'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett
This book was popular with almost everybody, but the characters certainly were not!
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1 comment:
WELL, I feel a bit like Henry Ford's character in Reginald Rose's story '12 Angry Men' (directed by Sidney Lumet in 1957 - absolutely fantastic film - do watch it if you haven't already!) It seemed to be me against EVERYBODY that actually, Skeeter was not so just in doing what she did and Hilly was rather misunderstood. When asked "Would you have done what Skeeter did?" I think everybody answered 'No' (considering the dangers it posed to the maids) and yet, I believe, everybody thinks she did it as a tribute to Aibileen's son who was killed and therefore it was a good thing!
NOW, Treelore had an idea to write a book about a coloured man working for a white man and Skeeter STOLE that idea to get herself published and promote her own career. All I'm saying is, there are 2 sides to every story.
Hilly, on the other hand, never got to tell her side of the story and this was a missed opportunity by Stockett, methinks, for a dramatically satisfying end to the novel. An epilogue that exposes Hilly's true, insecure (insecurity caused by what I wonder? Oh yes, possibly having her gorgeous boyfriend, Johnny, stolen from her by a certain Celia - who I actually love, by the way, especially after she bashed the naked man in her back garden to save Minny!) - and very community spirited nature with maybe a juicy bone tossed in regarding Skeeter's hardness and narrow-mindedness (after all, Skeeter publicly humiliates Hilly by having all those loos dropped onto her lawn! And then blames it on a TYPO - HA! "Ooooh, sorry for humiliating you in front of the whole neighbourhood, Hilly, but I accidentally wrote 'toilets' instead of 'coats' "!!!! Yeah, right!)
Also, don't forget Hilly introduced Skeeter to Stuart as a friend trying to help another. Skeeter ends up engaged (albeit for 15 seconds) BECAUSE of Hilly! Wasted opportunity by Skeeter then to grab her hunky (but rather warped and with fairly dodgy parents) fiance to her lonely bosom and run happily for the hills with him.
ANYWAY, everybody finished and LOVED the book!!!!!!!!
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