Got a Question on the Novel?
If you have a question on the novel or the times it’s set in, just leave your question on this page.
2 Responses “Got a Question on the Novel?” →
- Letters to the editor 1963 and 1964
- The Real Housewives of Jackson, Mississippi Circa 1960
- ** Updated ** Links to posts on Aibileen Clark and the latest lawsuit APPEAL info
- About me
- PDF of #100Voicesrespondtothehelp
- Welcome
- A Mash Up of other Novels and The Help
- It’s 2011, and there’s still a Negro* problem in publishing and Hollywood
- The Importance of Speaking Out
- The Help (movie) cleans up after itself
- Chapter Observations
- Commentary
- For Students
- A List of Interviews with Kathryn Stockett
- Things That Should Not Be (in The Help)
- Why The Help gets on my last nerve
- Classics We Now Question
- My Reading List
- A History of being Misrepresented, Marginalized and Made a fool of
- Separate But Unequal in The Help
- Reviews for the novel
- Wall of Shame and Courage Photos
- Ten + issues that tarnish The Help **Updated!**
- Speaking for Ourselves: We don’t need any “Help”
Lauren
November 18, 2010
Why did “The Help” risk personal danger in order to help Skeeter write her book? And who helped her the most?
acriticalreviewofthehelp
November 18, 2010
Hi Lauren,
The why of it is never really explained well. The catalyst seems to be Hilly’s actions, first against Aibileen and next against Yule May. The polished answer would be they decided to risk their lives because speaking out was a small victory against the unjust system of segregation.
According to the novel, Aibileen is the first maid to join up. On page 122 Skeeter asks Aibileen why she’d changed her mind (after saying no earlier) about contributing to the book. Aibileen admits it was because of Hilly.
I believe the author was trying to show that Hilly’s actions had finally gotten to Aibileen. This was right after Hilly badgered Aibileen into saying thank you for Elizabeth’s new outhouse.
So at this point, Aibileen isn’t really thinking about personal danger, but how low Hilly made her feel. And the author uses the same tactic to bring the other maids on board, when Yule May gets a longer prison sentence for stealing from Hilly. The other maids are upset and decide to help Skeeter with the novel in retaliation (Pg 252)
But this also reveals a problem with their motivation. The author has them doing this just to spite Hilly (or gaining the courage to do it out of anger over Hilly), and its only later that they realize the impact their stories can have.
The answer to your second question is Aibileen. Without Aibileen’s assistance, Skeeter would not have had access to the other maids. Also, Aibileen’s home was the only place they could meet in secret.
Aibileen introduced Skeeter to Minny, and Aibileen also approached the other domestics at her church, though she reported back to Skeeter that they’d initially turned her down.
After Hilly’s actions against Yule May, many of the maids decide to now tell Skeeter their stories, but they wouldn’t have know about the novel without Aibileen canvassing them in the first place.
I hope this answers your questions.