Set during the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1950’s, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, explores the turmoil of this time from the perspective both African-American and white Americans in the south, focusing on women’s experiences. Throughout this novel Stockett shows glimpses of what life was like for an African-American person, the way they were treated, the responsibilities they had and the overall unfairness bestowed upon them. In The Help, the author contrasts the experiences of the characters and how race and gender race play into shaping social expectations. Minny and Hilly are prime examples of how gender and race influence and affect a person’s life. Both of these women have different expectations thrust upon them
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Hilly is the ideal woman by her community 's expectations. She is married, has kids and is the president of the Junior League. Skeeter is almost the exact opposite of Hilly, even though she was expected to be like Hilly. She had a different way of going about life. Unlike the rest of her friends, she finished her four years in college. When she moved back home, instead of dropping her interests of becoming a writer and looking for a husband, Skeeter started looking for a job at a newspaper. Skeeter views African-American maids in a different way than the rest of her community. She is interested in their point of view and how they feel about the families they have worked for and how they are treated. While others blow them off and treat them like they were insignificant. In the movie, Skeeter is describing to Miss Stein, an editor at a New York book publisher and also her mentor, that she would like to write a book from the perspective of the help. As they talk, Skeeter states her views on the help, “These colored women raise white children and in twenty years those children become the boss. We love them and they love us, but they can’t even use the toilets in our houses. Don’t you find that ironic Miss Stein?” Skeeter goes on to go against the norm and writes a book from a perspective not normally addressed. If the public found out who …show more content…
White men were expected to bring in the entire income because the women didn’t work, if they did the income was seen as extra, and not needed. While African-American men worked, they generally had their wives to help with the income, and were reliant on the income to make ends meet. In both communities, the men were the head of the house, while the women 's job was to keep the men content, cook them dinner, clean, and deal with the children. Riley, Elizabeth’s husband, although he provides for the family, isn’t too involved because he isn’t home very often since he is either at work or the club. Leroy, the African-American husband of Minny has a stronger presence in the home. Although he isn’t necessarily a positive influence, Leroy is around. Since Leroy is largely dependant on Minny, he enforces his role as the head of the house by beating Minny, “One time I asked him, ‘Why? Why are you hitting me?’ He leaned down and looked me right in the face. ‘If I didn’t hit you, Minny, who knows what you become,’”(485). In conclusion, every character in The Help by Kathryn Stockett was influenced by their race and gender. During this time, gender and racial expectations were rigid in the particularly in the south. Stockett uses the characters in her book to illustrate the rigidity. In the book, some characters conformed to these expectations while others chose to
Hilly is the ideal woman by her community 's expectations. She is married, has kids and is the president of the Junior League. Skeeter is almost the exact opposite of Hilly, even though she was expected to be like Hilly. She had a different way of going about life. Unlike the rest of her friends, she finished her four years in college. When she moved back home, instead of dropping her interests of becoming a writer and looking for a husband, Skeeter started looking for a job at a newspaper. Skeeter views African-American maids in a different way than the rest of her community. She is interested in their point of view and how they feel about the families they have worked for and how they are treated. While others blow them off and treat them like they were insignificant. In the movie, Skeeter is describing to Miss Stein, an editor at a New York book publisher and also her mentor, that she would like to write a book from the perspective of the help. As they talk, Skeeter states her views on the help, “These colored women raise white children and in twenty years those children become the boss. We love them and they love us, but they can’t even use the toilets in our houses. Don’t you find that ironic Miss Stein?” Skeeter goes on to go against the norm and writes a book from a perspective not normally addressed. If the public found out who …show more content…
White men were expected to bring in the entire income because the women didn’t work, if they did the income was seen as extra, and not needed. While African-American men worked, they generally had their wives to help with the income, and were reliant on the income to make ends meet. In both communities, the men were the head of the house, while the women 's job was to keep the men content, cook them dinner, clean, and deal with the children. Riley, Elizabeth’s husband, although he provides for the family, isn’t too involved because he isn’t home very often since he is either at work or the club. Leroy, the African-American husband of Minny has a stronger presence in the home. Although he isn’t necessarily a positive influence, Leroy is around. Since Leroy is largely dependant on Minny, he enforces his role as the head of the house by beating Minny, “One time I asked him, ‘Why? Why are you hitting me?’ He leaned down and looked me right in the face. ‘If I didn’t hit you, Minny, who knows what you become,’”(485). In conclusion, every character in The Help by Kathryn Stockett was influenced by their race and gender. During this time, gender and racial expectations were rigid in the particularly in the south. Stockett uses the characters in her book to illustrate the rigidity. In the book, some characters conformed to these expectations while others chose to