Kathryn Stockett’s The Help concerned three common women, Aibileen Clark, Minny Jackson and Skeeter Phelan, who lived in the town of Jackson, Mississippi in 1962. The Civil War was long over, but the two maids, Minny and Aibileen, still faced prejudice and inequality daily. In the novel The Help by Kathryn Stockett, one can understand the fact that even though there was freedom, there was not equality through the views of the three main characters, Aibileen, Skeeter and Minny.
Aibileen Clark was a fifty-three year old woman that set the stage for the novel. She lived alone, after her husband left her, and her son Treelore, died when he was only twenty-four. Aibileen was bright as a child, but ended school early so that she could continue her life working for less than minimum wage as a maid. If she made one mistake or got on anyone’s bad side, she would most likely be fired …show more content…
Miss Celia was raised poor, and was never taught the way she was “supposed” to act around colored people. Instead of treating Minny like she was of lesser value, she treated her as a friend. An example of this is when “She laughs and the crazy woman goes to hug [Minny] .”(42) Normal white woman at this time, would frequently yell at their maids, even if they have been working for years and just like family to the children. This contrast reveals even more of the difference between black and white women, and the inequality there is between them.
Minny’s day to day lifestyle with a difficult financial situation, problems with her husband at home, and her job, proves that the life of a black woman in Jackson, Mississippi was much more strenuous and unequal to that of a white woman’s. However, one particular white woman sought the insight of the life of a colored person, and viewed their value in a different way than the community, and the rest of
Aibileen Clark was a fifty-three year old woman that set the stage for the novel. She lived alone, after her husband left her, and her son Treelore, died when he was only twenty-four. Aibileen was bright as a child, but ended school early so that she could continue her life working for less than minimum wage as a maid. If she made one mistake or got on anyone’s bad side, she would most likely be fired …show more content…
Miss Celia was raised poor, and was never taught the way she was “supposed” to act around colored people. Instead of treating Minny like she was of lesser value, she treated her as a friend. An example of this is when “She laughs and the crazy woman goes to hug [Minny] .”(42) Normal white woman at this time, would frequently yell at their maids, even if they have been working for years and just like family to the children. This contrast reveals even more of the difference between black and white women, and the inequality there is between them.
Minny’s day to day lifestyle with a difficult financial situation, problems with her husband at home, and her job, proves that the life of a black woman in Jackson, Mississippi was much more strenuous and unequal to that of a white woman’s. However, one particular white woman sought the insight of the life of a colored person, and viewed their value in a different way than the community, and the rest of