The Help
By: Kathryn Stockett
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her 17th white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken. Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Auuster's Takeaway
The first thing that comes to mind is the books writing style. It is rather unique (I don\’t read much), the story is told by three women. Each woman has a unique writing style reflecting their character and personality. It was an effective way of portraying the characters emotions throughout the events in the story.
The book is set in Jackson, Mississippi in 1962. It highlights the segregation and the difficulties black people face during that era. The author has beautifully portrayed the interactions between white families and ‘their helps’.
It contrasts the society we are in today, where it is less segregated. Reading this book also begs the question: We have blurred the perception of races and brought everyone closer together, but when and how can we become a truly equal society. Perhaps, a better question would be does equality constitute a utopian world?