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The Help

Kathryn Stockett

Discussion: January/February 2010

Discussion leader: LynnB

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January/February 2010

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
By Lisa · 8 posts · 33 views

last updated Nov 04, 2012 07:27PM

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
By LynnB · 24 posts · 48 views

last updated Jul 07, 2011 06:00AM

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What Members Thought

Dec 02, 2009 Bookmarks Magazine rated it really liked it

Shelves: jan-feb-2010

In writing about such a troubled time in American history, Southern-born Stockett takes a big risk, one that paid off enormously. Critics praised Stockett's skillful depiction of the ironies and hypocrisies that defined an era, without resorting to depressing or controversial clichés. Rather, Stockett focuses on the fascinating and complex relationships between vastly different members of a household. Additionally, reviewers loved (and loathed) Stockett's three-dimensional characters—and cheered ...more

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Sep 17, 2010 Denise rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction

I adored this book and hated to leave its characters behind when I finished the book. It's fantastic, and I highly recommend it to all ages. ...more

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Mar 16, 2010 Laurie rated it it was amazing

I read this 451 page book in just four days -- amazing for me because I read quite slowly. I had just read The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips when I received notice that this book was waiting for me at the library. The two read well together, though the former is set during the Depression and this book is set during the Civil Rights 60s. Phillips notes, "

A key quote that sets the tone and conveys a key theme of the novel:

"Our places of comfort are expectedly different, my friends and I. Eliza

A key quote that sets the tone and conveys a key theme of the novel:

"Our places of comfort are expectedly different, my friends and I. Elizabeth's is hunched over her sewing machine trying to make her life look seamless, store-bought. Mine is at my typewriter writing pithy things I'll never have the guts to say out loud. And Hilly's is behind a podium telling sixty-five women that three cans apiece isn't enough to feed all those PSCAs. The Poor Starving Children of Africa, that is." p. 174

And so we read about comfort -- and store-bought lives -- and guts -- and that nothing is enough to make things right, but a little may be enough to start the process.

Kathryn Stockett, the author of The Help, writes:

"I don't presume to think that I know what it really felt like to be a black woman in Mississippi, especially in the 1960s. I don't think it is something any white woman on the other end of a black woman's paycheck could ever truly understand. But trying to understand is vital to our humanity. In The Help there is one line that I truly prize: 'Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought." p. 451

Compare that to a key passage from The Well and the Mine:

Albert, a white mine supervisor reflects, "I'd always thought that all that mattered was how a body treated people. Colored man, white man, polka-dotted man, I was gone treat them fair and kind. And that was that. Laws and such didn't concern me -- they was only fences and cords arranged just so, and I couldn't see why it mattered where they were set up...long as I didn't do nobody ill, separate lines and separate churches and separate lives didn't matter much. Probably mattered to those Scottsboro boys, all wrapped up in those cords I didn't care about." p. 159

Seems we sometimes believe that our lack of involvement in a wrong is enough. Thank the Lord for people who throughout the years have had the guts to get tangled up in the cords in order to ultimately untangle and untie and loosen and break them apart.

...more

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Jan 07, 2010 Sera rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, favorites, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I loved this book, and I thought that Stockett did a fantastic job with making this period in time realistic, believable and heart-wretching. The premise of the book is that an aspiring white journalistic seeks to publish the stories of maids to families in Jackson, MS. The story centers around the writer and two of the maids, so the chapters switch among the various points of view while continuing to tell the overall story.

What's interesting to me is how illogical the view of many of the white I loved this book, and I thought that Stockett did a fantastic job with making this period in time realistic, believable and heart-wretching. The premise of the book is that an aspiring white journalistic seeks to publish the stories of maids to families in Jackson, MS. The story centers around the writer and two of the maids, so the chapters switch among the various points of view while continuing to tell the overall story.

What's interesting to me is how illogical the view of many of the white families were in regard to race. For example, does it really make sense to have a separate bathroom in one's house for the black maids, because one believed that they were disease-ridden, etc., but then also have these same women care for one's children? All I kept thinking was how it wasn't possible to logically take both positions and how the white women couldn't even see this.

I loved that this book isn't just about race relations either, it's also about class, where oftentimes race doesn't come into play. Poor Miss Celia, a white woman who marries up but can't seem to dress right, or cook, or clean or do anything really, but who desparately wants to fit into the community with the other women. She tries over and over again, but is ignored, except for one occasion, where her lack of sophistication clearly shows itself and embarrasses her and her husband in the process. Thankfully, he truly loves her, which is critical to how the story ends for her in the book.

I think that one theme of this book is about how people judge each other and want to be better than their neighbor, rather than just simply being a good neighbor. As indicated above, this judgement transcends race and gets into other areas where people attempt to differentiate themselves.

Another theme is how people often overlook servants as being people just like themselves. The employers talk about them as though they are not there or that they have any feelings. What's interesting is that this attitude prevails today - think about it - don't some people treat the cleaning crew at their office this way or at the resorts that they go to on vacation or at the hotels while traveling on business? These people have become invisible to most Americans and that is a sad commentary on us as humans.

I was on pins and needles throughout this book - so full of fear that these women would get caught and what would happen to them. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised that this book ended as well as things could for these people. Oftentimes, I find the endings of book to be disappointing, but the ending to this book was just right.

I would recommend this book to everyone to read. ...more

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Jan 10, 2010 Kathy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, favorites, highly-recommend, southern-lit, a-through-z-challenge-2010

When a book is this good, it's difficult to write a review that will reflect just how outstanding a read it is. As much despair and cruelty runs through this book, it is the courage that rises to the top and impacts your heart and mind. It forces you to question your own courage and what you stand for in life. To hold fast to one's beliefs and humanity in a sea of dangerous opposition is nothing less than heroic. The three women that are featured in the story become so real to the reader that em ...more

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Dec 16, 2009 Melissa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-should-read-again-later, books-to-think-about

I was expecting The Help to be good - I wasn't expecting it to make me care about the characters. I almost cried (during a certain scene at Aibileen's church) while reading on the bus and it takes quite a bit to make me cry over a book.

I have to go think about this some more before writing anything for my blog. ...more

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Dec 15, 2009 Jaime rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2009

What a great book to wrap up 2009 with! It was a real page-turner for me. There was not one time that I had to put the book down that I really wanted to. I was very interested in the characters and what happened to them. I understand that Stockett was walking a fine line in giving voice to her African American characters. While I am not at all qualified to make a judgement as to how accurately she captured their voices, I can say that she really captured my interest in perhaps reading some non-f ...more

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Jul 13, 2010 Ashley Hart rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011

From the first page, I could not put this book down. I loved the characters so much, I thought the author did an excellent job giving each of the three main women a unique voice. Being in my late 20s, I didn't experience race relations in the South during the 50s, but through this book I felt transported back in time. My connection to the characters made the reality of that time period all the more shocking. This book really moved me and will stick with me for a long time. ...more

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May 18, 2010 Amy rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed it. I found this to be a captivating story and while the writing was pretty good, I thought she put in a tremendous effort in writing from three different voices.

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