The intersection of beauty and pain: a conversation on “The Help”
The recent hit movie The Help has invited conversation across the country about race and gender relations in the South. I invited three friends (Chalice Overy, Michelle Bullock, and Courtney Bryant) to come over and talk through their impressions. Topics include the resonances (and differences) between aspects of this film and Toni Morrison’s Beloved and The Bluest Eye, the unwritten (and often unspoken) rules that govern interactions between people of different races in the South, and J. Kameron Carter’s reading of the film, “It Ain’t About Black Women, It’s About White Women.”
Do be forewarned that we spoil all surprises here. Please feel free to link reviews you found helpful, and post your own perspective on the film!
Other potentially helpful reviews to get you started:
“It Helps to Be White,” Natalie Hopkinson, The Root
“The Help: A Feel-Good Movie That Feels Kind of Icky,” Dana Stevens, Slate.com
Note that comments are moderated on the site and there may be a delay before they appear.
