The Help Aibileen Clark Analysis

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“Racism is not about how you look, it’s about how people assign meaning to how you look” (Robin D. G. Kelly). In Kathryn Stockett’s novel, The Help, a black woman whose occupation is a maid is treated unfairly by her employer simply because of the color of her skin. Aibileen Clark and other household maids are mistreated by the racism and discrimination occurring all over Jackson, Mississippi. The practice of racism has divided people and caused suffering and mistreatment to all of those involved. Aibileen Clark, a household maid for the Leefolt family works tirelessly cooking, cleaning and raising two-year old Mae Mobley. Although Aibileen is good enough to take on the job of caring for and helping Mae Mobley, she is not good enough …show more content…

Abilieen has to use a “special outside restroom” built only for her because of the simple fact that she is black. When Mrs. Leefolt finds out that Mae Mobley is using the “black” restroom she becomes enraged. Mae Mobley is getting Mercer 2 smacked repeatedly for using the “black” restroom. “I did not raise you to use the colored bathroom! This is dirty out here, Mae Mobley! You’ll catch diseases! No! No! No!” (Stockett 95). I find it ironic that a person would entrust the care and well-being of their child to a person that is not good enough to use the same restroom. The innocent love of a child is a testament to the fact that no one should be treated unfairly or suffer because he or she is different. Minny Clark, an African American maid and Aibileen’s best friend, is an individual struggling against the ills of society in the 1960’s. Minny, an excellent cook, gets fired from her job for speaking up for herself and others of color. Although she was strong enough to speak against the unfairness of racism, that came at a high price to her, her income. Also, no one else in town wanted to hire her as a maid because they did not want to deal with her outspokenness. Minny learned the hard way that standing up for

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