During the main portion of this paper I will first list the stereotypes Stockett makes use of in her novel "The Help", explain their origin and give examples from the novel. Then I will examine the negative effects these stereotypes have on the African American community and analyze the novel's content with regard to hidden racism. Finally, I will conclude by arguing whether these factors lead to the impression that the author transferred her own prejudices into the novel and can in fact be called racist.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Situating The Help in the historical context
3. Defining terminology: ʻracism’, ʻprejudice’ and ʻstereotype’
4. An Analysis of the stereotypes used in the novel
4.1. The illiterate, uneducated African American
4.2 The Mammy figure
4.3 The angry black woman
4.4 The villainous African American male
5. Indicators for hidden racism in the novel The Help
5.1 Hidden racism in the representation of the African American characters
5.2 Hidden racism in the plot of the novel
6. Conclusion
7. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper investigates whether Kathryn Stockett’s novel "The Help" employs racial stereotypes that result in the unintentional perpetuation of racist tendencies. By analyzing the historical context of the 1960s and contrasting it with the character portrayals and narrative structure of the novel, the work explores how linguistic choices and skewed character arcs can marginalize the African American community even within a narrative intended to promote themes of friendship.
- Stereotypes of African American characters in literature
- Linguistic representation and racial bias
- Hidden racism within popular fiction
- Intersection of historical civil rights events and fictional narratives
- The "White Savior" trope in contemporary storytelling
Excerpt from the Book
4.1. The illiterate, uneducated African American
The first stereotype Stockett makes use of can already be found on the first few pages of the novel. When Aibileen Clark, an African American maid, narrates the first chapters of the novel, her thick slang sticks out to the reader instantaneously. Excerpts like: “They talking about what Miss Jackie done wore on the tee-vee.” (Stockett, 2009: 6) „The sun shining“ (Stockett, 2009: 184) or “Shoe nuff, she let go and start looking […]. […] she just can’t believe she done missed it […].”(Stockett, 2009: 91) which are grammatically incorrect, all suggest that African American English is inferior to Standard English. Stockett also uses the word “memoring” (Stockett, 2009: 91) instead of ‘memorizing’ and “pneumonia” (Stockett, 2009: 84) instead of the correct word ‘ammonia’. More examples for the supposed inaccuracy of African American English can be found throughout the novel.
Furthermore, the reader learns that Aibileen who has worked for white households since she was a young girl (see Stockett, 2009: 144), apparently never picked up the Standard English that her white employers speak. Stockett consistently uses what she believes to be African American register for Aibileen’s speech, regardless of the situation or the topic of discussion. Even when Aibileen talks about Sigmund Freud’s work, she still speaks in thick slang about the subject, although changing register when switching from vernacular to formal speech is a skill even high school students usually have (see Stockett, 2009: 154).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the motivation for the paper and defines the core research question regarding Stockett's use of racial stereotypes.
2. Situating The Help in the historical context: Provides an overview of the Jim Crow era and the civil rights movement to contextualize the setting of the novel.
3. Defining terminology: ‘racism’, ‘prejudice’ and ‘stereotype’: Establishes clear academic definitions for key terms used throughout the analysis.
4. An Analysis of the stereotypes used in the novel: Examines specific archetypes, including the uneducated maid, the Mammy, the angry black woman, and the villainous black male.
5. Indicators for hidden racism in the novel The Help: Critiques the linguistic misrepresentation of characters and the problematic plot elements that support a "white savior" narrative.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the argument that while unintentional, Stockett's novel displays instances of ignorance that contribute to harmful stereotypical cycles.
7. Bibliography: Lists the primary and secondary sources utilized for this study.
Keywords
The Help, Kathryn Stockett, Racism, Stereotype, Prejudice, Civil Rights Movement, African American, Mammy Figure, Sapphire Stereotype, Hidden Racism, White Savior, Jim Crow Laws, Representation, Linguistic bias, Literary Analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the presence of racial stereotypes in Kathryn Stockett's novel "The Help" and evaluates whether these depictions inadvertently promote racist tendencies.
What are the primary thematic areas covered in the analysis?
The work investigates racial archetypes, the historical reality of the 1960s American South, linguistic representation in fiction, and the impact of the "white savior" narrative.
What is the stated research goal?
The goal is to determine if Stockett, though perhaps well-intentioned, utilized harmful stereotypes that undermined the dignity of African American characters.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis, contrasting factual historical accounts of the Civil Rights era with the novel’s plot, alongside a linguistic assessment of the dialogue used for black characters.
What does the main part of the paper address?
It provides a deep dive into four specific stereotypes: the illiterate uneducated laborer, the Mammy, the angry black woman, and the villainous black man, followed by an analysis of the novel's plot structure.
Which primary keywords characterize the text?
Key terms include "The Help," "Stereotype," "Hidden Racism," "Representation," and "Civil Rights Movement."
How does the author evaluate the "Mammy" figure within the novel?
The author argues that the Mammy figure serves to ignore the complexities of African American experiences, reducing domestic workers to one-dimensional archetypes that prioritize the needs of white families.
Why does the author conclude that the novel displays "ignorance" rather than overt racism?
The author argues that Stockett seemingly lacked malicious intent, but her failure to move beyond superficial tropes and her lack of thorough research resulted in a narrative that reinforces problematic power dynamics.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2016, Stereotypes and Hidden Racism in the Novel "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1307342
