The Help: Week of 2/25

Book: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Pages: 174- 190
Prompt: Films and the maids and Mae
Comments: Maria Nik Nadrian

  I really enjoy reading The Help but it has taken me awhile to finish. I watched the film over the weekend and it was really good. They managed to use direct quotes from the novel and didn't mess up the story, like most film adaptations.

  Something that was different between the novel and the film was how quickly Minny agreed to help Skeeter in her novel. The movie is two and a half hours so of course they don't add even more scenes. The thing is, the length it took for Minny to agree is crucial when it comes to explaining how dangerous it is what they're doing. They're risking their lives by sharing their stories so of course the maids don't agree right away! So far in the book, Minny and Aibileen are the only ones involved in Skeeter's book. Two maids aren't enough to make this book successful so Aibileen and Minny ask whoever they're close to. No one has agreed yet but Aibileen has found a catch; Yule May. Yule May is Miss Hilly's new maid. She is a woman in her forties that has twins going into college. She's having a hard time getting money for it but they're almost there. At first, Yule May does not agree to it because she has a lot going on and she doesn't want to risk it all. Moments later, she asks Aibileen if they could keep talking about the interview.

  Violence has been rising in Jackson. An African-American had been shot dead by the KKK. I think that these events are what will either cause more maids to be involved, or more maids to not want to think about those interviews. What would make people want to become more involved is that they want change. They think that once they share their stories, it will give people some sort of realization how wrong segregation is. The fact that there are white people killing the colored scares them away because making a difference is risk taking. It depends who you are if you're willing to take such a great risk.

  This doesn't fit in but something I would really like to mention is Mae Mobley. Mae Mobley is Elizabeth Leefolt's daughter. Aibileen takes care of Mae and Aibileen seems to be the only adult that pays attention to her. It makes me mad how Miss Leefolt doesn't even pay attention to Mae Mobley but when she does, its making her feel bad. She is only two years old and when she gets in trouble its for no good reason. Whenever Elizabeth yells at Mae, Mae Mobley will say, "Mae Mobley bad." She is taught to think negatively of herself but this is where Aibileen makes things better. Everyday, Aibileen holds Mae Mobley and tells her, "You is smart, you is kind, you is important." Mae Mobley has learned this and says it along with her. The maids are always better moms than the children's actual moms. There's a difference between being busy and neglecting a child and what these women do is neglect. Another maid that was a mother figure to a white child was Skeeter's help growing up. Her name was Constantine and they're relationship was amazing. Constantine was always there for her to help Skeeter through childhood adolescence. What I really admire about Constantine is the fact that she wasn't condescending, but she really did help.

"All the boys say I'm ugly"

"I wish you'd quit feeling sorry for yourself. Now, that's ugly."

Gotta ask yourself this question: "Am I gonna believe
all them bad things them fools say about me?"

 Bonus: 

Tru