'THE HELP' AND THE REAL WORLD

The Help and the Real World:

How the real world presents itself within the novel.

The central theme of The Help is racism and how it affected black people and their families in the 1960s. It is a unique outlook focusing on the issue, shifting the focus onto how black women were hired to work as maids and how it was the only life they knew. There are various mentions of civil rights and the movements that the issues brought into America, and these moments are deeply important to the plot of the book. The book takes place at a time where the civil rights movements were becoming prominent within America. These movements and protesting were dangerous things decades ago, with people being killed trying to protect themselves and for speaking for what is right. The book takes place in the small town of Jackson in the United States, a town where racism was seen as "normal" and where you were punished for speaking your mind, something that was strikingly common in the times written about in the book. The novel uses references to historical events that took place in the time period that the story takes place in to strengthen the thematic elements of the novel.

Violence against black people is a theme that takes place more prominently in the later chapters of the novel. There are various different characters that are beaten, critically hurt, or even killed within the book. This violence is oftentimes simply because of their colour and how they are seen as a threat because they are not white. People of colour being seen as "different" is one of the worst things that has ever been introduced into this world, and it is an issue that is still ongoing despite how hard people try to fix this standard. This is a disturbing issue that is still deeply prevalent in todays society, and the George Floyd murder case is an example in modern-day society that shows how police are still targeting people of other races with violence and harsh treatment. Black people have unfortunately always had to be weary of these issues, worry filling many due to the distressing amount of police brutality in the world. It was much more common decades prior to now; but it is still happening despite how far we have come as a society.

George Floyd is a modern example of this police brutality and the devastating effects caused by racism; his case opened the eyes of many to what black people have to suffer through and his death truly shook the world. It is a moment in time that I will never forget. He was tragically killed by a white police officer on May 25, 2020. This police officer stood on Floyd's neck for over 9 minutes, killing him after he suffered deeply and was heard repeatedly stating that he could not breathe. Even after he had no pulse and was entirely lifeless, the officer continued to kneel on his neck until 9 minutes and 29 seconds exactly had passed. Other officers at the scene assisted in restraining him while four officers surrounded the area to prevent bystanders from stepping in to stop the abuse happening right in front of their eyes. Some of the witnesses of the officer kneeling on Floyd filmed the incident - which would make evidence for the brutality case against the officers involved in what would become the heartbreaking murder of George Floyd. 

After the incident, justice was rightfully served to the officers involved. The officers were charged with murder and homicide charges; with the Floyd family getting 27 million dollars from a wrongful death lawsuit. This tragic loss is an event that will forever leave a mark on the world; George Floyd's passing is a gut wrenching look at how racism affects black individuals all over the world, and his fight is something the world will never forget. His passing was the inspiration for the Black Lives Matter movement and protests that followed, and his death has had a lasting impact on society all over the world. His name will never be forgotten; his case caused a resurgence in the civil rights movements and protests that are detailed throughout the pages of The Help, and this case is a modern-day example of how racism can truly affect people of all kinds.

Violence against black people is something that is still happening to this day, and the case of George Floyd has similar circumstances to some of the characters that are wrongfully beaten, harmed, or killed throughout The Help. The raw look into police brutality and racism within the book is something everybody should be taught; and the stories feel all too real.

Information Source:

Wikipedia Contributors. “George Floyd.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Dec. 2024.

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