The Help

I started seeing it everywhere. At first, it only appeared at the pool, in the hands of one woman sunbathing. Then, I saw it at my piano studio: two ladies opening it whenever their child was in a lesson. At a visit to Borders, where it was prominently featured. Finally, it reached the hands of my neighbor and good friend, with a gold embossed cover. The Help, it was simply titled. What a mysterious title! As my good friend put it, "It could have been some spiritual help book, or some wierd thing about divine intervention." But my other good friend insisted, "Abby, read it. It is the best book I've ever read."

So, I hiked down to Borders and bought myself a copy of The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. It turns out, this is not a self-help book about divine intervention or spiritual guidance. It is instead an accurate (I think) and moving portrait of racial tension and discrimination during the 1960s in Birmingham, Alabama. Skeeter, a skinny, upper class white woman with higher aspirations than to simply marry and be a housewife, feels out of place with her childhood friends after returning to college. She misses Constantine, the "help" her family hired and who practically raised her, and begins to realize the incongruencies of social life in Birmingham. Then there's Aibileen, a steadfast, "colored" woman, hired to raise the children in wealthy families, who witnesses the sad neglect of many of these children, and her best friend, sassy Minnie, who can't control her impertinent manner but bakes like no other. These three women, all in completely different situations, join together on a project that is dangerous and revealing, all the while juggling the struggles of their individual lives.

To make a truly excellent book, I think you need three things. The first, believable, real characters who carry the story with their characterized actions. The second, a good plot, with interesting events, rising action, and an excellent climax or conclusion. And the third (and it should be confessed that this is by no means my own idea) is an element of truth about the world. The Help has all three.

First, the characters: the world of Birmingham's social scene is completely realized, with excellent, real characters. Aibileen and Minnie are wonderfully funny, sharp, sweet characters, both of whom I fell in love with as I read. Minnie is sassy, cracking jokes or retorts that made me laugh out loud! And Aibileen's patience and calm demeanor make her a character I admire.But Skeeter, who could be argued to be the main character, fell flat in some places. She lacked dimension as a character, and depth, although clearly thoughtful and clever. Skeeter moves the plot, but she somehow isn't as lovable as Aibileen or Minnie. Her character isn't as clearly drawn or predictable in that familiar way. But the supporting characters of Birmingham bring the city to life in their very real, very human reactions to many of the problems brought up in the book.

The plot, while not fast paced, is excellent, ripe with funny or sad incidents to further character development, and all building to a revolutionizing climax of ideas for the three women. I couldn't stop reading- I was so eager to discover what would happen to these women. And again, this is a mark of the character strength; I genuinely cared for them. And while a story taking place in Birmingham in the 1960s can be scary and dark, this book remains powerfully moving while keeping the examples of prejudice light and the humor peppered throughout in careful portions.

Finally, the element of truth. Well. Katherine Stockett, the author of The Help, grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, in the time period she wrote about. Stockett had the access and the knowledge to create a realistic portrait of Birmingham, and indeed she does. But that's not the only true element of the book. The truth of prejudice is revealed as in no other book I've read, in that very basic prejudice which we excuse as 'better' for the other party or we assume without thinking. And it tells the truth of the human nature, of kindness triumphing over pressure and of great goals which will be met, no matter what. It doesn't preach or rant or rave, but simply shows the reader through the stories of so many different people, stories both heartwarming and appalling.

When these three elements combine, they make a truly moving and excellent book. Small wonder it's been on the bestseller list! This is the sort of versatile book that can be read as serious reading or summer beach reading! You almost don't realize how much you're learning, which in the summer break from school is a good thing. And while the troubles in Birmingham may seem outdated, the choices the characters face and make resonate through the decades with our own choices today, over different issues. I highly recommend reading this book for an enjoyable, enlightening (in the light sense) and empowering read.

The Spider and Fly

Just a little insight into what the Deatherage family spent their time doing while in Wyoming!

The Spider and the Fly

Written by the Deatherage family for John and Mary Kay Turner

July 2010

There once was a fly who buzzed in the house

(yes, the one where we caught the mouse)

its wings beat fast, it bumped into the glass

and it drove the whole family nuts, oh yes

it drove the whole family nuts.

There once was a spider who patiently spun

A web in the corner that sparkled with sun

It sat unperturbed, the web undisturbed,

And backed up in wait of its prey, oh yes,

It backed up in wait of its prey.

Then suddenly the fly hit the window and fell

It plummeted down with an insect’s small yell

And fell in the trap, the web that would wrap

Its silvery strands o’er the fly, oh yes,

Its silvery strands o’er the fly.

Expectant and hungry, the spider stood by,

Watching the misery of the poor fly

When the spider came running, the fly with great cunning

Did flap and twitch his trapped wings, oh yes

Did flap and twitch his trapped wings.

Then suddenly with a great effort and heave,

The fly shot forward, desperate to leave

At last cried, I’m free! But ‘twas not meant to be

The fly snapped back into the web, oh yes,

The fly snapped back into the web.

The captive twitched and buzzed in great panic,

At the thought of the spider, cruel and manic

The cause seemed lost, at too great a cost,

But the story had not finished yet, oh yes,

The story had not finished yet.

The spider with joy thought, “the victory’s won!”

But suddenly the fly’s bindings fell, undone

The fly tumbled out with a gleeful shout

The jubilant captive set free, oh yes,

The jubilant captive set free!

Peace Like a River

Since the day before school officially let out, the Deatherage family has been traveling together. We loaded up our big, color-changing Suburban and drove across the very long state of Tennessee until we reached Fifty-Six, Arkansas, the town where my dad grew up. My uncles, aunts, third cousins, great aunts, and great uncles came in from all over the country for the Family Reunion. We all converged with a great crush of hugs and kisses and exclamations, “Abby, is that you? You’re so big now!” “Little Zachary, the last time I saw you, you were only this big!” For the family I don’t know very well, the reunion provides a very cool time to get to know them. For the family I’ve grown up with, know, and love, the unconditional love is so soothing to be surrounded by. There’s no pressure on me to be cool, or funny, or fun to be with. I’m simply myself. That’s the best kind of family you can have.

Now, the six Deatherages are in Wyoming, tucked in a little house within the Tetons on Triangle X Ranch. It’s beautiful, majestic country, unspoiled by human development. The ranch sits in a glacier-made valley, surrounded by bunches of sage-brush and trees. As I write this, I can see rocky, jagged mountains, snow clinging to their peaks. They hang in the sky, wisps of clouds surrounding them, and seem all too divine to be a part of this rugged earth. Horses graze on the other side of me. Real cowboys stride past, confident, drawling, competent.

Surrounded by such country, who could resist writing about cowboys? Leif Enger, the author of Peace Like a River, lives in Montana, which I’m certain is just as beautiful. To me, it’s no small wonder that both of his books have maintained a delicious flavor of the true Western spirit. While not outwardly an actual outlaw, cowboy showdown Western, Peace Like a River resonates with adventure and romance. The Land family is the central focus of the novel: Swede, the youngest, is spunky, bright, and forceful. Reuben, the narrator, has weak lungs, and as a result is one of the weakest in the family. Though older than Swede, he follows her lead meekly. The oldest is Davy, handsome, headstrong, and cocky. And the cornerstone of the family is the Dad, a man of amazing faith, who walks with God in the same way Enoch was said to do in the Old Testament. Little miracles happen with him around, but they don’t make the Land’s life perfect. In fact, it ends up just the opposite when Davy goes to jail for shooting two boys, out for revenge on the Land family. When he escapes from jail, the family sets out after him on a literal and figurative journey of faith.

Peace Like a River is one of those books you just want to luxuriate in. I read each sentence carefully, just because Enger’s language is so beautiful. His descriptions are innovative, fresh, and beautiful, and his prose clear and figurative at the same time. You’re not drowning in metaphor, but swimming through a clear pond as you read. And the characters and so enjoyable and real. Swede is probably my favorite, though she rivals Roxanna. On a side note, Swede aspires to be an author, and we’re treated to some of her poems, which are excellent! Enger should have been a poet! Swede’s verses are clever, and so is her dialogue. The family feels like your own, like the cousins you always look forward to being with. And if that’s not reason enough to read it, it’s also a book I feel I could analyze forever and still not grasp the depth.

Strong themes resonate through the text; some are of family, of that binding love and “through-thick-and-thin” commitment. Reading this during the family reunion only served to strengthen my notice of this particular theme. Dovetailing family is forgiveness: the Land family has to deal with the consequences of Davy’s actions and forgive him, as well as those out to capture him. And the strong thread, twining everything together, the solid foundation of the story, is faith. The Land family’s faith supports them through every problem they encounter, and Enger’s portrayal of their faith is realistic. He doesn’t assume or imply that because of their faith, they are shielded from every bad thing. He simply shows a family walking in faith in the good and the bad. It’s something I love about the book, an accurate and encouraging example of real-life faith.

Beautiful in it’s language, depth, and clever characters, Peace Like a River’s element of faith is the best aspect of the book and a compelling Christian example of walking in faith. Reading it, God become near and powerful, not a distant majestic power. Although the characters are fiction, I see them as a role model for living in faith in daily life. What must it feel like to wake up every single morning knowing that only God can control your day? Isn’t that how we should feel every single day? I can only say that as I walk in my faith, Peace Like a River will remain a beautiful example to me of true faith.