The Help by Kathryn Stockett

[Mistermoonlight]

I am so enjoying The Help now that I've reached the midpoint of the book. Something seems to have happened now that Stockett reached the middle of the book, finally. She seems to have finally gotten the language of black Americans from the period right.

My favorite relathionship is that between Miss Celia and Minnie, perhaps because Minnie is a smartass like me, but her relationship with this poor white trash woman echoes what I've seen time and time again, and that is that poverty is the great equalizer. If you've come from poverty you know that there is no difference between black and white. You know that there is good and evil, and it doesn't matter what color you are. They are the same, no matter what your race.

There are cruel people and there are kind people. And like anyone else, we want those who call to our higher selves to prevail. May they always.

[AntiArbitrator]

MisterMoonlight, thank you for the information on Frederick Douglass. It's fascinating. Prof. Blight spoke of Mr. Douglass in a manner that shows his admiration and personal respect for him.

Both of your suggestions for an actor to play the role of Douglass in a movie are exceptional. Perhaps one day a movie will be made, and we will enjoy seeing it.

[avp60685]

I know two other actors that would be incredible in the role:
Morgan Freeman and Sidney Poitier.

I think my least favorite relationship in the book is Hilly with Abiliene because she thinks she can act any way to those who are under her but one day there will be a day of reckoning!

[Mistermoonlight]

Yes, you are right. Morgan Freeman has been everyone from God to the President of the United States in movies. No doubt he could handle it. And Sidney Poitier is a legend, so two very good picks there.

Note: I did not include Denzel Washington in my list, because I didn't see him as having the fire, but I could easily be wrong about that. He is capable of so much. Perhaps I am wrong. I think the part itself would elevate any actor.

Now you've got me curious. I so want to see this movie made, and I want to know about the casting as they go along. Who knows? Maybe there is someone we haven't even heard about who was made for this role.

[Mistermoonlight]

I have finished the book, and the second half soared for me. We saw Stockett get the language right, finally, then she did the graceful thing, and stepped away from the character who was herself, and gave the heroic role over to Aibileene and Minny, the true heroines of this story.

Without revealing anything to those who haven't read the end, I love the empowerment of Aibileene at the end. At a certain point I was so afraid that Minny would die, and I'm so glad she didn't.

I think there is more than one love story in this book. That between Minny and Miss Celia (and Johnny) and between Miss Skeeter and both Constantine and Aibilene. Also, between Aibileene and the child Mae Mobley.

[Mistermoonlight]

I would like to tell a little bit about my experience with this subject. I honestly don't know how to structure it right now, so I'm just going to let it all out.

I grew up in a small town in south Alabama, a place as you well know was rife with racism.

I remember that there was one day when I heard as a young child that the black folks in our area were planning to march. The idea I got was that this was scary, that bad things could happen. I'm sure I got it from folks in the area who thought that blacks were less than human.

That did not jibe with what I knew. After my daddy died, when I was six, my mother went to work for a year at a bank. She worked long hours, and there were a series of women who took care of my brother and I when we were young. Most of them were black, one was white, and the ones I remember are the ones who loved, a damaged child who wore his daddy's death like a shroud, and sought to escape those horrible feelings into literature and comic books. They knew what I needed, even though my mother refused to ever to ever talk about my daddy's death.

There was a black woman named Anna who took care of us and the house. She was always meek, like my maternal grandmother, and I never had any sense other than that she loved us. She called us her own. And we felt it.

There was another fat black woman, and I can't remember her name to save my life, except that I remember she worked in a restaurant in a neighboring town. She was that good as a cook.

There was a young black woman. I think she was very young, but she got fired early on because she, according to my mother ate a whole pack of weinies and a loaf of bread one day, while she was taking care of us. I didn't see it. But my thoughts now are that this poor woman must have been starving, and she broke the rules. I've never forgotten her, though.

Finally, there was a white woman named Hazel I remember, and never shall forget. She also loved us like her own. In fact, her one son was an asshole who never had anything to do with her. She adored him, even though he never came to see her.

She had to have someone to give her love to, and she gave it to us. She was a short lady, but if we'd done wrong and tried to climb a tree to get away from her, she'd climb up right after us.

Years later, when she died, and was to be buried my brother. who had the money to do so at the time, bought a headstone for her, something her no-good son couldn't be bothered to do.

Kids always know who loves them. Maybe we forget that as adults. God, I hope not.

So, I grew up among people who told me that black folks were inferior and not real people. I saw George Wallace on TV proclaiming, 'segregation now, segregation forever!' and I also had these black women who I knew loved me and whom I loved. And I learned about Martin Luther King.

And most importantly, I saw Nat King Cole on TV, and listened to the radio, and heard all of those great songs by Sam and Dave, Ray Charles, you name it. And there was no going back. I knew what spoke to my soul. And I knew what the truth was, and black folks were speaking it, in fact, singing it, every day.

Thank god for them. They saved my soul.

[gilmorefanalways]

Moon I like your signature, I have not gotten past 19. I'm sure its a combination of things

[AntiArbitrator]

There were many highs and lows in the story. The people who appeared hard and strong revealed their weaknesses. The people who seemed weak showed unexpected strength.

Minny's weakness is her husband. She would not hit him back. I would have guessed she did not fight him because he was stronger, but that would have been wrong. She would not fight him because she was afraid he would leave her if she did. People in the neighborhood looked up to her, and she was ashamed to let anyone see her bruises. Pride does not depend on a person's skin color, but people like Hilly and Mrs. Phelan did not recognize that and treated their help without much respect.

Minny exhibited courage in other areas of her life. Telling Celia about the Terrible Awful was very brave because she could have gotten in trouble in various ways and she knew she was taking an awful chance. She felt compassion for Celia even though she still felt the woman was an idiot.

Aibileen began to think of Skeeter as a friend and Skeeter felt the same way about her. Their futures and safety were tied together and that bond grew over time.

There were two events I did not enjoy even though I knew they were going to be disasters. Those are Stuart and the Benefit.

But the rest of the story was very interesting.

[AntiArbitrator]

During the 60s, blacks and whites had begun to mingle, but it depended on what area they lived in, where they worked, and their social environment.

I had no contact on a personal level with whites except in college and at work. The workplace was bizarre, at least it was in the office environment. There was a hierarchy and office positions were the last jobs to be integrated by my employer. In the beginning, they would place one black in an all white department. People would openly stare and were very uncomfortable because they did not know how to respond. Awkward! This was a typical environment.



After realizing that people are just people, the races began to mingle at lunch and go out together. That caused a necessary change in the corporate environment. They had to stop having separate picnics for the blacks and the whites. They had to stop having separate service anniversaries based on race. People did not question the practice when blacks were placed in labor jobs and it was assumed that was the reason for the separation. In the office environment, the white employees wanted to know why they had separate events from their black friends and the changes began to happen.

All of that took place in the 1960s, but later than the years in The Help.

---

Questions I was asked by white women:

Q. We always wondered is your blood the same color as ours?
A. I don't know. Let's cut ourselves and compare.

Q. How do you spell that thing you wash your hands in?
A. *white people are idiots look* Are you asking me how to spell sink?
(It was explained to me later that white people thought black people spelled it z-i-n-k and they were testing me.)

Q. Announcement! Blacks are overturning cars and harassing people in front of the building. Will you take *2 white people* with you and drive them home?
A.

Q. Aren't your friends proud of you for having white friends?
A. My friends are as prejudiced as white people.
Q Really?

[gilmorefanalways]

Anti is that a photo of you or just an example?

[gilmorefanalways]

Anti are you also done with the book?

[gilmorefanalways]

I know me and avp are behind i will finish this week.
In the meantime what are some suggestions for the next book and once me and avp are done with the book would you guys like to synchro watch the movie

[Mistermoonlight]

Oct 1, 2012 17:50:05 GMT -5 gilmorefanalways said:

I know me and avp are behind i will finish this week.
In the meantime what are some suggestions for the next book and once me and avp are done with the book would you guys like to synchro watch the movie

I definitely think we should synchro-watch the movie. I'll put it on hold tonight and hope I can get it soon.

[Mistermoonlight]

Oct 1, 2012 17:43:45 GMT -5 gilmorefanalways said:

Anti is that a photo of you or just an example?

No, that's Anti. I recognize her.

[AntiArbitrator]

Oct 1, 2012 17:43:45 GMT -5 gilmorefanalways said:

Anti is that a photo of you or just an example?

Thanks, MisterMoonlight, you are correct. That is a picture of me.

Yes, I have finished the book.

[gilmorefanalways]

You guys lived in a way different time than what ive grown up in.

[gilmorefanalways]

Its hard as you grow you have every grown up around you trying to force their ideas and beliefs on you and for most they grow up only believing what wasn't their idea in the first place i am thankful that I'm was able to discern between lies and bigotry and the truth

[avp60685]

I am still behind in my reading but I really hope to catch up soon!

[AntiArbitrator]

[avp60685]

Thoughts on The Help so far:

Great book, taught me a lot about maintaining a house in the South in the 1960s!

[gilmorefanalways]

Avp i am too dont feel bad. And ur right it does teach you a lot about cleaning whenever they talk about cleaning in the book i always feel the urge to clean

[avp60685]

LOL, yeah I feel like I see huge wads of dirt everywhere!

[gilmorefanalways]

Lol i am still working on the book I'm sorry to say this book seems top have lost my interest that's why its taking me so long i think ours becuz i keep putting it down really sorry its taking me this long i am at the part where skeeters family is going to meet Stuarts family

[gilmorefanalways]

I am excited to see how this dinner plays out though

[gilmorefanalways]

Haven't had a chance to read any today i just got off work

[avp60685]

Don't feel bad Jennifer I am behind still, I think I am in the same chapter as you but not really sure!

[gilmorefanalways]

I finished the book and am glad hilly got hers she was an awful person and she deserved it. It was hilarious and gross. However I was slightly saddened for Minny skeeter and abileen I felt they deserved more happiness especially after

[gilmorefanalways]

All they had to endure. I found myself wishing throughout the that novel that elizabeth would have hadcourage to stand up to hilly but I suppose in a small way she did however I still wanted more

[gilmorefanalways]

Avp I will wait for everyone to finish so as soon as you are done we will pick our next book. suggestions are being taken now I will create a poll on Nov 1st as to ensure everyones suggestions are

[gilmorefanalways]

Included