The DIS Book Club Discussion Group: Round 2 - The Help

[*NikkiBell*]

In my mind, racism is a taught behavior which can also be "un-taught". So I'd have to say that Aibileen being such a wonderful teacher, did an excellent job and made a positive life long impression on Mae Mobley. Mae Mobley would definitely grow up to be a free thinker and one day, would tell her mother to stuff it!

I have to agree with you here. I also believe that racism is both taught and can be un-taught. I think it really relates to Mae Mobley as you described above. Good point!

 

[kafitty]

i've missed the last two questions, mostly because they are so very, very hard to answer.

i'd say i'd give the book about an 8. i loved the characters and the plot, but i wasn't totally blown away by it. i'm sure i am not alone in wishing that we were given more of the after-story: if Skeeter ever acknowledged that it was her work, if Minnie was able to truly leave Leroy and stay working for Miss Ce
lia, if attitudes around town changed any following the book, etc.

Unfortunately, i do think that Mae Mobley would have grown up racist. In fact, Aibileen continuing to work there probably would have been her only chance at having an outside force working to make her think otherwise. I assume that the family would have simply hired another maid after firing Aibileen, and it is doubtful that the new maid would have been as progressive and honest as Aibileen is with Mae. i absolutely adored the scene where Mae Mobley tells her father that she had been learning about equality from her teacher, but it is likely she would lose that lesson in a few years.

i think that blind, ignorant hatred of others is a learned behavior out of inherent instinct - we are all naturally wary of others, but to be suspicious of an entire group is something that is conditioned.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

This is a question I got from the author's official website. I thought it'd be fun to discuss.

From the perspective of a twenty-first century reader, the hairshellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of "beauty" changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what's the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?

 

[Eeyores#1Fan]

Let's start simply. What was your overall impression of The Help? If you could rate the text on a 10-point scale, what would you give it and why?

I would rate the book at 10! I absolutely LOVED it. I must admit, like some movies I was disappointed not to find out what happens to them all in the future but I got over that quickly. The book really made me think, cry and was just pure joy to read.

Do you think that Mae Mobley would have grown up to be racist like her mother if Aibileen had stayed working for Miss Elizabeth? Based on this, would you say that racism is taught behavior or inherent? Why?

I think that Mae Mobley would have been torn like Ms. Skeeter. She of course would grow up caring for Aibileen however would also love her parent just because and that would have caused her internal conflicts. I do think it would have been easier for her as a grown up to confront those conflicts vs Ms. Skeeter just due to the changing times.

 

[dreamlinda]

From the perspective of a twenty-first century reader, the hairshellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of "beauty" changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what's the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?

I confess to trying straightener (once) and ironing my hair in the 60's. Arrow straight hair was "in". The funny side is that I actually burned my neck with the iron and it looked like a hickie - trust me, no guy was getting close enough to me in Jr High to make that a possibility, but it was embarrising just the same!

BTW - I give the book a 9+, and I am a tough grader!!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I have to admit that my horrid beauty regimen related to my hair as well. I got a wicked perm back in the third grade (totally my idea, if I am remembering correctly lol), and it was just plain awful. I honestly looked like little orphan Annie! I must have burned all of my school pictures that year!

 

[Eeyores#1Fan]

This is a question I got from the author's official website. I thought it'd be fun to discuss.

From the perspective of a twenty-first century reader, the hairshellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of "beauty" changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what's the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?

LOL! I had a curl in 6th grade. Talk about awful. UGH!!!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

What's a curl??

 

[tammyroo]

This is a question I got from the author's official website. I thought it'd be fun to discuss.

From the perspective of a twenty-first century reader, the hairshellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of "beauty" changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what's the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?

For a few years I did these god awful perms thinking my hair just had to have body....at times I literally looked like I had Roseanne Roseanna Danna hair....some of you may be too young to remember that character on SNL. Good lord, what was I thinking? In the 80's I did the spiral perm....slightly better but VERY expensive. Unfortunately, there are pics to prove all of this so it may come back to haunt me.