Social Action Inquiry Question-The Help

In the book “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett, one of the main characters, Skeeter Phelan, is the one who brings justice to her town by bringing awareness to the issue of racism.

In the book, Skeeter gives up her social life and friends as well as risking her family's trust in her by standing up to her best friends in the hope of making a change. One of Skeeters best friends, Hilly Holbrook attempts to create even more racism and segregation in the town so, Skeeter decides to take a stand in order to make a change in her home town of Jackson Mississippi while making some new friends along the way.

When skeeter gets fed up with the situation of racism in her town, she enlists the help of her friends maids to write a book of true stories about what its like to be a black maid working for a white family. She includes many humiliating stories concerning her “Friends” even though doing this could have many harmful affects. She knew that she could be putting not only herself in dangure but her friends as well from people who had strong opinions on segregation like the K.K.K. or other organizations similar to it and yet she kept going.

I like how Skeeter brought justice in the book because she stood up for what she believed in and in the end she did make a change. She brought down the level of authority from Hilly Holbrook and she raised awareness on the situation, which people actually listened to no matter what the consequences.

Social Action Question #1

In the book “The help” by Kathrin Stockett, there are many complex issues that are presented that cause some of the main events in the text, but the main issue is racism.

            The issue of racism is very apparent in the book and is a key conflict that leads to many events in the book. One example of why racism is what causes conflicts in the book is when Skeeter Phelan is having trouble recruiting maids to interview for her book. This is happening because the maids are fearful for the lives of themselves and their families. Because the racism at the time was so harsh, members of the K.K.K. and others would sometimes go as far as murdering blacks or other minorities.

            Another example of why racism is a main cause of many events in the text is when Minny Jackson is having a hard time finding work. This is because at the time there were hardly any jobs for black women so most worked as maids in white house holds. Because  Minny is constantly speaking her mind and sharing her opinion to her employers which wasn’t expectable at the time, she is also getting fired.

            The books main cause of conflict is racism. Throughout the book it is a key cause for many events that take place. The issue of racism is a large one and can cause many conflicting events to take place.

Should Access to YA Fiction be Restricted?

 Access to YA fiction should not be restricted. Though many people think otherwise, YA books can be comforting to teens and can also help them face their fears, which can be difficult. Lots of Kids have issues that are extremely challenging and stressful to deal with. These books provide relief. They can help kids through these tough situations and even leave them feeling confident.

            YA books can be comforting to kids because they connect to the characters in the book. Once example of this is, “ They read because despite the callow protestations of certain adults that books, especially the dark and dangerous ones will save them.” States Sherman Alexie in the article “Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood”. This quote shows how kids connect to the characters because they are going through similar situations. YA books can act as families to kids who don’t necessarily have one of their own. One more example of this is, “ There are millions of teens who read because they are sad and lonely and enraged. They read because they live in a terrible world.” Says Sherman Alexie from the same article. This quote shows how some unfortunate kids are faced with truly horrible situations, which can be increasingly difficult to deal with, and how YA books can help them through it. YA books provide support and encouragement for these kids.

            YA books can help kids face their fears by learning from these books. One example of this is, “’ I don’t want to be like my father.’ That young man said ‘ I want to be myself. Just like in your book’” Says Sherman Alexie from the article “Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood”. This quote shows how many YA books have useful lessons or leave a good impression. This allows kids to address possible fears and do what they want. Another example is, “ I read books about monsters because they taught me how to battle the real monsters in my life.” States Sherman Alexie from the same article. This quote shows how YA books allow kids to have a deeper understanding of the world and how to deal with the situations they are faced with. YA books can also teach kids valuable lessons that can help them later in life.

            Some people believe that access to YA books should be limited because it can leave bad impressions on kids. One example of this is “40 years ago, that were still only sparingly outlined a generation ago, are now spelled out in stomach-clenching detail. Profanity that would get a song or movie branded with a parental warning is, in young adult novels so common place that most reviewers do not even remark upon it.” States Megan Cox Gurdon from the article “Darkness to Visible”.  This argument doesn’t acknowledge the fact that what is in these books happens in real-life throughout the world. Kids shouldn’t be shielded from these atrocities, they should be educated on the issues. Another example of this is, “A recent study by Bringham Young University that found young adult bestsellers have twice the rate of cursing of video games” States Husna Haq from the article “Should young adult books have age ratings”. This argument doesn’t acknowledge the fact that the language that is used in these books is most likely not new language to these kids. They’ve heard it all before whether it was on the radio, the TV, or on the street. There is no avoiding it.

            Though there is much controversy on the subject, I think that access to YA books should not be restricted because kids enjoy them and can find them comforting. The lessons being taught in these books cannot only help them face their fears in both present day and in the future, but can also make them stronger and more confident. Kids connect to both the characters and the stories in YA books. Taking them away could leave these kids with nothing.

The Help

The book  The Help by Kathryn Stockett takes place in the early 1960’s in Jacksonville Mississippi in the perspective of two black maids, Minny Jackson and Aibileen Clark as well as a young white woman, Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan. The maids work with Skeeter to develop a book depicting the lives of maids in Jacksonville. By doing this, they are risking both their jobs and the saftey of them and their families. Throughout the book, the setting is extremely important to the story.

  One example of how the setting contributes to the story is that it can affect the overall plot of the story. For example, the author states, “ So Jacksonville’s just one white neighborhood after the next and more springing up down the road. But the colored part a town, we one big anthill, surrounded by state land that ain’t for sale. As our numbers get bigger, we can't spread out. Our part a town just gets thicker.” This quote shows how because the book takes place in the heart of the south, there is clearly more racism there, than there would be in other places. This helps show how there was a huge separation between whites and blacks in Jacksonville Mississippi at the time.

            Another example of how the setting affects the story is how the setting changes the mood of the scene. For example the author states, “ For the next two weeks, the three of us arrange ourselves in the same seats in Aibileen’s small warm living room.” This quote shows how the setting of the scene can help to display the tone. In this quote, Aibileen’s familiar living room helps the characters slowly connect to each other.

            One more example of how the setting can have a large impact on the story is how it can help display emotions. For example the author states,“ ‘Dad,’ Stuart says through gritted teeth, banging his fork against his plate” This quote shows how the setting of the scene can affect the emotions that are conveyed at the time. In this quote, the Phelans are having dinner with the Whitworths and it isn't going as planned.

            Overall, I love this book because it uses setting to set the tone of the book. Setting has an extremely large effect on mood, emotion, and the overall plot of the story in this book.  I think the author did a great job incorporating setting both subtly and noticeably into the book. I think that by doing this, the author made the story more relatable and interesting.

Should young adult books have age ratings? Critical Analysis

In the article “Should young adult books have age ratings?” by Husna Haq wants readers to know how young adult books have become much darker, more gruesome and can contain questionable content in the past few years but also how these books are interesting to teens and how the content is not wildly horrifying to them and how the debate on age ratings for young adult books has raised lots of awareness. One example the author gives is that recently some young adult bestsellers contain twice the rate of cursing as video games, which gives the impression of how young adult books are completely inappropriate for teens. The author also discusses how the content in young adult books is nothing these kids haven’t heard before which shows how it probably isn’t as harsh as people make it out to be.

            The author wants readers to feel shocked and surprised by what is being said about young adult books, how much they have changed over the past few years and how teens seem to react to these books. One way the author does this is by adding direct quotes from previous dark young adult authors. Having the opinion from someone who has had a lot of experience on the subject makes the reader even more convinced. The author also includes a lot of opinionated statements, which add to the level of certainty towards these books.

            After reading this article I think that young adult books should not have age ratings because when a teen reads these books, it’s nothing they haven’t heard before whether it was on the radio or the TV. I think that the content in these books can be helpful and empowering to teens as well as comforting.