ipl-logo

A Literary Analysis Of The Help By Eugenia Skeeter Phelan

1418 Words6 Pages

Lynley Swartzendruber
Mrs. Bonnie Noel
English III
20 April 2023
“The Help” Literary Analysis
Imagine getting treated badly by getting called names, poor, uneducated, yelled at, and never knowing what is going to happen. Or you could be high class, and have a healthy lifestyle, it all depends on what color your skin was. In the 1960s, there were many different opinions about how people should be treated, especially in Jackson Mississippi. In the historical fiction novel “The Help” written by Kathryn Stockett and published by Penguin Books in 2009, there are many themes and characters. The story is based in the city of Jackson and there are African American ladies working in white households. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is a young lady that loves …show more content…

Throughout the book, the two themes that kept appearing were racism and gender and the home. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is a young lady that loves to write and does not like how African Americans are treated so she writes about that topic. During the book, Eugenia Skeeter Phelan’s name gets shortened to just Skeeter. Skeeter is a white female that is part of the Bridge Club and just sits back and disagrees with what they are talking about. Skeeter said, “I listen to my friends say ignorant, racist things and I can’t even open my mouth” ( Stockett 182). They always meet at one of the ladies' houses and this time it was at Elizabeth’s house and her maid is Aibileen. In one of their meetings, the conversation was talking about how African Americans are gross and not clean human beings. She is very triggered by this topic and does not want to talk about it because she thinks everyone should live a normal life and nobody should be judged. Skeeter has always loved to write and is the club's writer, but she does not want to publish the article about African Americans having their personal bathroom. That writing got her wanting to write a whole book about how African Americans live, and what it is …show more content…

The women were to stay at home and have kids and raise them. The black women were to be maids and all men were to be working all of the time and care very little about their families. Most men left women alone when they were pregnant so they could have kids. “Move off a little Leroy. Minny crossed her arms up so the bruise would not show” (Stockett 215). Leroy was nice when she was pregnant most times but this time he does not care and is rude to her. This goes in gender and the home because it is how they live at home and they are living by and exceeding the gender rules. “Some husbands will get drunk but wives will not get drunk” (Stockett 378). When they were at the party the wives were supposed to stay sober so they could take care of the house and the children and it was just a common rule that they were to have. Skeeter said, “Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, we are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I thought” (Stockett 453). Skeeter said this because she wants more people to know how whites are to African Americans. Skeeter finally acknowledges the point that there are many similarities and we need to get it out publicly so that is basically why she wrote the whole book. The book got out so there does not have to be any more racism or gender and the

Show More
Related
307 Words | 2 Pages

The character of Aibileen is often depicted as a symbol of courage and perseverance; throughout the story, she is often shown endangering her life in many different ways trying to contribute to Skeeter’s book. While she was overcoming the grief of her sole son’s unlawful death, Aibileen soon begins to realize that she wanted to make a change in the way Caucasians saw African Americans and ultimately achieve her son’s goal. Although the persona of Aibileen initially feared to help write Skeeter’s book, she later ends up agreeing. During the time she felt intimidated, she mentions the severity of punishments for crimes where African Americans express their political/social opinions and/or do something considered ethically wrong by

Read More
935 Words | 4 Pages

Skeeter Phelan is an aspiring writer who wants to tell the stories of underpaid, overworked, and underestimated black maids while sacrificing her own “friendships” to bring a big change to the world of writing and an even bigger change to the lives of her subjects. Skeeter brings light and hope into the dark story of The Help and gives the reader a new perspective of how common stereotypes were in Mississippi during the 1960s. Born to Carlton and Charlotte Phelan and raised by a black maid named Constantine, Skeeter grew up on her family’s cotton plantation as the oddball of the family. Constantine was the closest thing Skeeter had to a loving mother. What was most memorable about their relationship was when Skeeter recalls, “All my life I’d been told what to believe about politics, colored, being a girl.

Read More
1048 Words | 5 Pages

The start, Abileene went through the stage of realization. She dealt with her difficult times by praying and creating friendships. She became closer to Skeeter, a young white aspiring journalist, by sharing her stories and experiences with her. By doing this, Abileene grew as a person by becoming more comfortable speaking up for herself. By speaking with Skeeter and being a part of the writing of her book, she becomes more bold.

Read More
1142 Words | 5 Pages

But she said he took advantage of her, and when she stood up she looked at him if he were dirt beneath her feet” (Lee 192). Scout then grasps how black people can be very good people and that it is whites who can be horrible people. This supports how Scout’s beliefs on race change because she changes from thinking badly of blacks to understanding that they can be great people while whites can be even worse. On the other hand, Skeeter already thinks well of blacks as she is raised by a kind, black maid named Constantine. Like Scout though, Skeeter believes that the whites in her town are good people.

Read More
1021 Words | 5 Pages

She feels that the way black people are treated in Jackson is unfair. She’s kept quiet for awhile, but the opportunity comes for her to write about it and possibly help things, so she took it. Skeeter is an aspiring writer who is very independent. She’s been given the chance to write a book and possibly get it published, so she decides

Read More
207 Words | 1 Pages

One of the character that represents sociology imagination is Skeeter who thinks different unlike the other women who just follow society expectation. Skeeter looks at the bigger picture and see how African American women are being treated by white women. She is a very passionate person that decided to write a book about African American maids and how they are treated. This shows how Skeeter is making a change by giving this African American women a voice, which is being heard through the book. She isn’t married and she pursues a degree in journalism that teaches her to be a more rounded person.

Read More
1559 Words | 7 Pages

Skeeter is a compassionate supporter of equal rights. While other members of the elite white class treat their help disdainfully by restricting their rights at work or issuing demands impersonally such as when a husband harshly says “make me a sandwich” to Clark (The Help), Skeeter is amiable and frequently greets them or talks to them during in the kitchen during social events. Additionally, Skeeter has a profound connection to the black woman, Constance, who took care of her during her childhood and weeps when her mother tells her that has died. After the book is released, Skeeter faces anger from other members of the white upper class, this is seen when Minnie tells Skeeter to go to New York for a job opportunity because, “You ain’t got nothing left here but enemies in the Junior League” (The Help). The Junior League is a philanthropic organization whose membership is traditionally comprised of upper class females, and the movie features several junior league events and meetings; the women that Skeeter has most angered belong to this organization with Skeeter.

Read More
762 Words | 4 Pages

In one of the scenes, Aibileen and Minny are shopping in the grocery store and they find someone who is reading Skeeter’s book. In the following scenes, it shows many other characters, including Skeeter’s mother, also reading the book (Taylor). This shows that Skeeter was able to spread the word about how the black maids and nannies were treated and hopefully make an impact. With her being able to share this it’s possible that it changed the view of many people and made a difference. Therefore, Skeeter could make an impact in her’s and other communities while Atticus could

Read More
524 Words | 3 Pages

While reading Kathryn Stockett’s novel The Help, I immediately felt a deep connection to one of the main characters Skeeter. Skeeter is known as “a bundle of contradictions”. She is perceived as an outcast and a tad rebellious – two traits that define me – when she becomes acquainted with the women who work as maids and nannies for the upper-class families. She breaks all of the norms of her time while distancing herself from the other high society ladies in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.

Read More
445 Words | 2 Pages

Skeeter was more influenced by others actions to speak her mind on topics of

Read More
1574 Words | 7 Pages

By an anonymous writer later revealed as Skeeter also known as Eugenia Phelan. Skeeter, a white woman, returns to her hometown (Mississippi) to discover that her motherly nanny Constantine has left but no one tells what happened. Soon Skeeter realizes the injustice her society practices and decides to write a book where voices of black will be raised. She approaches Aibileen for sharing her narrative to which Aibileen responds positively and also let’s Minny in their secret. Minny, Aibileen’s friend, another black help, reveals a secret about Miss Hilly that ensures Miss Hilly’s silence after the publication of their writing project.

Read More
1856 Words | 8 Pages

Skeeter is seen to develop in two different ways: a young woman who doesn 't have marriage as a first priority anymore and a woman who later sees an injustice to the black help. Skeeter is a white socialite who just graduated from college with a degree in writing. She came back to Jackson Mississippi with the idea of starting to write for book publishing companies but arrives home only for her mother to question her about marriage. Upon the many

Read More
566 Words | 3 Pages

After Skeeter is addressed that way, “most turned their heads to see if Skeeter had the gall to show up”. The community had expected her to withdraw her participation because she had broken her mindless allegiance to Hilly Holbrook. By Skeeter breaking that allegiance to Hilly Holbrook she had broken any ties she could have had to the Caucasian community in Jackson. When Skeeter tried to associate with some Caucasian ladies at a Junior League meeting, all backs had formed a wall to her. When Skeeter tried to associate with childhood friends, a look of embarrassment would come across their face for having to be in her company.

Read More
696 Words | 3 Pages

For example, Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan utilises her courage to empower black maids and overcome social pressure.

Read More
3436 Words | 14 Pages

A young college graduate, Skeeter, returns home to be with her ailing mother, and in her ambition to succeed as a writer, turns to the black maids she knows. Skeeter is determined to collect their oral histories and write about a culture that values social facade and ignores the human dignity of many members of the community. Two maids, Aibileen and Minny, agree to share their stories, stories of struggle and daily humiliation, of hard work and low pay, of fear for themselves. It is a time of change, when

Read More

More about A Literary Analysis Of The Help By Eugenia Skeeter Phelan

Related Topics

Open Document