Text Review of The Help
The movie The Help is a fictional story that takes place in Missouri in the 1960s, during the Civil Rights Movement when African Americans were often considered “the help” to White people, particularly in the south. However, a daughter of one of the White families, named Skeeter, is an author who is determined to write a book regarding the lives of these African American women who cared for Skeeter and others ever since they were children. The purpose of writing this book is to bring attention to the mistreatment of African Americans in the U.S. even though they have only provided for White families in a kind manner.
There are clear identities at play here that fit the criteria we have covered throughout this course. Considering the history of the treatment of African Americans in the United States, particularly in the 1960s, we know there was clear systemic injustice at play. African Americans were not provided an equal opportunity, which rendered the countless instances of African Americans being “the help” for White families in America. Therefore, there was a clear label of the Other placed on African Americans in The Help, which emphasized the realistic label of the Other placed on African Americans in the real world during the same time period. The Help clearly depicts how White people held a greater power over African Americans through socioeconomic status. For instance, all of the White families are extremely wealthy and have secure jobs, meanwhile, the African American women live in small homes with many children and struggle to feed everyone.
Regardless, an interesting aspect of The Help is the effort Skeeter makes to help advocate for the African American woman that cared for her in her childhood. I found this section of the plot interesting considering it was frowned upon for White people in the south to stand up for African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. So, why do you think the author/director incorporated the help of a White woman to advocate for African Americans? What message do you the author/director was trying to send to the audience through the plot of The Help, if any?