# THE HELP - discussions, please use spoiler block - COMBINED thread



## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

The early 1960s. The civil rights movement is well underway, with marches, boycotts and sit-ins. The resistance to change is no stronger than in Jackson Mississippi, where a black man can be beaten to within inches of his life for mistakenly using the white restroom. It is here that we meet the five main characters of the novel, three young white women who live on the privileged side of the bridge, and two ******* who during the day work as servants on the white side of the bridge, but at night return to their homes on the black side.

Miss Eugenia (Skeeter) Phelan lives on her parents' cotton plantation and wants to be a writer, but her mother is eager for her to find a husband. Skeeter talks with respect to the servants, mainly because her family had a servant, Constantine, who raised her and who she loved. But Constantine left without any explanation while Skeeter was in her last months in College, and no one will tell her why or where to find her. Her best friends are: Miss Hilly - Head of the Ladies' League and from a well-to-do southern family. Her husband is running for state office, and she wants nothing to stand in his way, including any friends that might harbour secret integrationist views. Her pet project is to ensure that all white households build separate outside lavatories for their servants to use, so that 'black diseases' are not passed on to her community. Miss Elizabeth Leefolt - a 23 year old mother who lives with her husband and child, whom she mostly ignores, in a small house. They are obviously poor, but Miss Leefolt tries to keep up with her wealthy friend Hilly, and takes on some of her attitudes, including the building of a lavatory in her garage for the servant.

Aibileen Clark is a 53 year old black servant, whose 24 year old son died in an accident at work a few years earlier, planting a bitter seed in her. But she is used to keeping quiet about the indignities she suffers so as to just get on with her life, until...

Minny Jackson is 36 and Aibileen's best friend, who is married to a man who beats her and has five young children. At the start of the story she is working for Miss Walters, Miss Hilly's mother, but Minny doesn't suffer fools, and has an incendiary, back-talking mouth on her, which leads to Miss Hilly dismissing her and putting the word out that Minny is a thief. This prevents Minny getting any work except for her secret job with Miss Celia Rae Foote, a simple, unsophisticated country gal, who married well above her station as far as Miss Hilly is concerned, especially as it was to her ex, Johnny Foote.

The main plot centres around Skeeter's desire to be a writer. A New York agent likes her writing, but wants a more interesting story. The story that Skeeter latches onto is how the servants feel about their lives working for the white families of Jackson. This is incendiary stuff in a community resisting civil rights changes, and not only does it endanger Skeeter's friendships with Miss Hilly and Miss Leefolt, but at the very least it puts at risk the livelihoods, and potentially the lives, of the servants she interviews.

But this isn't all serious highbrow fiction. I found many moments when I laughed out loud, particularly the scene when Skeeter's family have dinner with her new boyfriend Stuart's family, her mother eager to impress with pretentious chatter to snare a son-in-law.

The book is written in the first person from the point of view of several of the characters, and the voices are all well realised.

One of the insights provided by the writer was the fact that whilst the physical violence of this period may have been carried out by the men, how much the women could be involved in instigating it, especially if they felt they had been crossed. Hence Aibileen's thought as she contemplates the harm that can come to the family of those who participate in the interviews if they are found out: It'll be a knock on the door, late at night. It won't be the white lady at the door. She don't do that kind a thing herself. But while the nightmare's happening, the burning or the cutting or the beating, you realize something you known all your life: the white lady don't ever forget&#8230;.

Stockett's desire to entertain the reader sometimes overrides what a real character would do, such as when Skeeter pays Pascagoula's two brothers to do something that humiliates Hilly. Knowing the danger they would be in if caught, I cannot believe the real Skeeter would have done this.

A couple of instances like the above aside, this was a great read, with interesting subplots about Skeeter's attempts to find a husband, her wanting to find out why the servant she adored, Constantine, left, the plight of Miss Celia Foote. But what will keep you reading is because you just so know that Miss Skeeter and the servants are going to be caught in their clandestine meetings - but the how and the what's going to happen to them is the mystery&#8230;

_[EDIT: No self-promotion allowed outside the Book Bizarre. --- Geoffrey, Moderator]_


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## kchughez (Jun 29, 2011)

Love, loved and lovedd it. lol

~KC


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## Julia444 (Feb 24, 2011)

It was great.  For some reason I was avoiding reading it and a friend basically had to twist my arm to pick it up.  But I loved it, too.  Great writing, great characters.

I'm not sure whether or not I'll want to see the movie version.  Movies are so often disappointing . . . .

Julia


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

I'm about 50% into The Help and I'm really enjoying it. I have it on my ipod as well as my kindle, so I listen to it when I am doing work around the house and then read on my kindle at night. The audio version is wonderful!


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

I'm about halfway through, and loving it. Although some parts seriously p*ss me off. I can't believe human beings in America were treated that way, much less so recently. Not to mention the ridiculousness of not wanting blacks to use your toilet or swim in your pool, but they could cook your food and raise your children.

I'm anxious for the movie, primarily because of the actors. The first time I saw a poster, I knew I was looking at the characters from the book.


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## Jon Olson (Dec 10, 2010)

There was another thread on this. No one felt the condescension in the book? Hard to write black when you're white and well off, I think.


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## Steve Silkin (Sep 15, 2010)

this faulkner story could be seen as an antecedent. i think nancy is the best character he ever wrote - so vivid. fasten your seatbelts. it's intense.

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma01/white/anthology/faulkner.html


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

Finished it this afternoon....very good book. I thought the ending was kind of a let down though. I'm not quite sure what I was looking for, but after all of the build-up to the book she was writing, I just thought the ending was kind of missing something.


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## jmanasu (Aug 4, 2011)

I finished it yesterday and just loved it. I loved how it went through the voices of the three main characters. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a really good book.


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## Patricia (Dec 30, 2008)

KindleGirl said:


> Finished it this afternoon....very good book. I thought the ending was kind of a let down though. I'm not quite sure what I was looking for, but after all of the build-up to the book she was writing, I just thought the ending was kind of missing something.


I felt that way about the ending, too.


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

I agree that it was a highly entertaining book.  I also watch Mad Men, so I found it interesting to compare the two, since they're set in the same time.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Steve Silkin said:


> this faulkner story could be seen as an antecedent. i think nancy is the best character he ever wrote - so vivid. fasten your seatbelts. it's intense.
> 
> http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma01/white/anthology/faulkner.html


Wow. So vivid and intense. Thank you for sharing that!


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## JeanneB (Aug 31, 2009)

I loved The Help...and I will always remember it as the first book I read on my Kindle two years ago.  I am reading it again right now, before I see the movie.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

jmanasu said:


> I finished it yesterday and just loved it. I loved how it went through the voices of the three main characters. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a really good book.


Yeah, the ending was kind of anti-climactic. But it's cool, in a way, because it ended with people starting on new beginnings. I often find myself wondering how things ended up for everyone.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I like that it ended with more of a 'and life goes on' then 'and they all lived happily ever after'.


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## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

I have heard good things about the audio version and the film on twitter.

There are a number of blogs which criticize The Help, and some of them do have some important points. However, I feel most miss the point that a story about 5 women cannot hope to deal with the stories and histories of the millions of Help who lived through that period. Also, if a white woman cannot write that story, then who is to write a story where several races are involved? The book is from her perspective, as she did live in a household with Help, and there are other books out there from another perspective. Have you ever noticed how when you travel to a foreign country you notice things about the country that those who live there either fail to notice or do not want highlighted?

No thanks Kathryn Stockett
Association of Black Women Historians statement on The Help


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Reading this book right now and am enjoying it.


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## stepartdesigns (Mar 19, 2011)

I have started reading The Help, but have not seen the movie version yet. 

If you have seen the movie, does the movie do the book justice?  

Would love your opinions on both the book and the movie.  No spoilers please for others who may not have read the book or have seen the movie.

Katrina


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## journeymama (May 30, 2011)

I felt that it was condescending, though well-written and entertaining. Race is tricky, specifically history in the south. And I think white people CAN write about race. (Of course) But not in a way that is cutesy? I felt it was self-excusing. I don't know... I'm white, my husband is black, and my mother-in-law was a Pulitzer winning journalist. I tend to read race-involved stuff wondering "What would she think?" And I *know* she would have found it condescending. 

When you add the controversy of the real-life "help" requesting that the story not be written, it begins to snowball. 

It's a good novel, no doubt, but it is not ground-breaking or even historically accurate, if you think about black perspective. It's just an entertaining read.


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## stepartdesigns (Mar 19, 2011)

journeymama said:


> I felt that it was condescending, though well-written and entertaining. Race is tricky, specifically history in the south. And I think white people CAN write about race. (Of course) But not in a way that is cutesy? I felt it was self-excusing. I don't know... I'm white, my husband is black, and my mother-in-law was a Pulitzer winning journalist. I tend to read race-involved stuff wondering "What would she think?" And I *know* she would have found it condescending.
> 
> When you add the controversy of the real-life "help" requesting that the story not be written, it begins to snowball.
> 
> It's a good novel, no doubt, but it is not ground-breaking or even historically accurate, if you think about black perspective. It's just an entertaining read.


I've read a couple of blogs stating similarly sentiments about the soft-pedaling of the subject matter and that the movie version was a "feel good movie" for whites. I agree race is a very touchy subject, particularly with the South's troubled past. In movies or in books, trying to reflect racially charged topics realistically from any perspective can be difficult. Thanks for sharing.


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## journeymama (May 30, 2011)

stepartdesigns said:


> I've read a couple of blogs stating similarly sentiments about the soft-pedaling of the subject matter and that the movie version was a "feel good movie" for whites. I agree race is a very touchy subject, particularly with the South's troubled past. In movies or in books, trying to reflect racially charged topics realistically from any perspective can be difficult. Thanks for sharing.


Thanks. It looks like something you've worked with extensively. I'll have to check out your work!

I think writing to assuage guilt will always lead us away from the truth. 
White writers writing about race should always avoid the Great White Savior plot, but unfortunately it's very very common. They're essentially fantasies about fitting in or about being absolved, but they stray from reality or what will be helpful.


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## stepartdesigns (Mar 19, 2011)

journeymama said:


> Thanks. It looks like something you've worked with extensively. I'll have to check out your work!
> 
> I think writing to assuage guilt will always lead us away from the truth.
> White writers writing about race should always avoid the Great White Savior plot, but unfortunately it's very very common. They're essentially fantasies about fitting in or about being absolved, but they stray from reality or what will be helpful.


So many factors are at play when writing stories from another racial perspective. Sometimes all that can be done is to tell an interesting story and hope readers will connect with it. And believe in the sincerity of it. I hope that will be the case for The Help.

Thanks for your interest in my work. I've checked out yours also.


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## JeanneB (Aug 31, 2009)

I read The Help twice & saw the movie.  I thought the book was wonderful...and the movie was amazing.  The theatre was packed and everyone clapped at the end.  Oh...if you go, take some tissues.  I think you will love it.


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## unitbit (Jul 22, 2011)

Steve Silkin said:


> this faulkner story could be seen as an antecedent. i think nancy is the best character he ever wrote - so vivid. fasten your seatbelts. it's intense.
> 
> http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma01/white/anthology/faulkner.html


Great!


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

JeanneB said:


> I read The Help twice & saw the movie. I thought the book was wonderful...and the movie was amazing. The theatre was packed and everyone clapped at the end. Oh...if you go, take some tissues. I think you will love it.


Ditto for me, although I only read it once and saw the movie once. I thought it did the book justice...one of the closest movies I've ever seen adapted from the book. Definitely take tissues!


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## stepartdesigns (Mar 19, 2011)

I'm looking forward to reading the book first and then watching the movie.  Thanks for letting me know the movie does the book justice.  Can't wait.


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## chilady1 (Jun 9, 2009)

KindleGirl said:


> Finished it this afternoon....very good book. I thought the ending was kind of a let down though. I'm not quite sure what I was looking for, but after all of the build-up to the book she was writing, I just thought the ending was kind of missing something.


@KindleGirl - I couldn't agree with you more. The end was so disappointing. I felt like the author got tired of writing at that point and just stopped. I was looking for a lot more comeuppance for the other women but felt let down. Overall, I did love the book and the movie did the book justice. There were some parts left out and that's ok by me given the time of a movie. One thing I would like to have seen more of in the movie was to hear more of the other maids stories. Clearly the focus was on Albeline and Minny but they spent a small amount of time on letting us hear the other stories, would have been nice. You won't be disappointed by the movie but I recommend reading the book first.


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## JeanneB (Aug 31, 2009)

Oh absolutely read the book first~~ I wish I had it before me...I enjoyed it that much~


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## Tam (Jan 7, 2010)

I finished the book over the weekend and am looking forward to seeing the movie. I think it was one of the first books I downloaded to mykindle, and one of the very few I have paid full price for. But for some reason I never got past the first few pages and just kept putting it off. I finally decided to get back into it and then I could hardly bear to put it down! 

I agree that the ending was a little disappointing - I wanted to find out what happened to everyone. But I guess that happens in real life - you don't always get to find out what happens in the end... And change often takes place in very small increments with seemingly 2 steps back for every step forward. 

I was especially interested in the time frame of the book because I was born in 1959 and so it was set during my childhood. I grew up in rural PA and never knew any of what it was like in the south at the the time. It was the best book I've read in a long time...


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## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

journeymama said:


> I think writing to assuage guilt will always lead us away from the truth.
> White writers writing about race should always avoid the Great White Savior plot, but unfortunately it's very very common. They're essentially fantasies about fitting in or about being absolved, but they stray from reality or what will be helpful.


I have to agree with you on that. Everything I have seen at the cinema on the Australian Aboriginal experience has in my view tried to assuage guilt. Whilst I was in Australia writing back in 2002, the film The Rabbit Proof fence was released. I went to see it, and it had excluded so much of what had really gone on, that I felt compelled to finish my book. The director came on TV, and there must have been some guilt there, because he said that he had to make the film in the way he did to ensure an Australian audience went to see it.

_--- sorry  no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

I just finished reading THE HELP yesterday morning. It was long but that didn't bother me because it was really an excellent book. I went through a whole range of emotions. I got angry, I was saddened, and I laughed. Loved the part with the toilet bowl publicity and especially the pie.


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## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

Good to know you enjoyed it Russell. The pie bit had me heaving - never have an argument with someone then have them prepare food for you, I have always said. Will you be watching the movie?


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

I haven't read the book, but just ran across this article and thought people might find it interesting.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2033369/Her-family-hired-maid-12-years-stole-life-Disney-movie.html


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## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

I just read the article in femail posted by DYB. The author met the servant named Aibileen twice, and they never discussed her life, so I don't see how she can say it is her story. If you take the murder of Medgar Evers, mentioned in the book, the real Aibileen is 12 yrs when it happens, the fictional Aibileen 50 yrs. One of her arguments seems to be that she felt the same way about the murder of Evers as did the fictional character. I would suggest, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that much of African-America would have felt the same way at that time. 

There are probably thousands of servants across the South who can probably identify themselves in parts of the story, that says the author has captured the emotional atmosphere of the time. How often have you seen a reader write on a blog that the author has captured my story - I've seen this from a number of readers of Jodi Picoult's House Rules in describing their lives with children on the asperger's syndrome scale. If any of them had met Jodi Picoult twice before she wrote the book, would they then have a legitimate claim against her? I think not.

But there does remain the question, why did the author insist on using the name Aibileen when her brother told her not to, and then send a copy of the book to the real Aibileen with a note saying it was not her? Advice from lawyers perhaps?


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

George Hamilton said:


> But there does remain the question, why did the author insist on using the name Aibileen when her brother told her not to, and then send a copy of the book to the real Aibileen with a note saying it was not her? Advice from lawyers perhaps?


Those are the things that struck me as odd also. If she was expressly told not to use the name - why did she? And why send the book with a "not you" note? That last one is truly bizarre. If it came as advice from lawyers - then Scott must have said something to them because otherwise the lawyers aren't likely to know about or be concerned by the author's brother's maid.


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## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

DYB - I believe the author and her brother may have already been in dispute, so that may have been a reason for mentioning it to lawyers. From what I have read, it was the author's brother who suggested to the real Aibileen that she should take legal action. My reading of the situation is that the brother did not want her to write the book to reveal what the white residents of their town were doing to their servants (wouldn't be good for his networking down at the country club). By using the name Aibileen, I think he believes she is associating him and his family with the goings on (the fictional Aibileen works for the couple who do not know how to relate to their own daughter, and Aibileen becomes a sort of surrogate mother). So, if there is any truth to The Help, it is more likely to involve Ms Stockett's family IMHO. The real Aibileen is merely being used to fight a proxy war between the squabbling siblings.


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

I loved the book and this weekend I had the chance to finally see the movie and I really enjoyed it as well. I truly think the movie did the book justice.
They both made me laugh and cry. Of course the book was much more detailed like they always are but I am so glad I choose to read the book and not just see the movie.


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## George Hamilton (Dec 14, 2010)

I've heard lots of good things about the movie, but I still haven't seen it yet.


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

George Hamilton said:


> DYB - I believe the author and her brother may have already been in dispute, so that may have been a reason for mentioning it to lawyers. From what I have read, it was the author's brother who suggested to the real Aibileen that she should take legal action. My reading of the situation is that the brother did not want her to write the book to reveal what the white residents of their town were doing to their servants (wouldn't be good for his networking down at the country club). By using the name Aibileen, I think he believes she is associating him and his family with the goings on (the fictional Aibileen works for the couple who do not know how to relate to their own daughter, and Aibileen becomes a sort of surrogate mother). So, if there is any truth to The Help, it is more likely to involve Ms Stockett's family IMHO. The real Aibileen is merely being used to fight a proxy war between the squabbling siblings.


Very interesting insight!


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## Brad Murgen (Oct 17, 2011)

I read this recently after hearing so much about it, and I thought it was a pretty good book.  Not great, but worth reading nonetheless.  Obviously the majority of readers (including me) are not going to be able to fully identify with the characters or the situations in this book, not having experienced this time period or culture in the South themselves.  It does come off as "feel good" book for whites, but I would suggest the book as worth reading if only to learn about what kinds of things happened in the South during that time, whether it's 100% accurate or not.

As for the movie, I will see it, but I was a bit disappointed that it was produced by Disney... makes it seem like a family movie and taken less seriously.


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