The Help

       

               This six weeks I read a historical fiction novel called The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. It was first published and copyrighted on Feb. 10, 2009, and this book is mainly about trying to overcome prejudice. The story is about three women's perspectives of their society, and how they try to change it for the better. The setting is in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1960s. The overall theme of the book is how literature can be used to challenge authority and to create a more fairer society.
               The story is told in the perspectives of three women, and all are told in 1st person, so you have a good understanding of mostly everything that's happening within the story. The plot is centered on three women's daily lives and how events affect them. Anyone who has a middle school reading level or above can read this, enjoy it, and understand the general theme. The general genre is historical fiction because the setting of the story is in the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi where prejudice against non-white races was especially rampant. The author did a very good job of keeping me hooked on the story; she made the story with such emotion and had such entertaining characters that the reader wants to continue reading to see how the characters evolve over time. Stockett's style is distinct; it makes story flow well, and she makes the characters well developed with all necessary details, such as dialect. This style is effective and makes the intended audience feel attached to the plot more.  
               The book gives me a view of how deep the prejudice ran in Mississippi back in that time period. This story did show how our society has changed since the 60s, and how fortunate we are that racism isn't as prevalent. This story was very unique; I couldn't find any other story plot that was similar to the one of The Help.
              Overall, The Help is an enjoyable and touching read. I praise the clever way Stockett incorporates slight humor in the story, yet criticize how she makes the main characters very stereotypical, such as overemphasizing Aibileen's southern dialect. I recommend this book to all young adult and adult readers in general.