Movie Analysis Essay on "The Help"

Introduction

"The Help" is a drama film directed by Tate Taylor. It is a film that depicts what the African maids encountered in the hands of the prominent white families. When Minny is talking to Celia, she says, "They don't like you because they think that you white trash" (34:05). This is a clear indication that films look at racism in American society. The movie starts with the main protagonist, Skeeter, a fresh graduate, with an ambition of being a writer, gets interested in knowing the experiences of the black maids in the hands of the prominent white families. Skeeter having been brought up by a black maid develops the need to champion for the rights of the African maids. Her desire is fulfilled when she lands a job at a local newspaper. She pushes her dream further by writing stories about the plight of African maids in the hands of the white women. The film creatively addresses issues to do with racism that was prevalent during the period in which the film is set, and as such, it looks at different aspects of racism that were being propagated by whites.

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Skeeter creates a platform that enables the African maids to frankly talk about the challenges they were facing in white homes. She dedicates her efforts to cover the story after realizing that her mother is a racist after she fires, Constantine, the maid who has seen her grow into who she is currently. Although her efforts are worth, she faces a lot of challenges, because she secretly interviews the maids to avoid the punitive implications associated with her action. According to Smith "apparently unaware of the dangerous racial environment in which they live, Skeeter fails to comprehend the risk to which she exposes herself and any black woman who agrees to speak with her" (29). However, they agree to share their stories after the arrest of one of the maids, which mainly tales about racist treatments. In trying to make the issue public, it prompts other people willing to fight for the rights of blacks to come together, thus helping in the fight against racism.

The film does not include fully major on the plight of the maids but rather talks more about the white sympathizer who appoints herself to fight for the rights of the black women. It looks at the benevolent relationship between some section of white and black women, and it through this that the author of the film tries to drive the idea that racism is not a collective act, but a decision that a single person makes. In the film, Skeeter champions for the rights of the maids despite being white, and this shows that although they were those promoting racism, there are those represented by Skeeter, who is against the act. According to McFarlane "the way the films represents the black maids is sometimes downgrading" (90). Looking at how the three characters, Miss Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny are portrayed, the films try to suggest that whites are superior in trying to advocate for the rights of passive black people.

Although the films accomplish its goal, to some extent, it promotes elements of stereotype. Even though Skeeter is dedicating in the fight for the rights of the maids, most scenes in the film have brought out aspects of white superiority. According to Eriksson, the "film illustrates how the white savior functions to simultaneously erase and romanticize racism" (5). For example, when Skeeter was making plans to write a book about the experiences of black women she does it amid her white friends. According to Murphy, Mollie and Tina "various scenes of the Help direct the attention to Skeeter heroism and away from the actions of the black characters" (56). For example, elements of the stereotype are evident in the scene where she interviews Aibileen in Elizabeth's kitchen. Elizabeth was Skeeter's best friend, and in the same scene, Aibileen is ordered to prepare a sandwich and take care of the crying baby. As such, the films portray black women in environments dominated by white women who bring out the stereotype about white supremacy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Help, through the scenes and the characters addresses issues of racism in the film. Although the story is centered on Skeeter a white lady who dedicates her efforts to address the plight of black maids, it effectively touches on aspects of racisms that were present in American society. After landing a job at a local newspaper, it allows her to talk about some of the challenges that black maids were facing in the hands of their white employers. Even though it highlights aspects of racism, it appears to be promoting white superiority. The first scenario is in the use of the white elite as the savior of uneducated black maids. Secondly, some of the scenes are dominated by whites despite the theme being promoted being ones that major on the issues of the black maids.

Works Cited

Eriksson, Frida. "The Representation of Three Characters in The Help: -A Patronising Highlighting of Black People." (2015): 2-5

McFarlane, Megan D. "Anti-racist white hero, the sequel: Intersections of the race (ism), gender, and social justice." Critical Studies in Media Communication 32.2 (2015): 81-95.

Murphy, Mollie K., and Tina M. Harris. "White Innocence and black Subservience: The rhetoric of white heroism in The Help." Howard Journal of Communications 29.1 (2018): 49-62.

Smith, Valerie. "Black Women's Memories and the Help." Southern Cultures 20.1 (2014): 26-37.

Tate Taylor. "The Help." Amazon, Accessed 28th April 2019 retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Help-Emma-Stone/dp/B00942Y6WI