WRITTEN BY KAITLYN BOCH
Rated by Author: 4/5 The Help is a fictional story written by Kathryn Stockett, which later became a 2011 movie directed by Tate Taylor. The story takes place when racism was apparent in 1960’s Jackson, Mississippi. The film introduces two black maids, Aibileen Clarke and Minny, and a southern white woman named Skeeter Phelan who came back from college, and all three participate in the publishing of a book called The Help. Aibileen works for Skeeter’s best friend, Elizabeth Leefolt, to look after her children while Minny works for Missus Walters, the mother of Hilly Holbrook, an influential woman in the town. In danger of losing her job, Minny secretly works for a housewife, Celia Foote, who is not blatantly prejudiced against her and is married to Miss Hilly’s ex-boyfriend. In the town’s weekly club, Miss Hilly proposes a separate bathroom for their black workers as they may, “carry different kinds of diseases than we do” in which Miss Skeeter is the only who questions this idea. Later, Miss Skeeter is given a writing position in their town’s newspaper and looks forward to the idea of writing about the lives of the black maids. When she is familiar with Aibileen, she encourages the idea of voicing her experience, however Aibileen doesn’t agree as she doesn't want to be harmed once she is found out. Following the publishing of The Help, the audience are witness to the darker aspects of each one of the three characters' lives. In the end, all three left their previous situations to move on for one that will treat them better. The movie, The Help, is a cinematic story that reflects the unjust treatment of women of color experienced during the 1960s. The narrative captures the suffering from the lower class. It leaves a message for the audience to find the strength to live while also to love. In many aspects of the film, it may lack the real severity of the cruel treatment of people of color during that time, or not noting enough of it. Historically, the 1960s was an era of many union protests and movements for equality for African Americans. Many high-paid black people were less likely to face discrimination upfront, but lower classes were verbally and physically harassed. In another instance, the story shows another societal issue of the "white savior" trope, meaning a white person comes to help non-white people. This would insinuate that white people are socially superior, and the people of color are victims once again without their own strength. Despite that, it is a well performed film that shows the resentment of African Americans towards their White counterparts. From one viewpoint, the fictional piece has a pattern that is overused and isn't able to bring out many truths that reality really offered, but in another it is an introduction to analyze and understand what may have happened in the 1960s. The performance in the film was well acted and the dialogue does bring life when watching it. Overall, I believe The Help is ⅘ stars for depicting a situation of how in one area of life can face segregation and suffering while also being able make each character unique. Comments are closed.
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