Prejudice in ‘The Help’
Prejudice is a preconceived opinion formed towards another person, commonly involving a negative attitude and prejudgement. This essay will be outlining how prejudice is persistently shown throughout the book ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett. The book involves many occasions where racism and sexism are used with certain characters such as Aibileen Clark, Minny Jackson, Skeeter Phelan and Celia Foote. Character and atmosphere are both strongly used elements in the book addressing the theme of prejudice, helping to create connections between certain situations and prejudice.
Aibileen Clark is a coloured woman living in an environment similar to that of many maids. She works day and night constantly surrounded by disrespect and racism. This can be seen straight away as Aibileen states, “Miss Leefolt don’t pay but ninety-five cents an hour, less than I been paid in years”. Here the author uses contrast to show
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Other young women of the time, such as Skeeter’s friends, are happily married and obsess over dresses or tea parties, while Skeeter prefers not to be associated with most of these things. Instead Skeeter follows her own dreams and set individual goals. In the book her friends and family constantly beg her to act and dress in a much more feminine way. This is once shown in the novel as her mother restlessly nags Skeeter about finding a husband. Skeeter first says, “Would it really be so terrible if I never met a husband?”, to which her mother replies, “Don’t. Don’t say that Eugenia”. Her mother not only replies but also physically reacts, “She presses her hand to her stomach, the very thought advancing her ulcers”. Imagery is used here to impact the reader by showing how disgusted Skeeter’s mother acted after the simple thought of her own daughter having different thoughts to other ladies her