3 Reasons Why You Should Read The Help

By Florence Lin

A historical fiction novel published in 2009, The Help by Kathryn Stockett is an engaging read with an excellent movie adaptation as well. Taking place in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, this novel is told from the point of view of Aibileen Clark, an African American maid who raises white children. The book follows her life as she raises sweet little Mae Mobley Leefolt. Aibileen also helps around the Leefolt house, sets up for Miss Leefolt’s book club, cleans the house, and makes food, all the while facing mistreatment from the Leefolts. However, unbeknownst to her employers, Aibileen begins to secretly tell stories of her experiences as a maid to Miss Leefolt’s book club friend, Miss Eugenia, nicknamed “Skeeter”. Miss Skeeter is a writer who works on a story about life as an African American who works as a helper to a white family. She collects first-hand stories from helpers of their experiences with employers, experiences with the children they raise, being mistreated, being loved like family, and she compiles stories from many people. Aibileen tells her stories, helps Miss Skeeter find people to interview, and navigates through her life as she does so. Aibileen’s story is full of ups and downs and love and pain. I would recommend it to any teenager or adult. Here are three reasons why you should read The Help:

1. Aibileen is very easy to empathize with.

Aibileen is a hard-working, loving, honest woman. She takes her work seriously and does it well despite being treated poorly by her employers, and being paid much less than deserved. As the narrator of the book, Aibileen tells her story to readers from her perspective, explaining her thoughts as she lives her life, and gives her backstory to readers as well. We learn that she has become unforgiving because her child died young at 24-years-old. She says that the day he died was “the day my whole world went black. [...] I was surprise to see the world didn’t stop just because my boy did. [...] it weren’t too long before I seen something in me had changed. A bitter seed was planted inside a me. And I just didn’t feel so accepting anymore” (Stockett 3). However, she spreads her love and cares about Mae Mobley very much. She explains to the reader that “By the time she a year old, Mae Mobley following me around everywhere I go,” and says that “Mae Mobley my special baby” (2). Readers feel for Aibileen because they understand how loving and caring she is, and root for her because they know how much she deserves.

2. There are many amazing relationships between characters.

Although there are many depictions of prejudice and injustice in this book, there are also many beautiful relationships. A great example of this is Aibileen and her best friend Minny. The two are supportive of each other and have a heartwarming friendship. There are also wonderful relationships between the maids and the children they raise. One involves Skeeter and Constantine, an African American maid who raised her. They have a wonderful bond and throughout the book, Skeeter reminisces on times she sought advice from her. One of the most touching moments Skeeter recalls is when she was called “ugly” for the first time as a 13-year-old. She cries and cries, and Constantine asks her what happened. After she tells her, Constantine tells her, “Ugly live up on the inside. Ugly be a hurtful, mean person. Is you one a them peoples? [...] ‘You gone have to ask yourself, Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?” (73). After remembering this moment, Skeeter thinks “All my life I’d been told what to believe about politics, coloreds, being a girl. But with Constantine’s thumb pressed in my hand, I realized I actually had a choice in what I could believe” (74). Skeeter looks up to Constantine like a mother, and she shaped her into the person she is. Human bonds like these make The Help much more engaging and readers become invested in the relationships.

3. It is eye-opening and depicts the shocking realities of the time period.

There are many beautiful relationships in this book, but more so, there are also many people who are treated very terribly. Many people during this time period were very cruel, and The Help does not censor this. One of these examples is Miss Hilly. Miss Hilly is another member of Miss Leefolt’s book club, and contrary to Skeeter, she looks down on African American people and is horribly disrespectful to them. When Miss Hilly visits Miss Leefolt, Aibileen waits on her. During this time, Miss Hilly makes numerous degrading comments towards African Americans such as “Nobody wants to sit on a toilet seat they have to share with them,” and saying, “‘colored people and white people are just so...different’ [as] She wrinkle up her nose” (217-218). I will not elaborate on some of the more major plot points that involve shocking behavior, but through Miss Hilly’s character, along with some others, readers are exposed to horrible demeanors and racism. This book does a good job of showing how much damage these words and actions have by showing the effect they have on Aibileen. The Help is a very eye-opening novel and I hope you will consider reading it.