Reading Response #14 - The Help by Kathryn Stockett

July 28, 2011

Pages 473 - 522

Chapter 30 - 34

The damage has been done. The town of Jackson is figuring out who the women in the book Help are, and are firing maids because of it. That is until Miss Hilly reads the end, learning that Minny included the pie story and began insisting the book is a bunch of made up garbage. It very intuitive of Minny to know that Miss Hilly cares more about her reputation than she does about getting revenge. This shows that Hilly's character is vindictive, yet her acceptance in society defines who she is and without it, she really is nothing.

This is very different from the character Skeeter turned out to be. Although she was stung by her friends abandoning her, she found a new life for herself in New York. As Minny told her, she had nothing for her in Jackson. I think this shows that Skeeter is a character that is not defined by her surroundings, but she is who she is. She does not change anything about herself for anybody anymore, and this shows the growth she's had since the beginning of the novel, where she did what she was told to please people. She is a dynamic character.

Minny is now set for life. She will always have a job with Johnny and Celia. She has also decided to leave her abusive husband. Minny has always come off as a strong willed, tough woman through the novel, but she shapes into someone who cares about everyone else, more than she does herself. She wants other maids' jobs to be secure over her own, which makes Minny appear as a martyr. I see this because she believes in the advances of African Americans in society, and is willing to risk her own life, and job for the greater good for her community.

And finally Aibileen has done what she could for Mae Mobley. After Hilly realized she was apart of the book, she got Mrs. Leefolt to fire her. Before leaving she asked Mae Mobley if she remember what she always told her. When Mae told her that she is kind and intelligent and beautiful Aibileen knew she would be ok. Aibileen may have made a difference by the words she wrote, but I find the purpose of her character is to help future generation, like Mae, to know that they are important, but no better than other people in society.

All these women help to shape the themes of the novel. You can't judge a book by it's cover. Beauty is only skin deep. It's what's on the inside that counts. All these are proven by the kind, intelligent maids and the ignorant, bigoted white people they work for. Minny and Aibileen show characters like Mae Mobley and Celia that it's the kind of person you are, not the color, that matters in friendship. Skeeter proves that true friends will accept you no matter what, when she finds real friendship with Aibileen, much as she had with Constantine. Basically I found the novel to say be who you are and take pride in it because you might just change someone's life.