Quote #6 - The Help by Kathryn Stockett

July 26, 2011

Pages 256

"But truth is, I don't care that much about voting. I don't care about eating at a couture with white people. What I care about is, if in ten years, a white lady will call my girls dirty and accuse them of stealing silver."

-Minny's reason for telling Miss Skeeter her story

Minny is not risking her life for her own pride, but for the future of her children. Like most others who participated in the civil rights movement, she wants a future society that will allow for her children to have equal rights as all others do. This reminds me of the Extra Credits video on strong female characters. Minny is a strong female, yes, but she is a caring mother and that's what makes her so important. Her motivation behind all of her actions is her children. The reason she puts up with crazy white people is to provide for her children. So the reason she wants change in their society is so when her girls have to work for white women one day, they won't be subjected to the same discrimination she is.

Minny has clearly stated she is not doing this for herself. This explains a lot of Minny's personality that may not have been clearly seen. Minny is self-less. She want nothing for herself. She dropped out of school to help make money to take care of her family with. She nursed her drunken father for 12 years before he died, even though she resented him every day. She put up with her husband's alcoholism and abuse, so her children have a father and a steady paycheck to take care of them. And now she is being self-less with Miss Celia, by letting Miss Celia take her time with telling Mister Johnny about Minny. This quote explains why Minny's action may not follow what she is thinking because she is actually a very caring person, which is not something you can tell from her hard demeanor.