'THE HELP' AND HOW I SAW MYSELF IN THE NOVEL

The Help and How I Saw Myself In the Novel:

Me and Skeeter Phelan.

I was surprised being able to see myself in a book primarily about black people and their struggles; but Skeeter Phelan was a character I deeply resonated with throughout her development as a primary character within the pages of The Help. Skeeter is one of the three main narrators used throughout the chapters of the book, with much of the story being told through her perspective. She is the reason for change in the town of Jackson, making the bold and dangerous decision to write a book detailing the lives and experiences of the maids working in the town. Her upbringing consisted heavily of memories of her maid Constantine - who had left suddenly without a word, leaving Skeeter deeply determined to find out what happened to her dear old maid who helped her to make it through her youth when no one else would.

The ambition and passion for writing Skeeter shows throughout the novel were the traits that I saw myself in. Her dreams of writing professionally and seeking journalism jobs was something that spoke to me; with the experiences and feelings shown within her side of the story seeming to mirror me and my ambitions as well as my deep passion for writing and my work. Her working on her writing near constantly, leading to her gaining more skills and more desire for work made me feel like I was reading about myself at times - with her love and feelings for music also mirroring those of my own. Her strong connection with music and the culture surrounding it is similar to my own feelings, with music being one of my longtime passions and my strong desire to work in the music journalism field.

There are still many differences between me and the character of Skeeter, making it feel like I am the complete opposite of her while still being similar due to the shared passion of writing that I share with her. Skeeter struggles with unease and feelings of anxiety throughout the book, dealing with pressure from her family members and peers to do what is wanted of them. The family pressure is something I feel I cannot connect with as my parents are very supportive, especially compared to the members of the Phelan family, but her anxiety surrounding her work is something that feels similar to my own. There is always a general feeling of pressure to do well while completing schoolwork or outside projects, and Skeeter's raw emotion shown throughout the novel is something that feels similar to my experiences with anxiety throughout my life. Her deep sense of understanding right from wrong in the world is something I tie myself to, with her stance on how disgusting racist behavior is feeling especially similar to my personal feelings and issues with the topic of racism. Skeeter's never-back-down stance on her beliefs and the refusal to give in and behave like the majority of the townsfolk she shows is the same kind of behavior I would have if I was living in the world written about within The Help. Her desire for change and making things right with the coloured people of Jackson feels like the stand I would wish to take if I were in a similar situation; and her ability to speak for herself despite consequences shows a deep sense of bravery within what might seem like a generally anxious individual. 

Skeeter's skill for writing and desire for work in the journalism field is something deeply similar to my own experiences and personality as well as my ambitions - making her one of the only characters in any form of media to truly feel like someone I can relate to and see myself in. It is incredibly rare that I see myself in a character, but Skeeter was one that shares many characteristics and traits with me personally.