The Help: A Novel from a New Perspective about the black perspective in the south including their stories from their jobs and their lives. The protagonist Skeeter. is a young white woman who was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, but dreams of becoming a world-renowned writer and making a name for herself. It is clear that her dreams are just too big for her small Mississippi hometown. She, unlike her white friends is sympathetic towards blacks and their position in life. She desperately needs a way to get her work published, but at first can’t find a topic. It is only after looking at her past experience of being raised by a black maid that she realizes what she wants to write about. Her idea is to write a book from the point of view of the help, and it would include stories and the personal experiences that several of the maids in Jackson, Mississippi have had over the span of their lifetimes. At first it is difficult to find maids to share their stories because of the terrible consequences that would befall them if any of the people they worked for had found out what they had written about them. The novel follows the process of Skeeter trying to find maids to interview for the book, and navigating around her friends who all treat blacks with disdain and sometimes cruelty. The novel deals with the issues of segregation; There are books that come around once in a life- hate, tested relationships, and the power of ones own time. These books change our perspectives and make us voice. The novel is inspirational and shows that through truly think about things in a whole new way. These books courage and drive that anyone can make things happen. often open our eyes to a different world or something we This novel shows the true meaning of sacrifice, and how have never experienced before. The Help written by selflessness can be found in the least likely of places. This Kathryn Socket is one of these books. I have to say with all book portrays what life was really like, and is not glamorhonesty that I saw The Help before I read it, even more ized or sugarcoated to make the whites seem more imupsetting is that I hadn’t even heard of the book before it portant or justified in their actions. It isn’t often that you started showing on the big screen. I am normally partial to get to hear both sides of the racial story, but The Help the book and The Help is no exception. I went through an paints a vivid picture of what life was really like and how it array of emotions while reading the book from cover to drastically needed to change. This book is not a story of cover. There were parts that made me laugh, parts that just black versus white however; it is about who is the made me feel empathetic, parts that made me empowservant and who really has the power. ered, and parts that left me feeling completely horrified. While this novel is a fiction work, its historical accuracy is commendable. The setting, the characters, the culture, and the attitudes of society in Jackson, Mississippi were spot-on and eye opening to say the least. The novel takes place in Jackson Mississippi during the 1960’s in the midst of segregation and the starts of the civil rights movement. While the blacks in the north were starting to gain their freedom, the blacks in the south, were forced to go about life as usual.
By Elaina Price
The Help is a chronicle about the lives of two black women and Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, who all live different lives, but are brought together to write a book
Book or Movie? You Decide By Elaina Price
Life is full of comparisons. Comparisons between everything and anything imaginable. Some of the most common comparisons are between books, and their movie counterparts. The debate over which was better, or if the movie did the book justice is never ending, and quite honestly never fully solved. With the number of different takes on everything and opinions associated with things, it is nearly impossible for anyone to truly agree on anything. So this comparison review is from my perspective and ultimately has no baring on anyone else. This is my personal opinion and I am hoping that after reading this, a few of you will agree with me or will be able to form your own opinions. To begin, I was deeply inspired by both the novel and by
nie share many intimate moments that define both their lives in a profound way. The book shows both Celia and Minnie’s working relationship, but it also sheds more light on Celia’s past, and why she needs Minnie in her life so desperately. In the movie, while Celia does confide in MinOne of the main differences I noticed right away nie, and openly seeks her help, she eventually learns to was the movie was much more lighthearted than the book cook for herself and becomes more independent. This is was. In the novel the real, and tragic issues associated not the case in the book. Celia keeps Minnie on because with being a maid at the time of segregation in the south she is unable to truly run her household, and needs her to were not sugarcoated or played down. In the movie how- keep things in order. The book is more accurate of the ever, these powerful moments were often dismissed or time period, showing that even though Celia treats Minnie altered in some way. For example in the book Aibileen well, she still needs her to work for her because she tells Skeeter that she leaves the white children and their doesn’t have the ability to run her own household. families she works for because the children grow up to unkind and treat blacks with disdain like their parents do. The movie had the ability to bring the characters It is a tragic moment in the book when Aibileen reveals to life in a more visual way than the book could. The this piece of information to Skeeter. In the movie howev- screen brought to life Jackson, Mississippi in terms of the er, Aibileen says that she left the children when they were scenery, society, and cultural differences. The setting was too old, and even recalled a child she looked after that a great representation of Jackson, Mississippi during the asked why she was black, and she said “she drank too 1960’s and it captures the attitudes of its inhabitants to a much coffee,” to which she and Skeeter shared an intiT. The costuming was perfection, and really helped bring mate laugh. the characters into their designated roles. All of the actors and actresses did a wonderful job representing their book The development of character relationships was counterparts, all while slightly making them their own. also different in the book and movie. In the novel Skeeter and her boyfriend Johnny have a more detailed relationAll in all, the book and the movie were both ship. The book also talked about the ups and downs of musts. The book will change your perspective on life and their relationship, and the reasons why it ended was much on a time in history, while the movie will make you appreclearer. The relationship between Skeeter and Johnny in ciate what life is like now, and how important it is to stay the movie seemed rushed, if not an after thought. There true to yourself even if it is difficult or frightening. I love relationship was pivotal in the book, and it should have the book and the movie for different reasons, but I still been given more attention in the movie. Another relation- feel that both of them are important to watch and read ship that was far more developed in the book was bebecause of their strong moral message. tween Minnie and Celia Foote. In the book Celia and Minthe film The Help, for both similar and different reasons. Like in most cases with the book versus the movie, the movie left out a few details, and changed around others.