July 27, 2011
Pages 447 and 468
"Why is it that someone always seems to be ashamed of me?" - Skeeter
"'This one, this is for the white lady. You tell her we love her, like she's our own family." - The Reverend to Aibileen, when giving her a gift for Skeeter
I found these quotes as a sort of question and answer. Skeeter feels as if everyone in her life is ashamed of who she really is. After Aibileen's community read their book, they grew to love and appreciate Skeeter. It's ironic that Skeeter's own community rejects her, while the community they reject accept her. I find it to show that acceptance may not always lie where you think it will, but the people who truly accept you for yourself, will never turn their back on you.
The fact that a black community is supporting the actions of a white lady shows how much the book means to them. They could be killed for it, but because Skeeter did something for them they are indebted to her. The fact that they consider her family shows the magnitude of love they feel for her. Skeeter started off feeling as if she was betraying her community by writing this book, but now she knows her motivation comes from the joy that all the maids felt when it was published. I find this to show how Skeeter's alliance has shifted and how she's found with whom she's truly feels like she fits in.
This also reaches into the topic of acceptance the book always seems to be talking about. One's constant desire to fit into society is a subject that seems to be central to the book. Hilly and Mrs. Leefolt's motivation is wanting to be the ideal person in society, therefore looking for content acceptance. Miss Skeeter's motivation had been the same as their's up until she being seeing the world from a different point of view, one of the help. I think by Skeeter finally being accepted into society will show her to have a shift in character. This will hopefully lead her to discover the importance of the fact that it's what's on the inside that count, not on the outside. And also will lead Skeeter on the road to self discovery and she will learn who she truly is. I find these quotes to be important because they are showing Skeeter is on the path to learning about herself, and it is also leading up to the shaping of the theme of the novel.
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