Rho Kappa Journal Volume 1 Issue 1 | Page 9

The Help Book Review

by Yasha Kulkarni

America was founded on the notion of providing freedom and democracy to all. The Declaration of Independence clearly states that “all men are created equal,” not separate but equal. Up until the 1960s, America struggled with the idea of treating the African American race with equality. African Americans achieved some equality through the Emancipation Proclamation, but it did not fully rid them of their struggles. In response to the legislation, more restrictive laws were put in place, leaving African Americans fighting for their freedom once again. African Americans fought strongly for the equality they deserved, especially in the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In her novel, The Help, Kathryn Stockett depicts the struggles and inequality African Americans faced in the heat of the Civil Rights Movement. Stockett uses the setting of Jackson, Mississippi as a microcosm for how the South treated African Americans during the 1960s. The book depicts the contrasting nature people treated African Americans, displaying the divide in America during the 1960s.

In America, many Southerners failed to recognize equality between races, due to their feeling of superiority. Aibileen, one of the main characters in the novel, worked hard her whole career in raising the children of others yet received no thanks in return. She and other women of her race worked diligently to earn a living. They worked throughout the day and even sometimes overtime for the 95 cents per hour to provide for their families. With their meager earnings, Aibileen and her friends could not afford the lavish houses their employers lived in. Instead of expanding the “colored part of town,” African Americans were forced to cram everyone in a specific amount of land, even if the population started to grow. Their living standards starkly contrasted the laid-back lifestyle of the white Southerners, even though the African Americans worked harder. Some Southerners, like Mrs. Hilly in the novel, avoided the African Americans because she believed they were more susceptible to disease. Firmly believing in the phrase separate but equal, Mrs. Hilly promoted her idea of creating separate bathroom for the help. She thought that because the help were of a different race, they did not deserve to use the same bathroom as their employers. Her feeling of superiority emulates the feelings many Southerners had during the 1960s, proving that inequality divided America. While African Americans faced inequality in pay and respect, they also faced inequality in education. Aibileen desired to have a higher education but could not due to her need to start working at an early age. She revealed to Ms. Skeeter a list of books that she had been wanting to read. The town of Jackson, Mississippi had segregated libraries, leaving the worn-out books for the African American library. Even if they wanted to, African Americans could not receive the education they wished for, because they were not given access to the best quality materials like the white children were. Attempts to desegregate schools were met with protests and were challenged by many. Due to their skin color, African Americans were harshly treated, leading them to fight for their rights.

While many Americans did display their feelings of superiority in the presence of African Americans, there were a few exceptions. There were some sympathizers who fought actively to promote equality for all races. Ms. Skeeter, a young girl fresh out of college in the novel, did not see the color barrier like her friends did. Growing up, she was close to her family’s help, Constantine. Skeeter felt close to Constantine and so naturally felt closer to Aibileen. Unlike Mrs. Leefolt and Mrs. Hilly, Skeeter says hi to Aibileen every time she goes to Mrs. Leefolt’s house. Simple gestures like Skeeter’s showed the difference between those who paid some respect to African Americans and those who dehumanized them. Like those who wanted to bring equality, Skeeter wanted to bring attention to the struggles African Americans faced, so she decided to write a book about the plight of the help. There were some African Americans who were afraid of telling the truth, like Aibileen and Minny, but they soon realized that the truth would eventually help them. Another person who broke the color barrier in the novel was Mrs. Foote. Minny, Aibileen’s friend, needed a job and Mrs. Foote offered her just what she needed. Rather than ignoring Minny, Mrs. Foote asks Minny to teach her how to cook food. Mrs. Foote reversed the roles that were stereotypically excepted between each race. She gave more freedom to Minny than other Southerners typically gave. Not all Americans were in favor of being separate but equal. They were the ones who showed their respect in just the simplest of actions.