The Help

The Help

Oscar buzz has already begun. Sneak previews have raised expectations. Many who have read the book declare it to be a good read, a simple pleasant book. I decided to be a free thinker and not be influenced by all the hype.
I was moved by the story and really related to the maids of Mississippi in this story. The time is 1963.
Fault can be found in the stereotypical presentations of the white women. They are immature, selfish, egocentric and also victims of the times.
The maids were born to this work. Many stated that their parents and grandparents were also maids and they knew this was to become their work.
In those days the maids were very restricted. They had to ride at the back of the bus. They could not use the same washroom as the family. There were different barbers for the white folk and the colored. Books could not be interchangeable between schools for the colored children and the white children. The maids often virtually brought up the children. It was clearly shown that many of the children loved these maids. The mothers were busy with social functions and looking after their looks. The maids were with the children from birth and looked after them all day .They worked from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00p.m. for $.95 per hour. They did the cleaning, shopping as well as looking after the children.
Skeeter is a white daughter living in Mississippi at that time. She works for a journal writing a column in a local newspaper. She decides to write an expose of the conditions faced by the maids. If discovered there could have been dire consequences.
Skeeter finds two colored maids that are willing to tell their stories. They meet in one of the maid’s homes. Later many more decide to join forces. Each has a sad and emotional tale to tell about their treatment.
Even Skeeter adds to the stories by retelling the story of the maid in her family and why she was ultimately fired. Skeeter asks some of the maids to answer the question,” How does it feel to bring up a white child when your children are back at home?”
The contrast between Skeeter and the other ladies is striking. Obviously this is done to show the fact that not everybody felt the same way to the colored maids. Also she was courageous enough to go against the system to try and bring about change.
There was a lot of humor. At one minute you are laughing and at other moments there is pathos.
One of the maids got back at her ‘mistress’ by baking a pie using her own ‘sh.t’. It was hilarious. At the same time I was in pain at the way one group of people was treated. The inequities were horrendous.
The book ‘The Help’ is printed anonymously telling all the stories about the maids. It did help to bring about some change.
This is not an Oscar worthy film but it does give information in a dramatic way about a terrible time in history. I thought it was well worthwhile seeing the film. The audience applauded at the end.