Introduction
The movie ‘The Help’ is a period drama set in the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. It is a story brings out the vast cultural differences and the frustrations they cause during that period due to the separate lives that the white community led as compared to the life the black American community was forced to lead at the time. The movie successfully showcased the cultural divide and the plight of the people who tried to rise above this.
The story revolves around Skeeter Phelan, a white woman, who is a budding journalist and Aibileen, a maid who has worked for white families and helped raise seventeen white children. They both together hold a mirror to the unfortunate flight and restrictions imposed upon the lives of ‘The Help’ in a most compelling manner.
Concept 1:
Scene Description
Skeeter writes the Junior League Newsletter in Jackson and she is constantly on the lookout for interesting topics to write about. Hilly tries to direct Skeeter to include a write-up about her idea that proposes that Jackson families and the maids not use the same sanitation facilities. Skeeter tries to avoid this for as long as possible and even when she does give in, she intentionally misspells and mixes up two of Hilly’s requested pieces causing an embarrassing situation for Hilly.
Concept Description
It is imperative that one has tolerance for cultural diversity. This can be managed with responses that can prevent, mitigate and avoid certain reactions when dealing with conflict arising out of cross cultural conflict. The need here is to avoid dissonant, controversial topics and issues. Furthermore, when dealing with such conflict it is apt to manage, leverage and facilitate by provoking positive conflict.
How does the scene fit into the concept?
It is clear from this scene that though Hilly intends to draw attention and focus on a separatist and controversial manner in her dealing with the help, Skeeter tries to avoid this distasteful situation as much as possible. When this is not feasible owing to unrelenting pressure from Hilly, Skeeter takes control of the situation, and she does so by intentionally creating a distraction which effectively serves to dilute an otherwise complex and uncomfortable situation for all who were not intending to be an active party to the dissonance that was being plotted by Hilly and for the community that would be victimized due to this.
Concept 2:
Scene Description
One night during, Skeeter makes an off-hand rude remark that upsets her mother and causes her to leave the room. Then Skeeter runs to her favorite place, a small bench, and recalls how Constantine, her mother’s maid who raised Skeeter, used to comfort her when she got upset. She realizes that when she was growing up Constantine was the only person who seemed to get her. Skeeter realizes she desperately misses Constantine, who has quit now. Skeeter feels there was more to this than what her mother said, but did not know what really happened. Disturbed by this loss of Constantine and at the way her erstwhile friends Elizabeth and Hilly mistreat their maids, Skeeter decides on a writing project: a book to bring out the real stories of the lives of Jackson's maids.
Concept Description
A culturally proficient leader is capable of examining one’s own culture, and the effect it may have on others. Such a person will be introspective of the extent of influence and restriction his own culture is imposing on others from different cultures. It is possible in such situations to facilitate a transformative change and also be able to invite others to be a part of this transformative journey.
How does the scene fit into the concept?
Here Skeeter clearly understands the effect her culture has on the other one, so even when she was given a logically believable story on why Constantine left. Furthermore, she is able to more than understand the unfair treatment and the cruelties the people of her own community, her so-called friends are imposing on the maids and hence decides to work on the situation. She conceives on the project, that will not only expose the plight of the maids but also go one step further and maybe make a difference, however small.
Concept 3:
Scene Description
Skeeter approaches Aibeleen about working on her book together, but Aibileen refuses to be a part of this or even to be interviewed. While attending the church the next morning, the preacher delivers a sermon about courage and hearing this aibileen changes her mind, and resolves to help Skeeter with the book. She tearfully narrates to Skeeter and Minny the sad story of her only son's death a few years before: At the age of twenty-four, Aibileen's son was brutally run over by a truck. The white foreman then drove him to a hospital for the colored, unceremoniously dumped him there on the ground and left. By then it was already too late to save him, so when she was told this, Aibileen brought her son home, where he died right before her. She sighs in pain, saying "The anniversary of his death comes every year, and every year I can't breathe. But to you all, it's just another day of bridge." After this she becomes more invested in Skeeter’s book project that she knew was dangerous. Following this, Aibileen recruits Minny into the project who was reluctant before, but Elaine Stein (Skeeter’s editor who's getting interested in the project) insists the book might need at least a dozen maids contributing -- including Skeeter's own relationship with Constantine. After Yule Mae's arrest, almost all the local maids come forward to contribute with their stories to the book.
Concept Description
When people communicate effectively it leads to more coherent bonds in relationships. When information is authentically shared and generated it leads to effective communication. Such communication can be compelling and powerful enough to facilitate transformational changes that are beneficial to all the cultures involved.
How does the scene fit into the concept?
One can see from the above mentioned scene how an idea that had been conceived by Skeeter in a moment of nostalgia about her childhood and her intolerance to the unacceptable behavior around her, had snow-balled into something much bigger. The maids too from being the scared, oppressed lot had had enough, and hence slowly but surely bought into the idea. It was either their conversations with each other or the encouragement they got from other quarters, that caused them to shed their inhibitions and approach each other with a clear defined purpose. Such collaboration was sure to have commendable results, as one saw later with the expose once it was published.
Discussion
