Journal Five

Third column of K/W/L Chart

Learned (please finish after have read most or all of the book) (Summarize the answers to your questions in column 2; what did you find out? What did you learn from the book overall?)

What I found out was that not only did the book deal with and explore the stories of the maids, but that it also went into other conflicts and dilemmas faced by the characters.  Also, not only did the characters experience segregation between black and white, but also any white person that were to demonstrate “radical” thinking and ideas that were too advanced for the time.  As a reader, I got to look into the different levels of relationships between black and white people, for example Aibileen’s relationships with her employer Mrs. Elizabeth Leefolt, the little girl she is raising in the Leefolt household, and that with Ms. Skeeter are all completely different.  It was also interesting to see the effects that such things as the novel To Kill a Mockingbird as well as the “I have a dream” speech by Martin Luther King Junior had on small towns on a practical level.  In the novel there is reference to both of these things; however it is clear that on an immediate and practical level, there was no effect.  People living in the town still have the same beliefs and there is absolutely no noticeable change because of them.  It goes into more specific detail and explanation of the speech made, however even there it is mentioned very little.  I think this was to draw emphasis to the fact that many of the town did not or did not have time to take notice of it.  Even the maids mention it briefly but not in a substantial way.  They still have their jobs to attend to and are just too busy to altogether care that much.  What I also discovered was that the title of the book itself is very substantial because throughout the novel, often times the maids were not thought of as people per-say and were instead thought of as simply these beings that were there to do a person’s bidding and look after their home for them. And so they were referred to as “The Help” and not by name or thought of as regular women just needing a job.  It was also a pleasant surprise through some parts of the novel to see the positive relationships between some of the maid’s and their employers.  Some of the ladies helping with bail bonds for the maids children, bringing them dinner, and just overall niceties.  When I was expecting to read a very negative description of life of a maid in Jackson, Mississippi, turned out to be a lovely read. Yes it had negative things that happened, but it more of a moving and inspirational read than anything else.