Important Characters from The Help
Aibileen is a fifty three year old black woman who who has raised seventeen "white babies" and has been cooking and cleaning for white families since she was a teen. She is such a compassionate woman and always develops very close relationships with the children that she raises. The eighteenth baby she is taking care of his her special baby, Mae Moblry Leefolt, and she is two years old. Aibileen's son, Treelore, died when he was only twenty four in a tragic accident. Her love for Mae and her love for her son helps her take an amazing risk in making her story, and many other African American woman, go public.
Minny Jackson is like superwoman. She is a black maid just like Aibileen and she cooks and cleans for many different white families outside her home everyday. Unlike Aibileen, Minny has a family of five children plus her husband Leroy.
Eugenia Phelan, also known as Skeeter, is a twenty three year old white woman and she is trying to become a well known author. Skeeter has been best friends with Hilly Holbrook and Elizabeth Leefolt, Mae Leefolt's mother, since she was young. But, as Skeeter learns more about black woman who are "help" for white families, she distances herself from her social status and crosses many dangerous lines to learn more.
Hilly Holbrook is the antagonist of the story. She is trying to pass a law in Jackson Mississippi for all white families to build outdoor bathrooms for their black maids.
Just like her best friend, Elizabeth Leefolt is an antagonist in this story. Elizabeth follows Hilly around like a lost puppy and does whatever she says to do. She also physically and verbally abuses her two year old daughter, Mae Leefolt.
Minny Jackson is like superwoman. She is a black maid just like Aibileen and she cooks and cleans for many different white families outside her home everyday. Unlike Aibileen, Minny has a family of five children plus her husband Leroy.
Eugenia Phelan, also known as Skeeter, is a twenty three year old white woman and she is trying to become a well known author. Skeeter has been best friends with Hilly Holbrook and Elizabeth Leefolt, Mae Leefolt's mother, since she was young. But, as Skeeter learns more about black woman who are "help" for white families, she distances herself from her social status and crosses many dangerous lines to learn more.
Hilly Holbrook is the antagonist of the story. She is trying to pass a law in Jackson Mississippi for all white families to build outdoor bathrooms for their black maids.
Just like her best friend, Elizabeth Leefolt is an antagonist in this story. Elizabeth follows Hilly around like a lost puppy and does whatever she says to do. She also physically and verbally abuses her two year old daughter, Mae Leefolt.
Racism relates to The Help
The Help takes place in Jackson Mississippi in 1962. Many things were happening behind the scenes in this book such as the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement was aimed to outlaw racial discrimination against black Americans. For example, blacks were not allowed to use the same bathrooms as white people. This relates to Hilly in The Help because she tried to pass a law saying that all white families had to build an outdoor bathroom just for their black "help". But, not all white people were abusive towards their maids. For example, Skeeter. She was always very caring and helpful and developed a close relationship with them. In a way, some of the black maids were mothers towards the "white babies" because their biological mothers never spent quality time with them.
The civil rights movement had many nonviolent campaigns. Between 1955 and 1968, the nonviolent campaigns and protests created an uproar between activists and government authorities and or officials. One very memorable moment was when Rosa Parks did not give up her seat to a white man on a bus. She was arrested and put in jail African Americans admired her as hero.
Another very important leader during the Civil Rights Movement was Martin Luther King, Jr. He is famous for his "I have a Dream Speech". He was one of the very respected men who led the nonviolent protest and campaigns. He was looked up to not just by African Americans, but everyone. King's "I have a Dream" speech was him calling an end to racism. The speech was conveyed to over 200,000 Civil Rights supporters on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Even though the speech was only seventeen minutes long, it was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement. It touched many people and gave them hope for the future.
The civil rights movement had many nonviolent campaigns. Between 1955 and 1968, the nonviolent campaigns and protests created an uproar between activists and government authorities and or officials. One very memorable moment was when Rosa Parks did not give up her seat to a white man on a bus. She was arrested and put in jail African Americans admired her as hero.
Another very important leader during the Civil Rights Movement was Martin Luther King, Jr. He is famous for his "I have a Dream Speech". He was one of the very respected men who led the nonviolent protest and campaigns. He was looked up to not just by African Americans, but everyone. King's "I have a Dream" speech was him calling an end to racism. The speech was conveyed to over 200,000 Civil Rights supporters on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Even though the speech was only seventeen minutes long, it was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement. It touched many people and gave them hope for the future.
The Novel vs The movie
The novel and the movie are very different but also very similar. The story is the same, but they are put together differently. Both the movie and the novel are still mostly between the characters of Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter. In the novel, it describes everyone and everything very slowly. For example, Aibileen and Minny and all the other maids agree to talk about their lives and be apart of Skeeters book. When this happens, it is drawn out very much so the reader can get the full affect on how dangerous it is to what they were doing. In the movie, this process is shorter because a movie can only be so long. The movie has to get to the point. Another example is when Aibileen and Skeeter try to convince Minny to talk for the book. In the book this was also drawn out but in the movie, it was rushed.
Things being rushed in the movie could cause the viewer to get confused. The first time I watched it, it was hard to follow. But, while reading the book there was a lot of detail and, like I said before, everything is drawn out and explained thoroughly. A very excellent part in the movie that was better than the book was being able to see the characters emotions. In the novel you can only see everything in your head through your imagination, but in the movie, everything came to life. Every emotion they felt you could see very well. For example, when it came to being discriminated against or when it came to the happiness they felt when they finished and sold the book, it was very apparent and eye-catching.
Things being rushed in the movie could cause the viewer to get confused. The first time I watched it, it was hard to follow. But, while reading the book there was a lot of detail and, like I said before, everything is drawn out and explained thoroughly. A very excellent part in the movie that was better than the book was being able to see the characters emotions. In the novel you can only see everything in your head through your imagination, but in the movie, everything came to life. Every emotion they felt you could see very well. For example, when it came to being discriminated against or when it came to the happiness they felt when they finished and sold the book, it was very apparent and eye-catching.
Quotations Explained
"You is kind, you is smart, you is important."
This is one of my favorite quotes that Aibileen says to Mae Leefolt. Like I said earlier, Elizabeth Leefolt physically and verbally abuses Mae, her daughter. Aibileen has a special bond with Mae and she loves her like she is her own daughter and Mae loves Aibileen like she is her mother. This quote is something that Aibileen always says to Mae so she can grow up feeling more confident with herself. Aibileen knows its going to be hard for Mae to grow up feeling this way because her mother is abusive and never spends any time with her.
This is one of my favorite quotes that Aibileen says to Mae Leefolt. Like I said earlier, Elizabeth Leefolt physically and verbally abuses Mae, her daughter. Aibileen has a special bond with Mae and she loves her like she is her own daughter and Mae loves Aibileen like she is her mother. This quote is something that Aibileen always says to Mae so she can grow up feeling more confident with herself. Aibileen knows its going to be hard for Mae to grow up feeling this way because her mother is abusive and never spends any time with her.