Juxtaposition In The Help

Adapted from Kathryn Stocket’s novel of the same name, historic period drama film ‘The Help’ (2011) set within the infamously bigoted United States of America during the 1950’s and directed by Tate Taylor, presents the directorial perspective that the effects of racism within society can only be counteracted when someone with enough courage to do so, is able to accept that racial discrimination is an injustice. This particular stance on the issue of racism is constructed through use of juxtaposing the actions taken against racial discrimination by one of the main protagonists and her narrow minded and visibly racist peers, thus highlighting the courage required to take a stand for what is right. A generic convention, most prominent when communicating …show more content…
This use of juxtaposition is obvious when ‘Skeeter’ refuses to place her ‘friend’, Hilly Holbrook’s much praised yet disturbingly racist home help sanitation initiative into the local newsletter and in doing so, clearly refusing to entertain the thought that black people are lower in equality to white people and providing proof that despite pressure by society to adopt a bigoted attitude, she retains the courage to do otherwise. Through her possession of such altruism, Skeeter is able to take action to counteract activities which would insure a further racially segregated community. Skeeter’s show of courage may be juxtaposed with that of her mother who is pressured by her peers to relieve the beloved long time family maid ‘Constantine’, not because she wanted to but because of the widespread racist attitude she adopted during the confrontation which unlike Skeeter, she did not have the courage to prevent. Such use of juxtaposition is vital when communicating the importance of courage as means to prevent racial division within a