The Help by Kathryn Stockett

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Recommended: Racism in literature

Some people think that the sky is always blue, but it is not. Martin Luther King says “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”. “The Help” written by Katheryn Stockett, delivers a discernible story that shows the contrasting of lifestyles which impact children, maids and the protagonist. The story revolves around three main characters; Aibileen Clark, Minny Jackson and Skeeter Phelan, and their lives on different sides of the racial barrier. “The Help” through character, setting and conflict reveals that in a place where there is racial tension and abusive power, it is difficult to find hope. In “The Help” the two most important characters are Aibileen and Skeeter. However, the setting in this novel is more crucial, as it impacts the character in many different ways. The setting then creates many conflicts for the characters. Aibileen and Skeeter are the most crucial characters in “The Help” because they show both sides of racial tension that exists in the novel. Aibileen is the black maid who works for Mrs Elizabeth Leefolt (one of skeeters friends), and her character is displayed as emotional and vulnerable unlike any other maid. However, there is something phenomenal about her. In the the novel there is a conversation between Aibileen and Skeeter. Skeeter says “Did you ever dream of being something else?” Aibileen nods “yes”(pg-169). This shows that there is something much more beyond to Aibileens character rather than just being an emotional vulnerable maid. Aibileen represents light in a dark place (servitude). In the beginning of the novel this phenomenal character describes the death of her son. Aibileen was a mother, and like most mothers she loved her son very much. The fact he... ... middle of paper ... ... is very important to Jackson. However, she uses her power abusively and is the most racist in the novel. She dies what ever she can to stop Aibileen and Skeeter from finding hope through their stories. The author Katheryn Stockett reveals that for a person to find hope, he/she must overcome the conflicts they have towards with characters and their environment. Aibileen and Skeeter live in different social situations yet they experience similar conflicts. Discrimination on any level is not acceptable. Katheryn Stockett revealed an environment that is unfair to different races. When we talk about equality in humanity, there is no dominant side but both sides are equal. “The Help” is written according in the time of 1962, when there was brutal social and political environment for black people. How can people in such an environment be protected from injustice.

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