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The Help Kathryn Stockett 9780399155345 Books

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The Help Kathryn Stockett 9780399155345 Books

In Spring 2010, a Caucasian friend asked me to write a review for Kathryn Stockett's best seller, THE HELP. I had read favorable reviews on national best seller lists, yet despite the popularity of Stockett's first novel, my initial reaction was disinterest. However, I agreed to write a synopsis and summary opinion because Stockett's novel was selected for my friend's book club and she was persistent. Her reasoning was that, because I then lived in Mississippi - 2001 until December 2010, she wanted me to 'ask around' and find out whether the conditions for black domestic help was, "...really as bad as 'all that'" - when asking the opinions of black maids of that era. That is, whether the experiences of black maids as depicted in Stockett's novel was accurate. The problem was that I didn't know anyone who was a domestic worker in Mississippi during the sixties. And, frankly I felt ambivalent about the topic. Yet, I went ahead and purchased, THE HELP.

Remarkably, while waiting for the book to arrive in the mail, I met an extraordinary 94 year old woman born in Oxford, MS who used to work for William Faulkner. I asked if I could interview her, and she agreed. I knew she would be a credible source for information about the plight of domestic workers in Mississippi during the volatile period of civil rights activism. BTW: She and many other domestic workers like her were educated, working long hours. They raised families on meager wages because they had no other options for employment. This remarkable woman has a daughter who was a Superintendent of Schools, and a son who is a successful lawyer.

The book arrived, and I settled down to read it with an open mind. Yet, from the very beginning, Stockett's novel degenerates into an affront to black domestic workers of the sixties era in Mississippi, and an insult to [unskilled] poor black women in general. Her tone felt mocking rather than 'authentic'. There were many reasons; some subtle, some obvious. Yet, most appalling and unforgivable was Stockett's ineptness to capture the southern black vernacular accurately. The way she presents it, the black vernacular becomes both abhorrent and belittling, particularly in that throughout most of the novel, Stockett avoided the use of the southern white vernacular when telling the story in the voice of the two main white characters, 'Miss' Skeeter, and 'Miss' Hilly. I wondered, "Was this deliberate?" I've read many authors who have written in the southern vernacular, including Zora Neale Hurston. However, Stockett failure is intolerable.

Having lived in MS for almost ten years, I can assure you that like most native Mississippians, Miss Skeeter and Miss Hilly did not speak the way Stockett wrote their dialogue. Granted, although Stockett is a novice compared to [a] Nora Neale Hurston when it comes to accurate vernacular, her failure to be consistent is intolerable precisely because she [Stockett] was born and raised in Jackson. I could understand this error if the book was written by someone from a different region or state. Fact is that white native Mississippians have a very strong distinct vernacular. Thus, 'Miss Hilly' in real life would have used 'slang', heavy dialect, and southern expressions; i.e. 'Y'all', 'yonder', 'How come?', etc. I still wonder, "Why did the editors allow this inconsistency and discrepancy?"

Among those few who share my opinion on the inaccurate vernacular blunder is journalist, Lynn Crosbie of THE GLOBE AND MAIL online journal in a column titled, 'Bestseller novel The Help needs help with its history homework'. Yet there is a more striking comment she wrote, which was especially poignant. She wrote:

"Stockett, a white Mississippi native, seems, incredibly, unaware of her competition - her novel is not only devoid of any deep insight into black women's lives, it exists in a cultural vacuum, seemingly oblivious to the impact of black artists and activists of the era she writes about."

Granted, Stockett's book was not intended as a great historical classic novel. In fact, a close friend who enjoyed the book pointed out that it's certainly possible that Stockett was just trying to tell a simple story about the plight of maids in Mississippi during the 60's. She explained, "Certainly one could argue that Stockett's Skeeter character is similar to Harper Lee's character, Scout in TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD - only now Scout [like Skeeter] would be grown up." She further commented, "After all, I suspect that Scout [also] took her black nanny for granted because she was a curious little girl trying to unravel the secrets of the recluse neighbor." Yet, there is a difference.

Harper Lee's character, Scout and her brother, Jem are enlightened and forever changed in fundamental ways which elude Skeeter. It is unmistakable that through Lee's characters experiences of innocent childhood play and antics, and of situations and events they witness in their small town, Scout learns lasting lessons about classicism/poverty, and social and racial injustice and the unfair treatment of blacks, primarily through witnessing the courage of her father, Atticus.

I concede that Atticus certainly didn't quote DuBois. And even if Harper Lee was simply trying to tell a simple story about injustice in a small southern town, her story emerged as literature; a keen academic criticism of social injustice, ignorance, and racial intolerance. It is the power of this message on social inequality which was diminished in Stockett's story.

Furthermore, it was striking that Stockett unwittingly trivialized the fervor of the 60's racial upheaval. After all, her story took place in Jackson, the capitol of MS during an era of radical racial activism gaining national headlines - NOT in some other obscure little town in the south. I'm not alone in this opinion.

Lynn Crosbie speaks about this in her column pointing out that in THE HELP national headlines were muted, omitting details of important events such as when Medger Evers and others were killed or lynched in Jackson, and where only thirty miles away, the murder of James Chaney and the two white New Yorkers - Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, was not mentioned. Nor was there mention of when James Meridith had to be escorted by National Guards to attend Ole' MS in Oxford. Surely, Stockett's characters Abileene and Minnie would have spoken a lot more about these tragedies - especially to each other. To a lessor extent, like Lynn Crosbie, I also wondered about the deletion of the role that white men played in the subjugation of black maids.

My [other] problem with Stockett's novel is that she spent too much time with nonsense, such as the infamous chocolate pie incident, which I considered insulting, or at best, degrading 'slapstick'; a writing gimmick - sensationalized and solicitous [like the way lurid sex, gore and violence is used by writers] to lure readers wondering if Minnie actually committed this offensive act.

Worse, when Stockett attempted to capture the mindset and plight of the two main black characters, Aibileen and Minny, her vivid and detailed negative descriptions of the physical appearance of maids, and the way she described other blacks - 'black as tar', big lips, palms and sole of their feet being 'orange' against black skin, etc., triggered images of exaggerated caricatures of black southerners that used to be in cartoons and movies during the 30's, 40's and 50's.

No wonder! Considering Stockett's background, growing up in Jackson, and her [reported] relationship with the 'maid' who help raise her, I viewed her 'analysis' of Aibileen and Minny as shallow and shortsighted, and even contentious. I asked myself, "How can Stockett possibly understand any deep insight into what it's like being a black domestic worker?" After reading her bio, I understood why she failed to 'enlighten' readers.

Instead, her presumptuous and often tenuous peek into the souls of Aibileen and Minny, and the negative portraits she paints, becomes gravely overshadowed - if not irrevocably tarnished - by an unnerving rumbling and perpetuation of racial stereotypes, which rises to a crescendo that ultimately shatters, soils, and distract from the narrative ... thus, diminishing the power of the story. The true tragedy is that the 'tarnishing' was ever so subtle, and probably unintended.

Finally, although I give Stockett credit for her attempt to tell a story about racism, suffering, indignity, humility, and redemption, she becomes her own saboteur. Because in her clumsy efforts to elevate the courage of the two black maids, the narrative becomes disingenuous if it leaves just ONE reader with a reinforcement of stereotypes or long held beliefs sprung of prejudice. Or, if just ONE reader is left with 'just cause' to feel offended.

Sorry, but I happen to be among the latter.

Maizie Lucille James
Edited: January 16, 2012


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The Help Kathryn Stockett 9780399155345 Books Reviews

I originally read the audio book edition of "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett and later read it on my for book club. The Help is most definitely on my short list for all time favorite books. I am not sure which was better the audio book or the read. This is the first novel by this author and I do not know how she will ever top herself. The book is about the relationship between White women living in the deep South in the early 1960's and their Negro domestic help. It shows a time, not all that long ago, when there was no such thing as political correctness, when Whites, especially in the South, had no problems showing their Negro help who was boss. At that time in Jackson, Mississippi, a Black woman was allowed in a White grocery store only if she was wearing her white maid's uniform. The grocery stores in the Negro section of town were not well lit, not too clean and not very well stocked. For a maid to speak out of turn was reason enough for immediate firing, if not putting herself and her family in physical danger. To characterize the racial condition of the American South in 1963 as American Apartheid, would not be an exaggeration. But, this is only the backdrop of the story. The real story is about the relationship that develops between one White woman, Skeeter and the Black maids, Abilene and Minny, she eventually writes a book about. Skeeter recently graduated from college with a degree in Journalism, which was all well and good, except all anyone, especially, in this case, Skeeter's mother, really expected from women who attended college in that time was to get their MRS.degree; anything less was all but useless. Skeeter, was an exception to the rule. She was determined to be a writer and unlike her close friends, with whom she played bridge on a weekly basis and was a member of the local women's organizations, Skeeter had a sense that all was not well regarding race relations in the South. In her attempts to find something worthwhile to write about, she decides on exploring what it is like for the "colored maids" to work for the white women of Jackson, Mississippi, from the maid's point of view. And so begins the relationship that develops between Skeeter and Abilene and Minny, who work for her friends. The author, who is White, takes on the task of giving voices to the Negro maids who are interviewed for her book and those voices are believable and pitch perfect. This was the first book I have read in many years, perhaps decades, in which I felt a kinship with these main characters to the extent that I already miss them, as if they had been guests staying at my home and have now left, leaving me with a sad void. I hope that Kathryn Stockett sees fit to write a sequel to"The Help", so that her readers can know what happens to her characters in the years to come. If you are an avid reader or if you only read a few books a year, you will want to read "The Help".
In Spring 2010, a Caucasian friend asked me to write a review for Kathryn Stockett's best seller, THE HELP. I had read favorable reviews on national best seller lists, yet despite the popularity of Stockett's first novel, my initial reaction was disinterest. However, I agreed to write a synopsis and summary opinion because Stockett's novel was selected for my friend's book club and she was persistent. Her reasoning was that, because I then lived in Mississippi - 2001 until December 2010, she wanted me to 'ask around' and find out whether the conditions for black domestic help was, "...really as bad as 'all that'" - when asking the opinions of black maids of that era. That is, whether the experiences of black maids as depicted in Stockett's novel was accurate. The problem was that I didn't know anyone who was a domestic worker in Mississippi during the sixties. And, frankly I felt ambivalent about the topic. Yet, I went ahead and purchased, THE HELP.

Remarkably, while waiting for the book to arrive in the mail, I met an extraordinary 94 year old woman born in Oxford, MS who used to work for William Faulkner. I asked if I could interview her, and she agreed. I knew she would be a credible source for information about the plight of domestic workers in Mississippi during the volatile period of civil rights activism. BTW She and many other domestic workers like her were educated, working long hours. They raised families on meager wages because they had no other options for employment. This remarkable woman has a daughter who was a Superintendent of Schools, and a son who is a successful lawyer.

The book arrived, and I settled down to read it with an open mind. Yet, from the very beginning, Stockett's novel degenerates into an affront to black domestic workers of the sixties era in Mississippi, and an insult to [unskilled] poor black women in general. Her tone felt mocking rather than 'authentic'. There were many reasons; some subtle, some obvious. Yet, most appalling and unforgivable was Stockett's ineptness to capture the southern black vernacular accurately. The way she presents it, the black vernacular becomes both abhorrent and belittling, particularly in that throughout most of the novel, Stockett avoided the use of the southern white vernacular when telling the story in the voice of the two main white characters, 'Miss' Skeeter, and 'Miss' Hilly. I wondered, "Was this deliberate?" I've read many authors who have written in the southern vernacular, including Zora Neale Hurston. However, Stockett failure is intolerable.

Having lived in MS for almost ten years, I can assure you that like most native Mississippians, Miss Skeeter and Miss Hilly did not speak the way Stockett wrote their dialogue. Granted, although Stockett is a novice compared to [a] Nora Neale Hurston when it comes to accurate vernacular, her failure to be consistent is intolerable precisely because she [Stockett] was born and raised in Jackson. I could understand this error if the book was written by someone from a different region or state. Fact is that white native Mississippians have a very strong distinct vernacular. Thus, 'Miss Hilly' in real life would have used 'slang', heavy dialect, and southern expressions; i.e. 'Y'all', 'yonder', 'How come?', etc. I still wonder, "Why did the editors allow this inconsistency and discrepancy?"

Among those few who share my opinion on the inaccurate vernacular blunder is journalist, Lynn Crosbie of THE GLOBE AND MAIL online journal in a column titled, 'Bestseller novel The Help needs help with its history homework'. Yet there is a more striking comment she wrote, which was especially poignant. She wrote

"Stockett, a white Mississippi native, seems, incredibly, unaware of her competition - her novel is not only devoid of any deep insight into black women's lives, it exists in a cultural vacuum, seemingly oblivious to the impact of black artists and activists of the era she writes about."

Granted, Stockett's book was not intended as a great historical classic novel. In fact, a close friend who enjoyed the book pointed out that it's certainly possible that Stockett was just trying to tell a simple story about the plight of maids in Mississippi during the 60's. She explained, "Certainly one could argue that Stockett's Skeeter character is similar to Harper Lee's character, Scout in TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD - only now Scout [like Skeeter] would be grown up." She further commented, "After all, I suspect that Scout [also] took her black nanny for granted because she was a curious little girl trying to unravel the secrets of the recluse neighbor." Yet, there is a difference.

Harper Lee's character, Scout and her brother, Jem are enlightened and forever changed in fundamental ways which elude Skeeter. It is unmistakable that through Lee's characters experiences of innocent childhood play and antics, and of situations and events they witness in their small town, Scout learns lasting lessons about classicism/poverty, and social and racial injustice and the unfair treatment of blacks, primarily through witnessing the courage of her father, Atticus.

I concede that Atticus certainly didn't quote DuBois. And even if Harper Lee was simply trying to tell a simple story about injustice in a small southern town, her story emerged as literature; a keen academic criticism of social injustice, ignorance, and racial intolerance. It is the power of this message on social inequality which was diminished in Stockett's story.

Furthermore, it was striking that Stockett unwittingly trivialized the fervor of the 60's racial upheaval. After all, her story took place in Jackson, the capitol of MS during an era of radical racial activism gaining national headlines - NOT in some other obscure little town in the south. I'm not alone in this opinion.

Lynn Crosbie speaks about this in her column pointing out that in THE HELP national headlines were muted, omitting details of important events such as when Medger Evers and others were killed or lynched in Jackson, and where only thirty miles away, the murder of James Chaney and the two white New Yorkers - Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, was not mentioned. Nor was there mention of when James Meridith had to be escorted by National Guards to attend Ole' MS in Oxford. Surely, Stockett's characters Abileene and Minnie would have spoken a lot more about these tragedies - especially to each other. To a lessor extent, like Lynn Crosbie, I also wondered about the deletion of the role that white men played in the subjugation of black maids.

My [other] problem with Stockett's novel is that she spent too much time with nonsense, such as the infamous chocolate pie incident, which I considered insulting, or at best, degrading 'slapstick'; a writing gimmick - sensationalized and solicitous [like the way lurid sex, gore and violence is used by writers] to lure readers wondering if Minnie actually committed this offensive act.

Worse, when Stockett attempted to capture the mindset and plight of the two main black characters, Aibileen and Minny, her vivid and detailed negative descriptions of the physical appearance of maids, and the way she described other blacks - 'black as tar', big lips, palms and sole of their feet being 'orange' against black skin, etc., triggered images of exaggerated caricatures of black southerners that used to be in cartoons and movies during the 30's, 40's and 50's.

No wonder! Considering Stockett's background, growing up in Jackson, and her [reported] relationship with the 'maid' who help raise her, I viewed her 'analysis' of Aibileen and Minny as shallow and shortsighted, and even contentious. I asked myself, "How can Stockett possibly understand any deep insight into what it's like being a black domestic worker?" After reading her bio, I understood why she failed to 'enlighten' readers.

Instead, her presumptuous and often tenuous peek into the souls of Aibileen and Minny, and the negative portraits she paints, becomes gravely overshadowed - if not irrevocably tarnished - by an unnerving rumbling and perpetuation of racial stereotypes, which rises to a crescendo that ultimately shatters, soils, and distract from the narrative ... thus, diminishing the power of the story. The true tragedy is that the 'tarnishing' was ever so subtle, and probably unintended.

Finally, although I give Stockett credit for her attempt to tell a story about racism, suffering, indignity, humility, and redemption, she becomes her own saboteur. Because in her clumsy efforts to elevate the courage of the two black maids, the narrative becomes disingenuous if it leaves just ONE reader with a reinforcement of stereotypes or long held beliefs sprung of prejudice. Or, if just ONE reader is left with 'just cause' to feel offended.

Sorry, but I happen to be among the latter.

Maizie Lucille James
Edited January 16, 2012