The Help: Week 1-Chapters 1-5

This is a book that is hard for me to put down. I’ve just read it for the second time in less than a year and I hope you will enjoy it, too. This isn’t an easy read—our author isn’t writing about a pretty or easy subject. Sometimes I squirmed as I turned the pages and as I read, many emotions assaulted me—embarrassment, shame, disgust, anger, sadness, and sometimes joy.

It takes courage to represent black and white women from decades ago who lived in the US South where racism created strict roles between white wives and mothers and the women who carefully, fearfully served them. Kathryn Stockett meets the challenge with clarity and compassion, honesty and timely wit to tell the stories of a small community of women. The lines that divided them seem to be drawn by fear, tradition and prejudice, ignorance, cruelty. The tragic daily results of bigotry and snobbery crowd the pages already lined with women we come to care deeply about as we read. This book is about the past, but there are truths that are still present today.

I would like to ask that if you are reading this book with us that you please comment on each week’s blog post. Our online reading club is at its best when you comment, so please share your thoughts and responses with us. I’ll give the introduction to our reading each Monday. If you can comment on that post before the next post goes up the following Monday, that would be great.

This week, I’d like to ask that you write about the themes you see in our first 5 chapters. Which one stands out to you? Why? Do you see any themes that are still present today—where you live and serve? I’m really looking forward to reading this great book and your comments. I hope you’ll post!

Happy reading!

Linda