The Help (↑)

Wow is all I can say at the moment. This is certainly going on my Top 10 favourite books list. I suppose I should give you the title: The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I can definitely see how people will compare it to To Kill a Mockingbird, seeing as it has a similar storyline, and it definitely brings about feelings of rage and sympathy for African-Americans. I really felt for the characters. They are well developed, and full of emotion and colour (no pun intended!). It's hard to say who my favourite character was. I definitely can say that I absolutely hated Miss Hilly. So many times I wanted to punch her in the face for being so mean and ignorant towards Aibileen and Minny. When reading some of the opinions the 'white folk' had of the maids, I had to stop myself to calm down and say that it was a different generation. Hell, I have to do that now with my grandparents! It's nice to see that where I live, and the people I know don't harbour such racism anymore. However, I can't say that everyone feels the same way. Last year for example, there was an act of racism not even an hour away from where I live. My only question is why would someone feel this way towards another human being? Even if they are white, black, Indian, native, asian, etc.? We are all the same on the inside, we all have feelings and thoughts and families. It's not right that our society should be stuck 50 years in the past.

This story is based in the 1960's, and follows 3 main characters: Miss Skeeter, a young white woman who views the world differently than her white friends, and wants to make a difference in the world, and she also wants to make her place, seeing as she just graduated from university; Aibileen who is an older, single black woman who is a maid for Miss Leefolt, who really isn't a bad person but is easily influenced and self-centred; and then there is Minny. Minny is an opinionated black woman who works for a social outcast Miss Celia and is married to a drunkard. Miss Skeeter joins forces with Aibileen and Minny during a time where black rights are just coming into focus. They write a novel that is based off the stories of help in the surrounding area. It gets published, and then they have to deal with the wrath of Miss Hilly, the villain of the novel. Although the ending doesn't tie up loose ends, it does make you feel 'freer' in a sense that the main characters are starting their new lives, and the help who helped write the novel also had some changes occur in their work lives.

This novel certainly isn't a feel good novel. It's one where you read it, and it makes you outraged at society and how people are treated unfairly (even in today's day and age), but the ending allows for a positive light to shine through, and gives you hope. Yeah, this sounds cheesy, but honestly, it's the truth. I definitely will recommend this book to ANYONE! I borrowed this book from a friend of my mother's, but it will go on my list of 'books to buy', so that I can keep it on my bookshelf. Anyway, onward to reading Still Alice. Until then, Happy Reading!