The Help by Katheryn Stockett

What will you learn about history?
A great look at the Civil Rights Movement told from the perspective of women in Jackson, Mississippi. This perspective shows many different views on race relations in the South during this time. It also explains the attitudes and the actions of those who were involved. Stockett's story of the maids of Jackson includes information about how black employees were expected to behave around their white employers, how white children were reared by black maids, the different forms of activism in the black community in the 1960's, and the entire social structure of the South. The impact of the Jim Crow Laws plays out in this book. The heroism of activists such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Medger Evans is seen through the eyes of the average black woman.Other cultural references are blended into a great story of women overcoming social obstacles.

Why should you read this book?
This book is an easy read about a hard time in U.S. history. The well-developed characters are given dimension and agency. The author does an admirable job shifting the narrative so that readers can view the story from the perspectives of the three main characters who have different personalities but the same goal. It a simple story about a young white female aspiring to be a writer and two black maids who want to tell their story, Stockett explores issues of power in our society. The main way in which the theme of power is addressed is through the oppression of blacks in the South during the 1960's. This is also a story about female social hierarchies and how bullies retain their social power. Readers see a young woman who finishes college instead of finding a husband, who wants to be a writer instead of a wife. We also see young people rebelling against the traditions of their parents.