss Skeeter gives the unique perspective of the white women and how they come to fit this mold of hiring and lording over the help, even as she reevaluates her own issues of racism. With her, the reader is able to see into the minds of other prominent women in the story, such as Miss Hilly and Miss Leefolt, and how they reason and justify their treatment of the colored people they hire. Miss Hilly has the unique role of pursuing a greater separation between the two groups, whereas the other white women just go along with whatever they are told. While Hilly does pay the consequences for her behavior, it is unlikely her type ever really learns from their mistakes.
Aibileen seems to represent the voices of the older generation of colored help, mourning her losses of the past while attempting to adjust to the volatile climate of the present war on segregation. She plays the voice of reason for the other two women more often than not, always knowing how they should proceed with their secret project. Her personal focus seems to always be on the children, the ones she has raised that belonged to white women, as well as the loss of her own son. I particularly loved the effort she went through to teach Mae Mobley both self-confidence and an appreciation for humanity that ignores skin color, so much so that I use some of her same tactics with my own daughters.
Minny represents the voice of the younger, more emotional generation of colored help, with her snarky speech and blunt honesty. She kept me laughing from cover to cover, and it's her cooking I would love to try, even despite the pie trick. Her character also brings to light the poverty and abuse that many suffered through as a result of segregation laws. What I found ironic is that both her and Aibileen, in their struggles to survive, showed a strength and maturity that seems to only arise under extreme circumstances of hardship.
While those segregation laws have been abolished, I know that many of those same mental biases still exist - and not just in the southern U.S. This wonderful book is only a small part of the education required to erase the ignorance from the hearts and minds of all people. If there is one book you read this year, The Help needs to be it.
