In The Help by Kathryn Stockett, racism is evidence throughout the book. Set in the early 1960s, the United State is in a turmoil over civil rights for African-American. In a time of racial discrimination, blacks maids are the foundation of white family. Black maids do all housework, cooking and as well as child care which leads white women to be ignorant of their roles as a mother and wife. Even though black maids are usually loyal and obedient to their employer, there’s no respect from the employer. Black woman's only job is to become a maid if they wanted to support their family. The book portrays the dark aspect of African-American during the time period, how stereotypes lead to more racial discrimination and why color determines their
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Hilly is a character that enforces that idea. In the first chapter during bridge game, the topic of bathroom comes up with Hilly saying that, “Everybody knows they carry different kinds of diseases than we do. I double” (10). Hilly is making a judgment on African-American base on her impression of them which is how stereotypes are created. During the period of the time, black males works in harsh conditions at a factory or construction site while women works as caretakers for white homes. This led to the belief that African-American have none or little intelligence. Hilly has always looked down on all African-American and degrading them for who they really are. Skeeter begins to see the racial discrimination in chapter twelve when noticing that, “Hilly raises her voice about three octaves when talking to black people. Elizabeth smiles likes she’s talking to a child, although certainly not her own” (200). Hilly raise her voice in order to sound like a queen, some of top class. She wants the maids to obey and know their place in the house and in society. Elizabeth in the other hand, feel like she is talking to a child even though Aibileen is older than she is. The point is that the treatment of maids was within the social norms of society. If someone’s skin color is black, then they will be
Hilly is a character that enforces that idea. In the first chapter during bridge game, the topic of bathroom comes up with Hilly saying that, “Everybody knows they carry different kinds of diseases than we do. I double” (10). Hilly is making a judgment on African-American base on her impression of them which is how stereotypes are created. During the period of the time, black males works in harsh conditions at a factory or construction site while women works as caretakers for white homes. This led to the belief that African-American have none or little intelligence. Hilly has always looked down on all African-American and degrading them for who they really are. Skeeter begins to see the racial discrimination in chapter twelve when noticing that, “Hilly raises her voice about three octaves when talking to black people. Elizabeth smiles likes she’s talking to a child, although certainly not her own” (200). Hilly raise her voice in order to sound like a queen, some of top class. She wants the maids to obey and know their place in the house and in society. Elizabeth in the other hand, feel like she is talking to a child even though Aibileen is older than she is. The point is that the treatment of maids was within the social norms of society. If someone’s skin color is black, then they will be