Book Review~ The Help -Voices That Matter

Hello Everyone, Today I’m sharing my thoughts on The Help by Kathryn Stockett, a powerful novel set in 1960s that explores themes of racism, social injustice, and the strength of women’s voices.

The Help is about three women named Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter whose lives are knit together in the highly segregated division of Jackson, Mississippi. Aibileen is a black house maid that had lived her entire life taking care of white children, including the son of her present boss. Her best friend, Minny also has a sharp tongue, but she is an excellent cook but is a problem worker because of being outspoken. Skeeter is a young white girl who has just returned to college and hopes to write.

After Skeeter becomes frustrated with the injustices around her, she opts to write a book as the maids through which they explain their struggles, their stories and their everyday humiliation. Aibileen and Minny accept the risk of working with the main character, and after duly persuading them, more women join into the effort. Collectively they put together a book that flouts the social norms and puts out in the open the racism of the Southern society.

The thing that is intriguing about The Help is its stratified story- a story that has been told by three different characters. It is a sweaty and close up exposure of what goes on in the home and what goes unseen about the war that the black maids wage in the white house.

The Help is a very good and well-wrapped book that touched my heart. The narration by Kathryn Stockett is sensitive and daring, it made the suffering of racism but it also proved the strengths of understanding and togetherness. Every character was very real, particularly Minny, who adds elements of comedy and determination with her hot-blooded nature.

Even though there are critics who feel the book gives shallow answers on deep elective problems, I noticed it as a great conversation startling piece even to the unsympathetic reader who has never heard of the U.S civil rights movement. It was emulating to imagine what those women had done to be able to tell the truth at the cost of everything. It reminds us that true change sometimes starts with awkward and unpopular conversations and partnerships that never occurred. You can be a fan of historical fictions or social justice novels. The Help is worth the read.