When it was announced in class that we were watching The Help I let out a tiresome sigh. After being exposed to outside reviews did I understand why I sighed. I didn’t take Oprah’s advice to read the book but I’ve seen the feel-good movie before and I shrugged at the simple warm and fuzzy feeling it gave to see the bad guy get what was coming to them. But looking at this movie as a serious piece of text warrants a completely different opinion of the movie. The video we saw in class of the fervent disapproval of the film made me stop and really think about what I had just consumed. This feel-good film arguably strips all female characters as makers of meaning. The narrative is central around our white savior who helps the help get her voice heard through their struggle. Regardless of Skeeter’s intent or emotions this was her ticket, exploit the exploited to get to the next tier.

The poem that was posted, A Black Woman Speaks of White Womanhood, I believe is what The Help wanted to be representative of. But with certain “artistic liberties” or even fear of truly representing the strife of the time the film has become more of a mockery than anything.