Isabella Vasquez
Professor Lewenstein
English 110
19 January 2022
The Civil Rights Movement: The Help Must Chang
In the film The Help, Aibileen is a wise and weathered black maid who has raised seven white children. She works for Elizabeth Leefolt and adores toddler Mae Mobley Leefolt, even though she knows that the loving relationship could hurt them both. Aibileen has changed since her son's death, and she finds that she cannot accept the way things are so easily now. The book she writes with Skeeter andthe other maids empowers her to stand up for injustices. She teaches the children she raises that the color of skin does not matter but love and kindness do but she often feels that the message is countered by the racism in Jackson. Aibileen realizes she has more to offer in life than being a maid and finding the courage to try something new. When talking to Skeeter, she at one point says, "I thought I might write my stories down or read 'em to you. Ain't no different in writin' down my prayers." Her identity is determined by her place in society as a maid, but she embraces a central role in the writing project with Skeeter and finds a new identity as a writer, too. Aibileen realizes the danger that could result from her decisions, but she embraces the risk and relies on her faith for guidance. In the end, Aibileen discovers her own courage and talents, which leads her to leave her job as a maid and accept an undetermined path that will lead to more independence.The Help is about African Americans working in white households where they face racial backlash. The early 1960s were turbulent times for Mississippi. Society was strictly segregated along racial lines, and the social, political, and economic rights of blacks were suppressed through violence. Although slavery had ended 100 years earlier, African Americans in Mississippi had been kept in subjugation for decades through a system known as "Jim Crow." This film shows the discriminatory policies that African Americans had the worst jobs, lowest pay, poorest schools, and harshest living conditions.
The 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi, marked the peak of injustice in the Jim Crow South and on the brink of the Civil Rights Movement. During the 1960's, the era was covered in legal segregation and economic inequalities,which limited black women's employment opportunities. Up to 90 percent of working black women in the South labored as domestic servants in white homes. During this time, the Ku Klux Klan also known as the KKK were starting to form. These groups were made up of white men, mostly middle and upper class, and formed in cities and small towns throughout the South in the late 1950s and
early 1960s. They wanted to spread and share Klan's ideology and worked to preserve the system of segregation. White supremacist politicians, police, and business leaders worked together to keep African Americans "in their place." People who were the color black that lived in Mississippi who challenged the system were arrested and jailed, punished by white employers, or attacked by the terrorist group Ku Klux Klan. Some were even killed for trying too vote or improve their lives.
In her article "Racism Is 'Built into the Very Bones' of Mississippi" Jesmyn Ward portrays the racism that occurred in the South during that time period, as well as emphasize the resentment the African Americans had toward Caucasians for their cruel treatment towards them. Mississippi in the 1960's, peak of injustice in the Jim Crow South and on the brink of the Civil Rights Movement. While they did not typically use violence as a tactic, distinguishing them from the Ku Klux Klan, they shared the Klan's ideology, and they worked to preserve the system of segregation.
The clothes worn by the characters (see figure.1 - top of essay) symbolize the class and place in their 1960s society. The two white women on the park bench are wearing pretty pink dresses and nice shoes. This indicates that they are from an upper-class. The two black women on the left however, are dressed in dull maid clothes and shoes that are clearly used for comfort from working a lot. The contrast in clothing between the two groups shows that the black women are from a lower working class that work for the upper-class white women. The park benches can also symbolize a depiction of everyday life. In this movie poster the background of a park is washed out by a heavy yellow. This implies that the setting of this movie is not important. The washed out background also puts more focus onto the characters presented. We also see that one of the women is looking directly at the audience. Her facial expression shows that she seems to be between the two sides. This connotes that she is a main character and that she may represent The Help in the plot. The woman to the far left represents black women's hatred towards white women, while the character beside her expresses with more sympathy. Lately the woman to the far right who is looking at her nails looks rather snobby, which represents the overall attitude of white women in the 1960s towards black people. The overall message of the focal points is white superiority and a chance of change towards this issue, this message is represented visually. Minny is a short black woman in her late 30's. She wears a white and gray maid outfit. Minny, a black maid and Aibileen's best friend, has five children and is married to Leroy. She is highly regarded for her cooking skills, but her outspokenness often leads to getting fired. Minny develops an uneasy friendship with her employer, Celia Rae, who becomes devoted to her. Celia and Minny gain strength from each other, leading them to take control of their own lives.
In the end, Minny decides to leave her abusive husband and chart an unknown course rather than live with the pain he inflicts. Minny is an individual struggling against society. Her inner nature is often at war against the world. As a black maid she is expected to be submissive and quiet, but Minny is neither. She says what she feels, often speaking out against the injustice she experiences and witnesses. Minny is a person that will speak her mind and will retort back to her boss. She is an opinionated black woman and that caused her to lose her job, but many would want to have her as a maid because of her impeccable cooking. When she starts working for Celia Foote, she feels like Celia is a strange woman because she treats her like an equal and she has never experienced being treated like that. She is skeptical towards her because Celia is alway around her. Minny and Celia develop friendship as the story progresses, but Minny still has a wall up to protect herself. Overall, Minny Jackson is not to be messed with. Minny is not a person to have as an enemy. Minny Jackson is thought to be categorized and labeled by her harsh mouth and carries insecurities hidden under her confident and unbreakable shell. It also
reveals through the thoughts and words of other characters that Minny is looked upon highly as an unbelievable cook, a dedicated maid, and a protective mother. Racial Equality is when all is joined together equally despite what your race is. When an intruder breaks in on Celia's( a white women) property, Celia's and her black maid Minny come together to help protect themselves. This reinforces their friendship and helps create a tighter
and more trusting bond between the two. These two characters showed the most equality in the film. Celia's been nice and welcoming to Minny since the first she started working with her. She was so kind that it confused Minny. She would help Minny and feed her. She treated her
like she would with any guest. The main purpose of this movie is to portray the racism that occurred in the South during that time period, as well as emphasize the resentment the African Americans had toward Caucasians for their cruel treatment towards them.
I believe that different people no matter their age, race or gender would enjoy this movie because it is about everyone. The movie teaches us about race relations, respect and love. The spectator puts himself or herself in the shoes of these women in uniform, invisible and humiliated on a daily basis, but finds the strength to survive. They also remind us that love can conquer everything else. One of the characters, Aibileen Clark has a very strong relationship with the girl she looks after and she often tells her that no matter what “she is kind. She is beautiful. She is important”. This shows that no matter what color, race or gender you are, you are important. I have watched the movie and it had worthwhile content. It was funny, and heartwarming, all at the same time. I think that it would be of interest to anyone because the story teaches good lessons of acceptance and perseverance. The movie is unquestionably not about hate but about love.
Work Cited:
Biemiller, Lawrence. Tragic Days Remembered, Washington, 5 May 1995, https://www.proquest.com/docview/214740640/8F70D952BE2F4A68PQ/1?accountid=388 76.
Coulter, Phyllis. Racial Tensions Rose in 1970, Bloomington, Ill., 1 Apr. 2007, https://www.proquest.com/docview/252634967/964F25729B8E45A5PQ/2?accountid=388 76.
Mississippi Town Tries to Calm Racial Tensions After Shooting: [FINAL Edition], The Washington Post, 3 Nov. 1996, https://www.proquest.com/docview/308012387/A798F694366D44BDPQ/5?accountid=388 76.
Stone, Andrea. At Jackson State, an Echo of Violence: [FINAL Edition], 24 Apr. 1990, https://www.proquest.com/docview/306308875/2FB12F634C9A49E5PQ/3?accountid=388
76#.
Ward, Jesmyn. “Racism Is ‘Built into the Very Bones’ of Mississippi,” The Atlantic
Magazine , 2011, https://amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/552500/.
Wiener , Michelle. Story of Mississippi Looks at Racial Tensions, Charleston, W.V, 9 Jan. 2011,
https://www.proquest.com/docview/823968984/A798F694366D44BDPQ/3?accountid=388
76.
WITNESSES RECALL POLICE SHOOTING AT MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE RACIAL TENSION LED TO BLOODSHED IN 1970, St.Louis Post-Dispatch, 14 May 2000, https://www.proquest.com/docview/404038670/fulltext/A798F694366D44BDPQ/1?accoun
tid=38876.
It's been three days since the accident and I still can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I can hear the sound of the train approaching us, getting closer and louder, the wheels scraping on the metal train tracks, the pessimistic look of despair on their faces, and worst of all, the piercing scream that still haunts my ears
My mother, the only parent I know, is both a mom and a dad to me. Both of my parents would work, but even then my father would demand for my mothers paychecks. He'd use that money to get totally wasted, and it went on for a while like this....
In the book “Motorcycle Ride on the Sea of Tranquility” the most valuable part is when Chuy offered a ride to Yoli on his motorcycle through many places of the San Diego city. no. Yoli thought she hadn’t heard him right...
On November, 1993 both my father and brother started the Richard McGee Correctional Basic Correctional Academy....
For America in the novel The Tortilla Curtain, Being married to Candido is like carrying a backpack full of bricks all day long....
My mother had struggled her whole life to make us happy. Being a single mother of two with two jobs was almost impossible yet it was her daily routine....
My father's addiction has had significant effects in my life. My father's alcohol abuse has made me realize what I want in my life and what I don’t want....
After the bell had rung, I quickly got to my seat, of course being tardy was probably a bad first impression because as soon as I picked a desk to sit at my teacher was glaring at me. He then began to yell at me saying how it was an essential to be on time to his class. This was my first encounter with my economics teacher and I already knew it was going to be a long year. Little did I know that Jack had a specific purpose in my life and although he was scary to me at first, he soon became my strongest adult in my life. As the years went by, I got to know Mr. Little and we became the greatest of friends. Once Jack Little passed away, I had a different perspective on the little amount of time we all have to live...
After living three years in this country, it was important for me to realize that I needed to go to school to learn English. I was feeling like I was illiterate and deaf. When my husband was in work I was afraid to answer the phone, or afraid to go outside. I remember the day when I had my first daughter, I was in pain in the hospital and my new born daughter was crying; the hospital was cold, with a pale color on the walls, and its smell was like alcohol. There were nurses walking on the long and bright hallway. You can hear the nurses talking morning and night. I couldn’t express myself and talk for my daughter that was crying...
In this first section of Friends of the Earth,
students take the time to introduce themselves through their reading.
Instead of the brief mention of their hobbies and pets, they reflect on
a memorable literary experience. You might not judge a book by its cover, but here we learn
what is often hidden inside of others.