“The Help”
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/h/the-help/book-summary
CHARACTER STUDY: Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan
- A 22 year-old wealthy white woman
- lives + grew up on a cotton farm/plantation
- After school she went to study at Ole’ Miss (University of Mississippi)
- She is very tall, lanky, and not very pretty – much to her mothers disaproval
- She wants to be a writer – her mum wants her to be a wife
- When she comes back from school she realises that her views on black + white segregation have changed. She becomes intrigued on the ‘helps’ views on what it’s like to serve for a white house hold every day, and be the inferior colour.
- This idea is extremely dangerous but skeeter is determined and string willed!
Page: 89
Reading the letter from Harper & Row:
“Miss Phelan
You certainly may hone your writing skills on such flat, passionless subjects as drunk driving and illiteracy. I’d hoped, you’d choose topics that actually had some punch to them. Keep looking. If you find something original, only then may you write me again.”
Upset that Missus Stein’s letter was so negative. feeling discouraged because i have no better ideas
Pick up copy of ‘let us now praise famous men’ wondering if I’ll ever write anything that worth while or that holds such an impact.
My maid Pascagoula knocks on the door – THAT’S WHEN THE IDEA COMES
“no. I couldn’t. That would be… crossing the line.”
but……