The Help (2011) directed by Tate Taylor, is an inspirational, courageous and empowering story about Southern women in the 1960s. It's the story of the help: the black maids of Jackson, Mississippi, and the relationship with their white employers. The central theme of the film is courage, and how the characters embrace courage to overcome obstacles and fight for social justice. Whether it is their ability to deviate from in-group norms, or overcome fear, courage is essential throughout the characters' journeys. In this essay, I will analyse the situations endured by the characters, and how they respond to these situations with courage.
“The Help” is a constant reminder of how disgusting the racism was, but also how much we have improved as a nation, with the amount of equality we have today. Comparable films: The three movies that are similar to “The Help” are “The Long Walk Home, 1990”, “The Rosa Parks Story, 2002”, and “Mississippi Burning, 1988”. These three movies I have listed are similar because the movies show a problem the characters have faced because of racism. They have shown the inside perspective of what it was like to live in a time period with the struggles of hatred and inequality blacks had to face, just like “The Help”
The Help is set in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. Skeeter, a southern society girl, interviews the black women who have spent their lives being servants for wealthy white Southern families. There are various scenes throughout the film that show social stratification, racial inequalities, gender inequalities, and class inequalities. Massey’s Social Stratification Theory states that humans allocate people to different categories. These categories often lead to inequality which is implemented socially.
1.0 INTRODUCTION The Help is an example of American drama film. It was released in August 9, 2011 and its length was 146 minutes and directed by Tate Taylor. The film was adapted to a novel, where there has been a long tradition of African- American women serving as “The Help” for upper-middle class white woman and their families. Descriptions of historical events of the early activities of thecivil rights movement are peppered throughout the novel, as are interactions between the maids and their white employers.
A Man’s Courage The dictionary defines courage as having strength in the face of pain or grief. Although that does not mean it is everyone’s definition. Courage is something that will always be there, it is up to someone who is motivated enough to dig down and find it in themselves to help them face the situation that they are in. It can be more difficult to find it for some and easier for others, but it will always be available when it is needed.
In "The Thematic Paradigm" Robert Ray argues that American movie heroes can be classified as outlaw heroes or official heroes or the merging of the two (the reluctant hero). This he says reflects the contradictory ideologies (which include individual and community values) which underpin American society. Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan in The Help (2011) and two other women in Jackson Mississippi in the 1960s cross racial boundaries to write a book that forever changes their town and the way women view one another. Skeeter is an outlaw hero, and this can be demonstrated by using Ray's criteria of "aging," "women and society," and "politics and the law." Skeeter’s character represents Ray’s theme of “aging” as an outlaw hero.
Kathryn Stockett’s novel, The Help, is not just about overcoming racism, but also about overcoming the constant human power struggle. The novel also showed how people treated each others, regardless if they were the same race. Throughout the book, Skeeter is ignored and cut-off by her friends while Minny is abused by her own husband. These two events happened even though each was the same race. Even the woman Minny worked for was being ignored because of who she married.
Identify and describe the setting of your novel: The Help is set in Jackson, Mississippi from August, 1962 to late 1964. At this time African Americans were not treated equally as whites or given the same opportunities. Identify and describe the main characters: Minny and Aibileen are the main women representing ‘the help’- the black women who make life more comfortable for their white female employers.
The famous play shows the audience the life it was like to live as a black female, and shows the struggles that the Young family faced being the first African American family to move into a white neighborhood. This play is considered a
Courage is Earned! Courage can't just be said it has to be shown. In the book Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor, Mr. L.T. Morrision is the most brave, loyal, and kind person you will meet. Mr. Morrison showed courage by standing to the Wallaces, he moved Kaleb Wallace's car off the road, and when he stayed with the Logans even though he could get hurt Mr. Morrison’s actions proved that he knows what is right and he is going to stand up for that no matter what. Even though his parents were killed by whites, he stays calm and knows exactly how to deal with the situation.
For example, sanitation workers had to carry bags of garbage that had holes in them and since they were paid low wages, they ended up poor on welfare. Not only was this film was a way of seeing another turning point during the civil rights movement but also, African Americans fighting for justice. Even though I was not born during that time, I can understand how they felt because it wasn’t that easy. In today’s society racism isn’t as bad as what it was during that time. Besides we still have times were we face racism in our lives so I would say in some areas racism is still a
Maybe we ought to just build you a bathroom outside Hilly ' '. With Skeeter 's loud outburst of that response, the reader sees that not everyone of Hilly 's high society friends are in support of the treatment of the black people. Later in the novel Skeeter says ' 'I want people to hear from your perspective ' ', through this declaration during one of her interviews with the maids, she willingly was ready to accept whatever happened if it meant for their perspective to be seen. With the evidence provided, Skeeter is seen to transition from a not so typical white woman to a rebel who wanted the world to hear the voices of the maids that
In Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda Sordino shows the most courage throughout the book. She displays acts of courage by showing her emotion in her artwork, talking to Rachel, and standing up to Andy. Melinda had a tragic experience in her life, but still had enough bravery to do all of those things. Lee Jampolsky one said "Take a moment and ask yourself what is really important.
The Intolerance Backlash In the last century, the epidemic of racial discrimination in America is showcased by how society functioned in areas like the South. Their entire social structure once revolved around segregation of not just race, but gender as well. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the normalcy and expectation of racial prejudice is demonstrated in 1930’s deep south. In the movie The Help, directed by Tate Taylor, the ever growing civil rights movement of the 1960’s began to change the view of some southern citizens. The main characters, Scout Finch and Skeeter Phelan, both witness the bigotry and injustice within their society.
Hilly Hollbrook was cruel to every black person and was the main instigator in making Skeeter think about standing up for the