Tolog Review: The Help

The Help
by Kathryn Stockett
reviewed by Kelly Carney

The Help by Kathryn Stockett is a historical fiction novel that portrays the civil rights issues taking place in the 1960’s. The story is funny yet heartbreaking and shares different perspectives through the many colorful and interesting characters. During this time, colored women are raised to become the help, or maids, for white families. The Help focuses on a group colored women in Jackson, Mississippi who speak up even though they have been taught to keep their mouths shut. This is a lighthearted novel about a serious topic that was both educational and fun to read. 

Aibileen is a respectful colored maid who is raising her seventeenth white baby for Elizabeth Leefolt. Miss Leefolt is not as prejudice towards her help as her friends, but will do anything to stay popular. Their harsh and cruel group leader, Hilly Holbrook, does whatever she can to make sure that her husband gets elected for Senator. Miss Hilly will go to extremes in order to find the worst in everyone and is always out to stir up trouble. She believes that her colored help are way beneath her and accuses them of stealing. Miss Hilly goes so far as to insist that all help need a separate bathroom because they carry diseases that are only harmful to the white pigmentation. She roomed with her best friend, Skeeter, in college not aware that Skeeter would one day turn behind her back. Miss Skeeter just graduated and is an aspiring journalist. After being rejected from her dream job at the New York Times, the head editor gives her advice to write about something that she firmly believes in. The only job that Miss Skeeter can secure is at the local newspaper writing a column on housekeeping. Having had a maid all her life, she turns to Aibileen for answers to her reader’s questions. She and Aibileen soon form an unlikely friendship and she gets and insight on how the help are treated by their bosses. This inspires her to write a novel that consists of stories from servants around the black community, including Aibileen, about their experiences as help. They take many risks, including their lives, to share their stories with a white lady. As her book develops she continues to form bonds with the colored community. Miss Skeeter is willing to risk everything in order to tell their stories and fight for their dignity.