Have you seen the movie or read the book " The Help"? "The Help" is a story about life in the 60's in Jackson, Mississippi. A Story about "colored" maids who are employed by white families. It's about a young woman, (Eugenia) Skeeter, who wants to become a novelist and takes a bold step, convincing a colored maid, Aiblieen, to help her write a book.
At first, Aibileen is reluctant, after all this IS Mississippi, in the HEAT of racial tension. No white person asks a maid what they feel or think ... they mostly expect a maid to do what they are told. The questions can be hard to face. EXAMPLE: What does it feel like to raise white children when someone else is raising your child?
I do applaud this movie for showing the differing attitudes of the white families that employed the maids. Some viewed their maids as possessions. One such person in the movie is Hilly. Of course, Hilly thinks she is superior to EVERYONE. But it just seems strange to me that you would employ someone to take care of your children, clean your house, fix your meals and then try to ban them from using the same washroom (wc) you use. (Go see the movie ... you'll understand what I mean.)
Then there is Skeeter, who LOVED her maid. Cicely Tyson plays Constantine( I love this choice as Cicely has played many rolls as strong, black women in American history), the maid who raised Skeeter. The adult Skeeter sees the value and love that the maids provide to the families they work for. To Skeeter, Constantine is family.
Minny is another maid who decides to help Skeeter with her book after Hilly fires her for using the inside bathroom during a rain storm. Minny is the maid you just want to love! She is feisty, outspoken, bubbling with personality ... but knows her place.
Another important character, at least to me, is Celia. She is not a colored maid. She is not from Mississippi, but she IS an outsider and is treated so. Poor Celia ... all she wants is to be accepted by her Southern neighbors. She thinks that the best way to do this is have a maid. Her relationship with her maid is one of friendship ... appreciation ... she also sees the value that is added to her life through her "Help".
I must interject, that I am glad that in the end ... Hilly gets what she deserves. I am glad that Minny made her a pie. I will tell you right now... I was thinking something else was in that pie ... but not what Minny put in it. In Hilly's case ... I believe in revenge.
I also am glad that Aibileen stood up to Hilly. There are way too many Hilly's in the world... pushing people around.
" The Help" will make you laugh ... "The Help" will bring tears to your eyes. It will give you a VERY small gimps of what life was in Jackson, Mississippi, USA in the 1960's. Hopefully, it will make you think of how to treat others ... of how people, regardless of race or creed effect our lives ... just by being there.
