Short Summary: The Help by Kathryn Stockett is a powerful story set in the racially segregated South of the 1960s, following three women—two black maids and a young white journalist—who form an unlikely alliance to reveal the untold stories of black domestic workers and the harsh realities they face in serving white families.
Book Information
Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
ISBN: 978-0425232200
Genre: Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Drama, Social Commentary
Published Year: 2009
Introduction: Life in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi
The Help is set in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s, a time when segregation was still legally enforced, and racial inequality was deeply embedded in Southern society. The novel explores the lives of black domestic workers who serve in white households, highlighting the stark divide between the races.
The story is narrated from three alternating perspectives:
- Aibileen Clark, a wise and caring black maid who has spent her life raising white children.
- Minny Jackson, Aibileen’s friend, a feisty and outspoken maid known for her cooking and quick temper.
- Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a young white woman who aspires to be a writer and decides to write a book that tells the stories of the black maids’ experiences.
Their lives become intertwined when Skeeter, disillusioned by the way her peers treat their maids, decides to capture the voices of the help and the injustices they face. What begins as a dangerous and controversial project leads to profound changes in all three women’s lives and challenges the social order of Jackson.
Aibileen’s Story: The Emotional Heart of the Novel
Aibileen’s narrative forms the emotional core of The Help. Aibileen is deeply marked by personal tragedy—her only son, Treelore, died in a workplace accident, and she still carries the heavy grief of that loss. She is employed by Elizabeth Leefolt, a neglectful and often indifferent white woman who treats her with disdain. Aibileen’s main role in the Leefolt household is raising Elizabeth’s young daughter, Mae Mobley.
Aibileen forms a close bond with Mae Mobley, recognizing the neglect and emotional abuse the child faces from her mother. She acts as a surrogate parent, teaching the child love, kindness, and self-worth despite the color of her skin. Through Aibileen’s eyes, the novel provides an intimate view of the sacrifices and emotional labor black maids endure while working for white families, who often fail to recognize their humanity.
Aibileen’s inner monologue also reveals her keen awareness of the precarious position she holds in white society. Her wisdom and quiet strength make her an inspiring figure, but she is also deeply cautious, knowing that even the slightest misstep could cost her her job or even her life in the Jim Crow South.
Key themes in Aibileen’s story include:
- Motherhood: Aibileen’s love for the children she raises, particularly Mae Mobley, is a recurring theme, and it contrasts sharply with the indifference or cruelty of the white mothers she works for.
- Grief: Aibileen’s personal grief over Treelore’s death shapes much of her narrative and fuels her desire to support Skeeter’s project, as she believes telling the truth about their experiences honors his memory.
Minny Jackson: The Bold and Brash Maid
Minny, Aibileen’s friend and fellow maid, is a sharp-tongued, quick-witted woman who works for the socially ambitious Hilly Holbrook—one of the most powerful women in Jackson. After a series of clashes with Hilly, including one involving the "Terrible Awful" secret that plays a pivotal role in the plot, Minny is fired. Hilly ensures that Minny’s reputation is destroyed in Jackson, making it impossible for her to find work.
However, Minny eventually finds employment with Celia Foote, a wealthy but naive newcomer to Jackson who is shunned by the other white women for her lower-class background. Celia is desperate for a child but suffers multiple miscarriages, and her relationship with Minny becomes central to both women’s arcs. Unlike her previous employer, Celia treats Minny with genuine respect, though she is painfully unaware of the social norms that dictate how white employers should behave toward their black help.
Minny’s character brings much-needed humor to the story, but her life is also marked by hardship. She faces domestic abuse at the hands of her husband, Leroy, and the ever-present fear of losing her job looms over her. Despite her tough exterior, Minny is a deeply vulnerable character, and her loyalty to her friends and her fierce spirit are some of the most compelling aspects of the novel.
Minny’s story highlights:
- Defiance and Survival: Despite the constant threat of retribution from both white society and her abusive husband, Minny refuses to be silenced or subdued. Her resilience is one of the novel’s driving forces.
- Class Differences: The relationship between Minny and Celia showcases how class differences can sometimes transcend racial barriers, though the power dynamics of race still play a significant role.
Skeeter’s Journey: Challenging the Status Quo
Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is a young, white aspiring writer who has just returned to Jackson after graduating from college. Skeeter’s perspective is shaped by her growing discomfort with the entrenched racism in her society, particularly in how her friends, like Hilly, treat their maids. Skeeter’s own mother is pressuring her to conform to the traditional Southern role of a woman—to get married and start a family—but Skeeter dreams of a life beyond Jackson.
Skeeter’s dissatisfaction with the status quo leads her to a risky and rebellious project: writing a book from the perspective of the black maids. She begins interviewing Aibileen and, eventually, other maids, including Minny, about their experiences working for white families. Skeeter’s project is dangerous, as exposing the realities of black domestic labor could lead to retaliation, not just against her but also against the maids who trust her with their stories.
Throughout the novel, Skeeter grapples with her own privilege and naiveté. While she wants to be an ally, she must confront the fact that she has been complicit in the system of oppression simply by being a part of her white, upper-class community. Her relationship with her mother, Charlotte Phelan, also provides insight into the generational divides that exist around race, as Charlotte represents the old, segregated South, while Skeeter embodies the desire for change.
Important aspects of Skeeter’s storyline include:
- Social Rebellion: Skeeter’s decision to write the book challenges not only the norms of Jackson society but also her own understanding of race and privilege.
- The Role of Women: Skeeter’s storyline also explores the limited roles available to women in 1960s Southern society, highlighting the pressures she faces to marry and conform to traditional expectations.
The Help and The Terrible Awful: Hilly’s Revenge
One of the most pivotal storylines in The Help revolves around Hilly Holbrook, the antagonist of the novel, and her efforts to enforce segregationist policies within her social circle. Hilly is the leader of the local white women and spearheads a campaign to install separate bathrooms for black maids in white homes, claiming it is for sanitary reasons. This campaign is a direct reflection of the broader racial segregation enforced in the South at the time.
Hilly’s cruelty and vindictiveness are shown when she exacts revenge on anyone who defies her. When Skeeter begins to challenge her, Hilly turns on her former friend with brutal efficiency. She also fires Minny after Minny uses her bathroom, a violation of Hilly’s racist rules, and later spreads lies about Minny to ensure she cannot find work in Jackson.
However, Minny’s ultimate act of defiance—the "Terrible Awful"—involves a secret she uses to protect herself from Hilly’s wrath. Minny bakes a pie with a disgusting secret ingredient and serves it to Hilly, who unknowingly eats it. This act of rebellion becomes a key part of the maids’ stories in Skeeter’s book and serves as a symbol of the maids’ quiet but powerful resistance against their oppressive employers.
Hilly’s storyline underscores:
- Racism and Power: Hilly’s character represents the entrenched racism of the white upper class in the South and the ways in which they maintain control over both the black and white working class through fear and manipulation.
- Revenge and Justice: The conflict between Hilly and the maids highlights the theme of justice, as the maids find ways to fight back, even in small but meaningful ways.
The Book Within the Book: Publishing the Maids’ Stories
As Skeeter continues her interviews, the tension in the novel rises. The maids are terrified of the potential consequences if their stories are traced back to them. Despite their fear, they share their experiences of abuse, neglect, and racism with Skeeter, hoping that their stories will lead to change.
Eventually, Skeeter’s book is published anonymously under the title Help. The book becomes a sensation, but its publication also sets off a chain of events that threaten the lives and livelihoods of the maids involved. While Skeeter gains acclaim as a writer, Aibileen and Minny must face the fallout in Jackson, where suspicion begins to mount as to who contributed to the book.
The publication of Help highlights:
- The Power of Storytelling: The novel emphasizes the importance of storytelling as a means of resistance and empowerment. By telling their stories, the maids reclaim their voices and challenge the dominant narrative of white supremacy in the South.
- Consequences of Speaking Out: While the maids' bravery in sharing their experiences is inspiring, the novel also shows the very real dangers they face in doing so, as their lives are put at risk for simply telling the truth.
Conclusion: The Struggle for Change
The Help ends on a bittersweet note. Skeeter leaves Jackson to pursue her writing career in New York, a move that represents both hope and escape. Aibileen, who loses her job as a result of the book’s publication, begins to contemplate a new life for herself, one where she might write her own stories. Minny finally escapes her abusive husband and starts to build a new life with her children.
However, the novel does not present a neatly wrapped-up resolution. The systemic racism that has defined Jackson remains, and the characters are left to navigate the uncertain consequences of their actions. While change has begun, it is clear that the fight for justice is far from over.
Themes of the Novel:
- Racism and Segregation: The novel offers a detailed examination of the Jim Crow South, depicting the deep racial divide and the injustices faced by black domestic workers.
- Courage and Resistance: Despite the immense personal risk, the maids and Skeeter choose to resist the status quo, showing the importance of courage in the face of oppression.
- Female Friendship: The bonds between Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter form the emotional backbone of the novel, highlighting the strength of women supporting each other in times of adversity.
Conclusion: The Help is a deeply moving and thought-provoking novel that tackles issues of race, power, and resistance with nuance and sensitivity. Through the stories of Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter, Kathryn Stockett illuminates the complex and often painful dynamics of life in the segregated South, while also offering a message of hope and the possibility of change through solidarity and storytelling.