"the Help"

"the Help"

I loved this book and movie. Loved it.

The book is based in the 60's in Jackson, Mississippi. It is a story that is about Maids and their employers in Jackson. The main characters are Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter. They bounce back and forth between each of their lives that are intertwined. Aibileen and Minny are both maids, Skeeter is an author who wanted to write something different so she could get a job at Harper & Row. 

The movie stayed so true to the book. There were a few things that were out of place as to the order that is happened, but most of the main parts were there. If you want all the little parts, read the book. No matter what, I don't think anyone could be disappointed in the book. While this book may not be word for word what has happened, it is a part of history that really DID happen. Maybe still does. It got me to thinking.

I don't want to say too much about the book because I don't want to give it away. The book tugged at my heart strings, helped me to view people differently and made me make sure I didn't want to be a "Hilly"

It was kind of scary for me to realize that there was a time in the past 100 years that if someone who employed a maid didn't like her, she could tell whatever lie she wanted and the maid was fired. And not just from her, from all the other people she associated with. One person could make it so that maid would never work again in Jackson. And not just the maid, other members of her family as well. 

I think the part that affected me the most was that the Maids (really, the surrogate mother for the mom while she was out doing whatever was "important") could not go to the bathroom in the same house as  the people who she was employed by, BUT she could be trusted with their children. They changed diapers, potty trained them, all the "going to the bathroom" necessities BUT they could not go to the bathroom in the same toilet as their employer. They could not touch them as they put their food on the table but yet they were trusted with buying their food and preparing it for them. 

It baffles me how there could be such divisions in life. I thought 

"we are all part of the HUMAN race, is that not what matters?"

It has helped me to take a look at my life and the people who are in it. Do I treat people like I am better than them or do I treat them as a slave and not really appreciate what they do. It has helped me to want to be a better person, show love to all people regardless of differences, and most importantly, teach my children that ALL people are created equal regardless of race. 

I read this book on holidays. DON'T! It was horrible to try and sneak in a page and really, you just don't want to read ONE page. There was one time J was like "can you drive" I was at a good spot, I was not about to drive!

(Warning, there are swear words in it that I did not appreciate)