Impressionable Minds

We ain't...we ain't doing civil rights here. We just telling stories like they really happen.

First of all, I must say how much I really loved this story. I felt a deep connection to many of the characters and was able to identify with several of them. Considering that the main characters came from different walks of life, I felt that being able to see parts of myself within them goes to show how skillfully written this book is. Kathryn Stockett did such a great job of sculpting this world, while, for the most part, keeping true to the ideals and aspects of that time.

It is baffling to read how poorly people used to, and in same places still are, being treated due to their skin color. Honestly, growing up I never really paid attention to how the kids around me looked. Why worry about skin color when there were games of tag to be played, bicycles to ride and ice cream trucks to chase. When you are little you just don't care. All you want is a friend. Skin color wasn't really noticeable to me till it was brought up in history during fourth grade. I remember all of us looking around and finally noticing the color of our friends. It was upsetting. In that moment it felt like we had all been forcefully pushed out of our childhood bubble and essentially been told, "Welcome to adolescent, were your outward appearance will be judged for at least the next ten years. Good luck."

 I think Stockett did I great job of showing how little kids don't notice till they are told. Like in the case of Aibileen and Mae Mobley. Color means nothing to Mae Mobley, she just knows that this women loves and cares for her. It must have been so confusing to a child to watch someone that took care of them be put down and humiliated. Not to mention those times, like with Mae Mobley, when she imitates or brings up wanting to look like Aibileen then proceeds to get punished or told off in some way. I just can not comprehend instilling those kind of confusing and conflicting ideals on to a child.

I find it amazing that Skeeter grew up with a level head and different view of the world. But also a hunger for the truth. I love characters who are driven by truth and are willing to sacrifice to obtain it. Even when it came to finally having love, the one thing she wanted more than anything, she gave it up and stayed true to herself. I would like to think that her passion and determination was something that was taught to and instilled in her by the women who raised her, Constantine. Not only was this book a great insight in to history, but I think it really shows how impressionable children really are. Despite what the world says, I believe that the most important lessons are always learned within the home and I think Stockett did a great job bringing that to light.

You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

So I finished The Help and immediately went out and rented the movie from Redbox. And I'm glad that I did, it was such a great adaptation. Obviously they took some liberties and left out some things, but I think that over all they did a great job.

I like most of you ended up loathing Hilly. I think they way she treated her help staff was abhorrent, I think if she had a dog it would have been treated better. Her only redeeming quality was that she liked and actually cared for her children, instead of relying on the maids to do so. But I like to think that she got her comeuppance in the end.

I think my favorite characters were Minny and Celia. They were both two women who were mistreated in different ways and they ended up helping each other face their own demons and become friends.

This book and the movie made me face the reality that (some) whites treated blacks with such hatred and loathing. It was just disgusting to me that they were so ignorant to think that they carried different diseases, and they had a book of laws on how you should interact with them. But it was the 1960s, a different time.

In the movie they didn't elaborate Skeet and Stuart's relationship the way they did in the book, but I think that he was jerk for not supporting her. But I agree with Lyss and Katie, when she moved to NYC she met a great man who loved her and supported her writing and career.

I didn't think I was going to like this book, even though I am a huge fan of period pieces. I just figured it would be full of never ending descriptions of daily chores, but it was full of heartfelt stories and relationships. I guess I shouldn't judge a book after all huh?

In the end I got the impression that Hilly came to believe the words she had been telling Mae Mobley, she finally understood that she was trying to convince herself of them all along...."You is kind. You is smart. You is important"

Last thoughts!

Having just finished the novel, I have to say, I can't stand Hilly. From the beginning, my opinion of Hilly wasn't that high, and as the book continued it just came to the point of not wanting anything to do with her. I loved watching Skeeter's eyes open up to the behaviors around her and fighting to become free of it all by moving to New York. Like Katie, in my mind she succeeded in New York and met the right man for her. I sorta hoped things would change for her and Stuart, but based on his family's political ambitions I had a feeling it wouldn't.

It's very hard for me to not have a level of contempt for the way women treated their help. Perhaps it's because we live in a different world than the 60s at this point. Or, perhaps it was because my parents raised me with the mentality that it doesn't matter what someone looks like. Which is something that I really loved with Aibileen and Mae Mobley. I loved the secret stories they had together and how Aibileen did her best to make sure Mae knew she was loved and a good girl despite what Elizabeth kept telling her.

Out of all the women, Minny seemed to do the most growth. She's hard as nails but watching her with Celia and seeing everything she was going through at home, I wanted her to have something good come her way. Finally getting away from Leroy made me really happy for her. Plus, I have to admit, I really liked that Celia refused to see "the lines" between them and kept treating Minny like a person. Johnny and Celia telling Minny she'll always have a job with them was the best. I already liked Johnny once we met him, but I loved him even more by the end. He wasn't there a lot, but the little actions he did toward his wife and Minny made me want to see more of him. If Hilly did call them, I imagine he and Celia would tell her to go eat a PIE :-D

I really enjoyed the book and messages in it. That there were good stories about some of the employers were great, showing not all of them were horrible people. Oh, and I have to say I loved Hilly's mom for buying that pie in Hilly's name, LOL.

Thanks for the great read, Katie! :-D

The sacrifice of doing what's right

So my review is going to have a lot of comparisons to the movie since I did see that first.  I would still recommend the movie for those who have not seen it.  There are a lot of minor differences/details left out but overall I think the movie captured the characters from the book.  For whoever has not seen it yet, I would like to know your opinion of the movie once you see it.

I loved the book and I think the book demonstrates more of the sacrifice and danger that Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny went through.  In writing the book, Skeeter sacrificed her friendships with Elizabeth and Hilly and became a social outcast.  Also in writing the book, it opened her eyes about the mindset of her friends and how she could have ever been friends with them (especially Hilly).  My heart especially broke for Skeeter when she lost Stuart for the second time.  There was more to Skeeter and Stuart's relationship in the book than the movie so it was more heartbreaking to read.  It also seems like a blessing in disguise because Skeeter realizes she wasn't meant to get married and settle down just yet.  While there is not a sequel to this book, I imagine Skeeter went to New York and lived her dream of a writer/editor and probably found a man that had the same views as her. 

One thing I liked about the movie better than the book was Skeeter's mom.  There is redemption for her in the movie and I think I would have liked to seen it in the book as well.  In the movie, her mom figures out Skeeter wrote the book and when Hilly drives over in a rage, her mom puts Hilly in her place.  Then later she tells Skeeter how proud she is of her.  I felt it provided that mother-daughter bond for Skeeter and her mom which used to be between Skeeter and Constantine.  

I think the only redeeming quality Hilly has is that she loves her children.  I don't remember any scenes with her showing affection to her kids and I wish it would have been included.  I could understand Hilly having this misconception about the help having diseases and her coming up with the initiative to protect her children but Hilly is drunk on power.  She just wants to ruin people who get in her way like Minny and Skeeter.  I think its ironic though that if Hilly and the other ladies are concerned about diseases then why have the help at all?  Oh yeah, that means they would have to do actual work.