Monday, August 15, 2011

Why 'The Help' Is Not The Problem

As you know, I read The Help a few weeks ago and this weekend, I gathered myself out of bed and went to see the movie. Before I went, I looked for some reviews online- just to see if the book and the movie were similar & to see what people thought of the acting. Between Twitter and some other blogs, I have to say-- some of y'all are some hateful bitches. There are so many people- mostly Black, I have to say- that refuse to see the movie or read the book for one simple reason: they are the work of a white woman. What the hell?

Let me say this, y'all make me sick. Super sick. Half of you complainers won't read this book because of what you THINK it says. If you don't read it, how do you know? You won't read this book or support this movie but you WILL support idiots like Steve Harvey who can "teach" you how to act like a lady, but think like a man. You WILL and did support a chick named Superhead, who tells of her exploits with musicians, married or not. You WILL support movies with Black people cast as every stereotype we have heard: baby daddy, uneducated, loud, dumb, lazy, shouting the 'n' word for two hours-- But you won't go see a touching movie because it came from the pen of a white woman? Give me a fucking break.

Some of y'all need to get your minds right. If you hateful bitches are mad because a white woman had the audacity to right a book about the happenings in the South in the 60s, the solution is simple- write your own book. Sit your ass in front of a computer and come up with a bestseller. If you aren't willing to put in the work, please shut the hell up. No matter what you say- Black people do not have a monopoly on telling stories about American history in the South. We weren't the only slaves, we weren't the only race hurt by stupidity and racism, we weren't the only ones who suffered for Civil Rights. Jews died, Whites died, young people, old people, Christians, Catholics- and so many more. And now, 50 years later, you don't get to say 'How dare that White woman!'

She did it AND she did it well. The book is a masterpiece. The movie deviated, but is touching. The women involved were amazing actors and I loved it. I highly recommend that after some of you check those nasty ass attitudes at the door, you check out the 'The Help' and save your judgments until after you actually see/read it.

5 comments:

mandino said...

So true. We are working against prejudice, yet people are prejudging the book before they know anything about it. Thats especially sad here, since The Help attempts to bring awareness of the cause itself.
Love it, Well written!

Miss Mox said...

Thank you! :) I agree that people need to leave what they have deemed as their comfort zone and give this book/movie a chance. They might just be surprised at what they see/read.
Thanks for the comment! ;)

Shelby S. said...

So, Miss Mox, you definitely made me think - this was really well written and definitely brought out a lot of points that I didn't think about - esp. the idea of what movies I do check out and the stereotypical roles and characters. However I did read the book and walked away with a different perspective - I saw the characters as stereotypical. But I don't blame the writer, because I don't think you can write about a community, in which you don't belong, without using stereotypes.

Anyways, I had to comment, because I did walk away from reading it - thinking one thing and after reading your post I'm rethinking some of my points. Long story short, thanks for posting. Please keep up the good work! You are definitely an influential writer :)

Miss Mox said...

Hey Shelby!! Thanks for the comment! I will agree thattheir are characteristics of each person that is stereotypical. Abilene is like a mamie- always doing the right thing, taking care of babies. Minnie is a hot headed, angry black woman. The black community seems content that church alone will find them freedom in a crazy world, Skeeter is the super privileged brat w a heart, Elizabeth is a wanna be, so she does all that Hilly says and Hilly is a bitch w low self esteem.
All that said-- stereotype would not live if someone did not embody the image. In other words, there would be no mamie if someone didn't play just that part in the south long ago. As a member of the Junior League in Chicago, o can tell you, there would be no notion that we were mostly made up of spoiled, privileged girls if some of that weren't true! :)
I was just glad that the "Birth of a Nation" stereotypes were not thrown around- with black men being unable to control themselves as they lusted after white women, etc. All in all- I think that the book and movie were moving. A very nice tribute to the writers Nanny.
Thank you your compliments-- absolutely made my morning! :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your honest words. Holly and I saw the movie, ended it with tears in our eyes and opened up a bunch of great dialogue between mom and daughter about the truth behind the story. I especially like the 'Too Little Too Late' afterward in Stockett's book which shows she really is 'allowed' to speak about what she knows.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...