I read the novel “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett in the span of one week. It was an easy read for me, not an awfully complex writing style and pretty basic in its format. The buzz about this book was deafening. I wanted to reject it, just because buzz doesn’t usually translate for me into a good read. But given the somewhat touchy topic at hand, the relationship between Black domestic workers and their White employers in the late 1960’s, I was left with no choice but to read it. I knew the time would come where it would come in handy.
Although the noise was LOUD from critics and commentators (mostly Black) who rose a collectively voice of disgust with the book, I closed my ears to it. That noise was a ROAR when it came to the film with almost every single person who had an advanced screening of the movie hating it. But I wanted to have an open mind on both, given the subject. You see black people, myself included, can be very sensitive about the subject of race and our experiences in this country being used as a source of entertainment. That sensitivity is heightened when the person using our experiences is white. If you don’t know by now, Kathryn Stockett is white, grew up in Mississippi and had live in help. The main character of the book, Skeeter, is loosely based on her own life experiences. Strike one for some on this book, not for me though, I decided to give it a shot.
Like I stated earlier, the book was a good read of a fictional story. There was nothing new to learn from reading this book and it didn’t break any ground. It was a story – one that made the train ride go by quickly. In the book, the maids were self sufficient and full of fight. They had experiences that may have rendered any other person helpless, yet they pushed on. They endured abuse at the hands of their employers that nowadays is not considered acceptable treatment of pets. In the book, there was no white heroine to save the day. In the book, no one really got saved. In the book, there were no real winners. Everyone just kind of made it through the circumstances to face another day. I was interested how the big screen adaptation of this book would come across.
To my disappointment, the movie changed to concept of the book where the maids helped themselves to one where the maids were saved by the white employers. Without giving away the entire book/movie to those who have not read/seen it – Ms. Skeeter is a hero in this movie. Her mother is a hero in this movie. Every white woman in this story has a redeeming moment (except Hilly Holbrook). The black maids are left appearing grateful to all these white women for saving them in a way that facilitates their ability to save themselves. The book did not portray it that way. In the book, the stain of racism remained on all the women, even to some degree Ms. Skeeter. Ms. Celia was the only character in the book that did not treat her maid like less than human. Even her role was changed to savior in the movie. Long sigh
The fact that I didn’t like the movie wasn’t even the most frustrating part of the movie experience. It was when it ended. I realized only after buying my tickets that I had gone to see this movie in a white neighborhood. The room was filled with mostly white people who applauded the film (literally broke out into applause when it was done). I got the sense they somehow felt the ending left them feeling redeemed. Like, see it wasn’t so bad after all. In that moment, I felt rage build inside me. They had experienced a totally different film than I had and left with a euphoria that I would never have experienced with the movie. I am not saying everyone else shouldn’t see this movie, what I am saying is that I hated it. And I hated how dirty I felt after I watched it. I was sad that I got caught up in the buzz and supported this effort. I was even sadder by the fact that the only way to put this movie out to the masses required the evil of the white female characters in this story had to be watered down so much so that they came out looking like heroes.
Maybe I should have read the reviews. I could have saved myself $13 bucks, my dignity and hell of a lot of aggravation.
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1 comment:
So here's my take. As I read more and more of "The Help" I am more and more annoyed and slightly offended buy the movie. There is a homely quality to the women in the movie that I do visualize when reading the book (specifically Minny) and the under development of the Miss Celia character is a miscarriage of cinematice justice. Oh how I would have loved to see that crazy broad kick some ass and show the viewers exactly who she was and WHERE she was from.
Honestly, while the book was well written by a white author I think a black director (NOT Tyler Perry a real director) would have been able to do a better job bringing the film to the screen.
I dont be grudge the movie, but I didn't enjoy it very much, it wasnt a tear jerker to me because there wasn't enough depth in the charachters for me to connect with them on an emotional level.
So yea... thats my 2 cents on "The Help" but I do recommend that people go out and see it themselves, I also recommend the book it is so much better than the film.
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