By Kathryn Stockett
“The Help” by Kathryn Stockett is a powerful novel that explores themes of racism, discrimination, and social injustice in 1960s Mississippi. Stockett employs literary devices such as characterization, symbolism, and setting to create a vivid and emotional story that illuminates the struggles of African American maids and their white employers. Through rich and complex characters and a gripping plot, “The Help” reveals the complexities of human relationships and the impact of societal norms and prejudices on individual lives.
Themes 📚
- Racism and Discrimination – The novel explores the deep-seated racism and discrimination that existed in 1960s Mississippi, particularly towards African Americans.
- Social Injustice – The novel exposes the injustices and inequalities that were inherent in the social structure of the time, particularly in relation to employment and education.
- Female Empowerment – The novel celebrates the strength and resilience of women, particularly African American maids, who were often marginalized and mistreated.
- The Complexity of Human Relationships – The novel examines the intricate and often fraught relationships between individuals of different races, genders, and social classes, and the ways in which these relationships are shaped by societal norms and prejudices.
- The Power of Storytelling – The novel emphasizes the importance of storytelling and the ways in which narratives can be used to empower and give voice to marginalized individuals.
- Friendship and Solidarity – The novel celebrates the power of friendship and solidarity in overcoming adversity and effecting change.
- Symbolism – The novel employs symbols such as the “Help” book itself to represent larger themes and ideas, such as the power of collaboration and the importance of documenting marginalized voices.
- Setting – The novel uses the setting of 1960s Mississippi to create a rich and complex backdrop for the story, emphasizing the historical context and the impact of societal norms and prejudices on individual lives.
Use of Literary Devices ✍🏽
- Symbolism – The novel employs symbols such as the “Help” book itself to represent larger themes and ideas, such as the power of collaboration and the importance of documenting marginalized voices.
- Characterization – The novel uses both direct and indirect characterization to develop complex and multidimensional characters, such as Aibileen and Minny, and to explore the motivations and struggles of each individual.
- Imagery – The novel uses vivid imagery to create a sense of place and to emphasize the impact of the setting on individual lives, such as the heat and humidity of Mississippi.
- Irony – The novel uses irony to create contrast and to emphasize the complexities of human experience, such as when white women who are deemed “saviors” actually perpetuate the racist system.
- Flashbacks – The novel employs flashbacks to reveal important backstory and to provide context for present events, such as when we learn about the death of Medgar Evers.
- Metaphor – The novel uses metaphors to create a sense of depth and richness, such as when Skeeter compares her sense of isolation to “living on Mars.”
- Satire – The novel uses satire to critique the racist and sexist attitudes of 1960s Mississippi, and to reveal the hypocrisies and contradictions that exist within them.
- Foreshadowing – The novel uses foreshadowing to create tension and suspense, such as when we learn that Minny has a “secret ingredient” in her pies.
- Allusion – The novel makes allusions to historical events and cultural touchstones of the time, such as the assassination of Medgar Evers and the release of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
- Dialogue – The novel uses dialogue to reveal character, to advance the plot, and to create a sense of authenticity, particularly in the use of dialects and colloquialisms.
Examples of Literary Devices 📋
- First Person Narrative
| Example | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Aibileen’s, Minny’s, and Skeeter’s narratives | The novel switches between the first-person perspectives of these three characters, giving readers insight into their thoughts and feelings. |
| “Taking care a white babies, that’s what I do, along with all the cooking and the cleaning.” (Aibileen) | This line reveals Aibileen’s role and her feelings about it directly from her perspective. |
| “I always order the banned books from a black market dealer in California, figuring if the State of Mississippi banned them, they must be good.” (Skeeter) | This line offers insight into Skeeter’s rebellious and curious nature. |
| Example | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Hilly’s “Home Help Sanitation Initiative” | This is ironic as Hilly herself is promoting discrimination and injustice. |
| Skeeter’s mother’s concern about appearances | It’s ironic that Skeeter’s mother cares more about societal views and appearances than the happiness and freedom of the people around her. |
| Skeeter’s job at the Jackson Journal | Skeeter gets a job giving cleaning advice, which is ironic since she knows nothing about cleaning. |
| Example | Explanation |
|---|---|
| The Help | The title itself symbolizes the women who serve as maids and nannies, and their importance in the lives of the families they serve. |
| The Jim Crow laws | They symbolize the systemic racism and segregation prevalent in the society. |
| Toilet facilities | The separate toilets are a potent symbol of racial segregation and white supremacy. |
| Example | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Hilly’s treatment of her maid, Minny | This foreshadows the lengths Hilly will go to uphold the racial hierarchy. |
| The mention of Medgar Evers’ murder | The mention of this real-life event foreshadows the danger the characters are in as they work on their book. |
| Skeeter’s discomfort with her friends’ racist comments | This foreshadows her eventual break with them and her decision to write the book. |
| Example | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Descriptions of the maids’ uniforms | The imagery of their uniforms highlights their status and role in society. |
| The description of Aibileen’s church | The church is described in vibrant detail, highlighting it as a place of refuge and community for the African American characters. |
| The description of Celia’s house | The opulence of Celia’s house contrasts with the more modest homes of the maids, highlighting the economic disparity between the characters. |
FAQs 💭
What is symbolism, and how is it used in “The Help”?
Symbolism is a literary device used to represent larger themes and ideas through the use of symbols. In “The Help,” the “Help” book itself represents the power of collaboration and the importance of documenting marginalized voices.
How does the novel use characterization to develop its characters?
The novel uses both direct and indirect characterization to create complex and multidimensional characters, such as Aibileen and Minny. By exploring the motivations and struggles of each individual, the novel creates a sense of empathy and understanding with the reader.
What role does imagery play in the novel?
How is irony used in the novel?
What is the significance of flashbacks in the novel?
How does the novel use metaphor to create depth and richness?
What is satire, and how is it used in “The Help”?
How is foreshadowing used in the novel?
Foreshadowing is used to create tension and suspense in the novel, such as when we learn that Minny has a “secret ingredient” in her pies. This creates a sense of anticipation for the reader.