Book: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Movie: The Help directed by Tate Taylor
You will often hear me say that the book is always better than the movie. In this case, the movie was done really well. Often I do the book and movie reviews separate, but the movie followed the book so closely that I figured I would write a double review!
The book/movie is set back in the 1960′s when the civil rights movement was occurring. What is captivating about this book/movie is that while the focus is on the lives of black women, it also subtly touches on the lives of women, in general, during that time. The book illustrates that women in the south were to be seen, not heard. They rarely held jobs in the community.
The role of the woman was to be a trophy that men could look at and admire. In reality, the woman’s purpose was to have the babies. The story illustrates a societal drag on women who had ambition. Women who chose to go to college and get an education, were thought to be a little “too worldly.” The book gave the impression that down in the south, men didn’t want to marry a girl who had a lot of opinions on matters that “didn’t concern them.”
The book focuses on a young girl, nicknamed Skeeter, who was freshly out of college with a degree, and whose mother truly wouldn’t be satisfied until she was married. Skeeter came home to find that Constantine, the maid who had raised her, had been fired. In many ways, Constantine, like other maids, was more of a mother to her than her own mother was. Her family would not talk about Constantine’s disappearance, and she was crushed.
Skeeter hoped to become a novelist, but needed to obtain a general writing position to gain experience before anyone would look at her work. Skeeter received a position in the local newspaper writing about cleaning. What did white women know about cleaning back then? It was for the maids to do. She chose to enlist help from the maids of friends. What she ended up learning was the difficult lives these women led, and how much they gave up from their own lives, from raising their own children, in order to be the hired help of white families. This is what she chose to write her novel about.
A difference between the movie and book: In the book there is more focus on the efforts involved in getting these women to tell their stories. They lightly touched on the struggles for black women to come forward with their stories in the movie. This occurred with the camaraderie between Aibileen and Minny, and with Skeeter reading the laws that governed “colored people” in Mississippi. In the book it emphasized to a greater extent, how truly dangerous it was for these women to be speaking to a white woman at all, let alone discuss the hazards, terrible occurrences, and some happy moments while working for white families.
The book and the movie, both touched on the issues of miscarriages, loving good husbands, loving bad husbands, the powerful friendships between women, and women who dreamed of working outside of the home. Women who dreamed of writing.
I won’t give away too much more of the story, as I strongly encourage everyone to read it. I also encourage you to see the movie. It was wonderful! You may laugh. You may certainly cry. You will come out feeling touched. I never thought Emma Stone could even act her way out of a paper bag, but she did superbly well. The actresses, Viola Davis (who played Aibileen), and Octavia Spencer (as Minny) were amazing and powerfully portrayed. Spencer adds a great amount of humor and comedic support in spite of some the tough topics discussed. Truly, Davis and Spencer make the movie great.
One of the ways in which the book touched me was through a line that is so poignant that I have chosen to say it each day to my little girl (with a little part I added for her).
Every day, I say to my Lil Sunshine: “You are Kind. You are Smart. You are Important. You are Wonderful Just the Way You Are!”
Something to remember and teach our young girls, especially in a society that still places an inordinate amount of value upon physical appearance and not the beauty of our minds. Go girls!!! You can do anything!
This is one of the best reviews I’ve read. I will definitely have to get the book now.
Elle Davis recently posted..I’ll never meet you but I love you.
I am super glad you liked it!! I think you will really like the book, or the movie. Though, I have to say the men back then were total asshats. They do touch, a little, on miscarriages and there is a good bond between the women that helps them get through it.
Hugs
So… we will be your bond women, Elle. We are here to help you get through it. Bondage? That could be fun, too.
Sunshines Mommy recently posted..A Daddy and his little girl…
Hell, I’m up for some bondage right about now.
Elle Davis recently posted..A guest post from my sister, Alotta Fagina: Things I never thought I would say or do when I became a parent.
hehe… I’ll get right on that.
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I’ve had this book sitting on my dining room table forever. I can never seem to get past page 3. Maybe I’ll just see the movie instead
It took me quite a few pages to get in it as well. Once past the 2nd chapter, you may find it more interesting. If a book takes me too long to get into it, I end up putting it down and never going back to it. This one, had me pretty hooked after a bit, and I didn’t want to put it down!!
But with baby, sometimes it is just easier to see the movie, and in this case it followed the book fairly well.
Either way, enjoy!!
Sunshines Mommy recently posted..A Daddy and his little girl…
I agree- great review. I’ll be adding this to my list of books to read!
Elle Parker recently posted..Oh Hai.
What are some of the other books in your list?
I tend to have 2 frames of thoughts on books. Quality reads, like this one. That make you think, feel and come out on the other end changed or having learned something.
Then there are the Candy reads. These are typically my romance, smut reads that I can do in a day. (Well, COULD before Sunshine was here). I don’t do harlequin romance novels, but more like historical romance, paranormal romance (I love me some vampires or werewolves that can bite!). Anyone interested in Candy reviews, or just Quality reviews? hehe…
Sunshines Mommy recently posted..A Daddy and his little girl…
I agree – great review and also great book. Haven’t seen the movie yet. I went into the book not having any idea of what it was about and came out just amazed at what women of color went through to raise white women’s children while being forced to work ungodly hours for little pay and the prospect of being fired for no reason at all.
I think the message “You are kind. You are smart. You are important” should be given to not just our girls, but to our boys as well. It’s so important that they know they matter and that they are fine exactly as they are.
Chelle
Chelle recently posted..Another Ambien Post
Totally agree.
And I was really shocked too, about how much time was spent raising white families children that they truly felt like they were their own. And how their own children must have suffered from not having their mothers there to care for them. Very powerful.
Sunshines Mommy recently posted..A Daddy and his little girl…
I can’t wait to read the book now!
Cheryl Ann Marble recently posted..Following Up & In the Works…
I hope you enjoy it, Cheryl Ann! I’d love to hear what you think!
Sunshines Mommy recently posted..A Daddy and his little girl…
When I first read the book, I liked it but didn’t love it…I was on the fence about seeing the movie because movies based on books generally disappoint me. When the movie was released I started reading articles and posts by people who found the book to not be very authentic of the time period or race relations…essentially many of them were of the opinion that the book (and movie) were not really from the perspective of the black maids…but from the perspective of the white women who employed them. Basically, many of the articles/posts I read boiled down to this: if you are looking for an authentic story of a black maid during that time period, this isn’t the book that is going to give it to you.
Kelly (MochaMomma) said it best here: “It isn’t a story about black women and their voices that were eventually found. It’s a story about a white woman and the black maids are simply essential plot devices to the salvation of the white person’s soul. It’s more alienation than transcendence, but look at how many people want to defend it.” Full Q&A here: http://leahpeah.com/blog/2011/09/13/mocha-momma-on-race-and-education.html
After I read those articles & posts I felt bad for liking it — I *still* feel bad because I still like the book. But then I realized that I shouldn’t feel bad for liking a good story (and I hope everyone knows that I’m not trying to make YOU feel bad for liking it — that is NOT my intent – my intent is just to give another perspective on this book/movie) — what I will do is read other books (listed by Kelly on a post on her site, let me know if you want it) that give a more authentic voice to what it was really like to be a black maid during that time period.
Race issues are difficult for people to talk about – this book and movie can be very polarizing – in the Q&A Kelly suggests that we’re not ready to talk about race yet – but we’re getting there.
I hope we are.
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I heard many of the same musings about the book, or movie, not being very true to what occurred during that time. I had read the same article and found it intriguing.
I just enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the perspective from that time, that I otherwise wouldn’t have gotten, and it has piqued my curiosity in learning more about the lives and times of people in that period.
I think any book that does this, is great. I thought it was well written, whatever side it came from. Hopefully this book will induce others to read more about these issues, and help to at least “begin” those discussions about race issues.
Sunshines Mommy recently posted..A Daddy and his little girl…
I agree! I loved the audio book (they hire some amazing voice talents for them), and I was ecstatic to be in a sold-out showing of the film when it first came out. We cheered, laughed, hooted and hollered like I’d never experienced in a movie before. Awesome book and fabulous film adaptation!
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The movie was quite funny. When I was reading the book, I didn’t laugh as much, but I feel they really did a great job with the actress they hired to play the parts. Especially, Spencer who was Minny. She was hilarious!!
Sunshines Mommy recently posted..A Daddy and his little girl…
Agreed–Two-Slice Hilly was much funnier in person. ;D
Wombat Central recently posted..Glitter
excellent review. I read the book & saw the movie. Poignant thoughts!
Glad you enjoyed it!! Hope you are well, and will see you later today!
Sunshines Mommy recently posted..A Daddy and his little girl…
Awesome reviews! I am a book snob when it comes to the movies that are made from them and usually avoid them if I read the book first. I adored the book, a really great look at what life was like for colored women back in the 50′s.
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