Themes: Us versus Them
Throughout the novel, there is a well-defined line between the whites and the blacks. They refer to each other as “us” and “them” as if they are inherent enemies. Their lives do not cross over because there is no real communication between them. They only play out their roles as employer and maid. However as the story unfolds, there are changes; and the writing of the book instigates a challenge to those roles. A couple of the relationships between the white employers and black maids open up and become more equal, for example, between Minnie and Celia.
At the end of the novel, Skeeter comments that they are not so different at all—the black maids and the white employers—when it is evident that they (a few of them) are starting to get along better.
The writing of the book helps to bridge the differences between the white women and the black maids; and they all worked together to dissolve that line between “us and them.” While Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement takes place in the background of the novel, the characters have their own civil rights movement, led by a few courageous black maids and one white woman.
At the end of the novel, a few relationships between black maids and employers are budding. They sit together at the same table and speak openly about their lives. The reader feels at the end of the novel that this will continue and the “us vs. them” dynamic will end.
Expert Q&A
In The Help, how does Skeeter challenge societal norms?
Skeeter challenges societal norms by writing a book that reveals the experiences of black maids working for white families, confronting the indifference and hostility of white society in Jackson. Her actions force readers to empathize with the maids, acknowledging their humanity and suffering. This challenges both indifferent individuals and those like Hilly who perpetuate racial injustice, by exposing the reality of their actions and prompting societal reflection and potential change.
In The Help, why does Aibileen thank Hilly for the outside toilet despite feeling demeaned?
Aibileen thanks Hilly for the outside toilet because, despite feeling demeaned, she is in a position where she must maintain her job and income. In the 1960s setting of The Help, societal norms and racial prejudices forced black maids like Aibileen to feign gratitude for demeaning acts to ensure their livelihood. The separate bathroom, presented as a "gift," highlights the racial segregation and ignorance of the era.
In the movie The Help, who has power and who doesn't?
In The Help, race, economic status, and social status are presented as especially important aspects of power. However, pride, dignity, and public opinion are also shown as powerful forces. Many of the white elites of Jackson, who hold political and economic power, show their fear of losing control. The African American residents, most of whom have working-class occupations, find ways to exert power through resisting that control and telling their stories.
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