Parent Book Review

My mom read the New York Times Bestseller The Help. It is a novel by Kathryn Stockett about race relations in 1960s Mississippi. My mom loved it so much, that even though it is over four hundred pages, she read it in two days.

Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of the main characters. This was a really effective tool to make you understand the thoughts and feelings of both the African American and white characters. It made my mom realize just how far race relations have progressed in her lifetime.

The story centered on the relationship between southern white women and their maids. Most of the women treated their maids very poorly. Some families were kind to their maids and looked at them as an extended part of the family. However, the needs of the family always came first and the maids own family or lives were rarely considered.

One story line in the book is how there was a drive to make outdoor or separate bathrooms for the maids to use. Examples were given in the book of how the maids were expected to serve the families and raise their children. Many of the maids in the book, had intelligence and experience but all credit for their accomplishments in cooking and child raising were given to the women they served.

The central plot of the book revolves around a grown, well to do white woman who was raised by her family's beloved maid. When she is away at college the maid disappears. She starts to question the secrecy and lack of appreciation shown by her family and others towards "the help." It is this revelation that drives her to seek the trust of other maids and have them help her write a book of their experiences as domestic help. This was very risky considering racial violence and attitudes of the time and place.

I'm really glad I talked to my mom about this book! It was a great topic to discuss together and led us on to talk about other books we have enjoyed.

1 Book