UGH-
Worst news ever? My last deleted itself after I tried to edit it. Dang Dang dang. I realized that I had really only read chapters 5-7, so I went in to try and edit out the "chapter 8" part. FAIL.
I don't have the time to re-do my post right now, but I do remember that I had posted a few questions. If anyone would like to take the lead and do a really fast summary in a comment, I'm all for it. It's just that right now I am going out the door for a 'bridesmaids' event at my brother's fiance's place.
Questions:
How do you feel about the fact that Skeeter's mom is disappointed in her degree? In her mother's eyes, college is for getting a man and getting married. Not actually finishing the degree.
How do you feel about the relationship between white children and the black maids? Do you think that Skeeter's affection for Constantine is really love? There is so much she never knew about Constantine. She never really, truly knew her. Probably 99% due to the societal constraints on them. Wouldn't you think that more white children (raised by black women) would question the societal standards like Skeeter is doing?? Apparently the hatred and general culture is more powerful than those small, human interactions.
What do you think about Skeeter trying to pressure Aibileen to do her book? Is it more self-serving for her career than anything?
And now, my lovely ladies, I've gotta go!
I'm still not convinced on how I particularly feel about Skeeter, so I'll have to answer that question a bit later.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it nearly breaks my heart to imagine a child being so close with someone who is providing love and care, teaching right from wrong, only to be, in turn, punished for equally returning the affection. It's outrageous that these white people (yes, I know WE are all white, but you get my drift) could even sleep at night! I have a severely guilty conscience. If I so much as cast an ounce of judgement in regardless to a bad hair day or even less than attractive shoes, I'm laying in my bed at night praying for forgiveness. Let alone, openly condemn someone to their face! Yikes.
The potty training issue was over the top for me. I'm certain I would have punched stupid Elizabeth in the face!
I know that I couldn't stand the way Mae Mobley's grandma treated her. You get the feeling that Aibileen really is the only one who loves that child in that house. I get the feeling did that on purpose: first she did the story about how close Skeeter and Constantine were. She included a little scene about Constantine giving Skeeter either some advice or some comfort:
ReplyDelete"'Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision.' Constantine was so close, I could see the blackness of her gums. 'Your gona have to ask yourself, Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?'" (p 73).
So we've got that scene, and then in the next few chapters, we've got Aibileen comforting Mae Mobely. Telling her she was a smart girl and a kind girl after Elizabeth yelled at her for (oh no!) not eating in her high chair. How horrible for a baby to be rejected by their mother over and over again. Even now you can already tell that Mae Mobely must be getting the feeling that she isn't good enough.
I could have smacked Elzabeth over the potty. In part for yelling out and telling Mae false things like she could get diseases from black people, in part for saying "I didn't raise you to...", but mostly for hitting that little girl the way she did.
As far as Miss Skeeter goes, she is certainly better than most of the white folks that she lives around. And yes there is some sympathy because is is the outcast in her circle. Single, tall, skinny, a woman trying to make a career when that wasn't the thing for proper women to do. The segregation and hatred/talking down to the help clearly bothers her on some level...but at the same time. She is using Aibileen for her Miss Myrna letters. And she is trying to use The Help's stories to get her own work published. Still sounds kind of like taking-advantage to me.
(But can I really judge, never having lived during that time or in that situation?)
I also want to say that I liked this quote, because it is so true:
"Ugly live up on the inside. Ugly be a hurtful, mean person." (also p 73).
I'm so sorry I haven't commented on sooner! Everything is super hectic this week. Just so y'all know, the last week of March and the last week of April I won't be on. In March I'm going to be in Virginia for a week, and in April I'm moving.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Skeeter's mother goes, I don't agree in the slightest. Obviously, she was supposed to go to college for an education. Instead, it seems like her mother shooed her off to college for the sole purpose of finding a husband. Just trying to put myself in her mothers shoes and say "education and a job aren't important in college, finding a husband is" makes me CRINGE. If my child finds the love of their life at college, I'd be incredibly happy for them. But I'm sending them to college for an education to be able to have a career and provide for themselves. That just urks me.
The way Aibileen shows so much love for Mae Mobley, just seems so beautiful and amazing. She has seen so much violence and hatred from white folk, and she even states that one day they're going to grow up and she hopes they don't turn out like the parents, that I thought at first she would have sort of a grudge towards them. But in no way, shape, or form she shows any of the babies hatred, and she continues to make sure Mae Mobley knows how special and wonderful she is. The more we continue the story, the more I love Aibileen. She doesn't show hatred for anyone, she just writes them down in her prayer book and moves on.
I also agree that it definitely feels like Skeeter is mostly using Aibileen to her advantage, but I feel different later on in the story. I will wait to explain on that later.
Again, sorry it's so late, ladies! :(
No worries girl! We know how busy life gets ;) I'm sooo happy you guys are moving! Can't wait to come visit :D
DeleteThank you! I'm so excited as well! We get out final paper orders in March (Kyle's been told) so hopefully I can start setting stuff up. You'll always be welcome! And I'm super excited too. :D
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