The One with The Help

206. Title & Author: The Help by Kathryn Stockett (530 pages)

Genre: Fiction—Novel

Completed: 11 December 2011

Summary & Review:

In 1960’s Jackson, Missippi, dozens of black maids devote their lives to the service of white families--raising their children, cooking their meals—and yet are treated with disdain and disrespect by those same families. A young white misfit, Skeeter, decides to write a book by interviewing these women and getting their perspectives on serving as maids to the white families of Jackson. While there are many stories of insults and abuse, Skeeter is struck by the stories of kindness and devotion also experienced by these women. When the book comes out, Skeeter and the maids she worked with must stand together to face the consequences of their shockingly open and honest book.

I read the paperback of this book, and plastered all over it are quotes from reviewers saying how “important” this book is and how it is about “something real” and “something that matters.” First, let me say that overall, I enjoyed the book. It was an entertaining story with some likable characters. But, is it really all that brave, important, or courageous of a book? Unlike To Kill a Mockingbird, a book this book was compared to, which was written during times of racial inequality and dealt with those issues, The Help was written in a time far removed from the issues address in the novel. Stockett was able to freely write this book without any worry of harm or ill consequences. So, what was so brave and important about this book? For some reason, people love to dwell on past mistakes, and act as though those condemn our country, society, and future forever. My generation did not perpetrate those crimes, so why do we have to continue to feel guilty for them and pay penance? Obviously, it is important not to forget the past, but claiming a book is brave since it is addressing wrongs from a half century past is over doing it.

Anyway, I’ll give Stockett the benefit of the doubt since nowhere in this version did she say she was trying to write something “important,” rather than just an entertaining novel.

Rating: 7.0