A Story of Strong-Willed Women: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Sometimes we need to take a moment, step back, and appreciate the people who are in our lives. Our lives are filled with all sorts of different relationships; some intimate, some strictly professional, or some merely acquaintanceships. Regardless of the depth, relationships shape who we are today. Everyone influences everyone, whether we realize it or not. In today's novel, relationships, social structure, love, and respect are explored and lines blur. 

In The Help, Kathryn Stockett transports the reader back to 1962 Jackson, Mississippi. One of the main characters is Aibileen, a black maid who works for a very well-to-do Southern family. She used to be a meek, mild-mannered woman, but she's eventually unable to hold her bitterness, resentment, and emotions back. Aibileen's friend, Minny, is also a black and a maid and recently gained employment from the town's outcast resident.  She was never one to hold her tongue and keep opinions to herself, but now she finds herself in a situation where she has to keep secrets for the woman she works for.  The women team up with the young, white socialite Skeeter, who just graduated college with ambitions to make it big in journalism and writing. She's spunky, full of life, and ignored (and often openly defies) the social norms of segregation. Although the other young white socialites of Jackson can tolerate (but definitely not accept) Skeeter's race-related trespasses, being that Skeeter is without a husband to provide for her, she's considered a failure. Together, these seemingly different women join together to write a tell-all book about what it is like to be a black and a housekeeper in affluent homes in the South.  What is written forever changes life in their small town, the South, and their destinies.

The strength of these characters grabs the reader's heart and doesn't let go. I found myself cheering for Skeeter's little victories, Aibileen's big ones, and Minny's accepting nature. The reader feels the frustrations of the characters as if they are experiencing the troubles themselves. The Help certainly describes the situations and the internal struggles of being black in the  South in the 1960's to the point where you can't help but think 'how did people think this was an acceptable way to act back then?'. Some of the women are cruel and heartless to the very people who are raising their children and bringing up their families. In this novel, there are some black women who were staples of a family, who acted as nannies and caregivers and nurturers, only to be cast aside as soon as something went wrong. It's often heart-wrenching to read how the characters treat each other, but there are also moments of triumph, justice, and acceptance.

Although it is obvious that this book is about race issues in the South during the civil rights movement, there is another theme to the book. Another major theme of The Help is the practice of  intolerance of women by other women. There weren't many (if any if I remember correctly) situations in which male characters treated women, regardless of skin color, poorly. It was always the women who were mean to each other. It was always the women who put each other down. Aibileen and Minny weren't the only characters to suffer abuses by their white employers. The socialites were cruel to a newcomer housewife who so desperately wanted to join them. The woman was ostracized and ridiculed for being different than the other white socialite housewives of Jackson. This woman would become Minny's employer and the two had more in common than one would initially believe.
  
There were stories of heartbreak, loss, and sadness. But there were stories of life-long friendships, love, family, and unconditional acceptance.  There were triumphs and defeats. The reader can relate to so many of the characters that it's hard to accept that these people are not real and that the story is fiction. Kathryn Stockett's book is beautifully descriptive that draws the reader in and makes them feel like they are right there in the kitchen, helping the women write their tell-all book while drinking coffee and trading gossip. The story flows smoothly, even though the story is written in the varying perspectives of the different women. I enjoyed seeing the world through their very different eyes and watching them grow throughout the story. Although the story may seem intense sometimes, it is definitely an easy read that leaves you wanting to read more about the characters' lives even after the last page is turned. These women just seem to be able to reach out and touch you in an unforgettable, inspirational way. 


The Help by Kathryn Stockett is can be purchased through Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, and retail booksellers. It is available for Nook, Kindle, and audio book. It has also been made into an award-winning motion picture of the same title.