Isolation In Kathryn Stockett's The Help

In society, a traditional set of values or beliefs are understood to be moral until someone or something brings about change. It is rather difficult, however, to bring about change if the problem has not yet been revealed. In order to recognize the faults of the society in which you live, you must be isolated from the cloud of confusion that surrounds the society. In Kathryn Stockett’s novel, The Help, Skeeter Phelan, a 23-year old journalist, realizes how ridiculous her society’s views are towards African Americans during the 1960’s. Because her views clashed with the views of the rest of racist Jackson, Mississippi, she was labeled as an outcast and shunned from society. The intentional alienation of Skeeter shows how unwilling her society

Hilly Holbrook, the prime cause of Skeeter’s isolation, forced most everyone in her community to shun Skeeter. This did not just include Skeeter’s friends. Anyone who had relations with Hilly knew that they could not publicly associate with Skeeter. Even people who did not know Skeeter, such as Mrs. Celia Foote, learned to dislike Skeeter. Celia refused to speak to her because “they said she’s the biggest embarrassment this town’s ever seen.” Those actions taken towards Skeeter show just how hypocritical societies can be when it comes to

Skeeter became capable of fully seeing the prejudice and unfair treatment of the maids after she was socially isolated from society. To Skeeter’s friends, coloreds were supposed to be treated this way, because they were supposedly lesser than whites. However, as stated by Michael Bassey Johnson, “To be of good quality, you must first excuse yourself from the presence of shallow and callow minded individuals.” Even though Skeeter’s views were unpopular, her ability to share insight on the life of being a colored maid during the 1960’s helped spread awareness of the errors of