Noakes

Cassidy Noakes English 2 Honors 12/4/11 IRA 2 Part One: Synopsis The Help is a book about domestic help in the early 1960s. There are three points of view in this book; those being Minny, Aibileen, and Skeeter. The first to being help, and the other a white women who isnt prejudice. Skeeter is a writer, and decides that she will write an anonymous book of stories she collects from interviewing the domestic help of Jackson, Mississippi. Aibileen is a women who focuses allows Skeeter to interview the other help in her house, and also helps her find more people to do the story. Minny is Aibileens best friend and she is a major section in the book. She is often fired for not putting up with crap from her white lady; what the help refer to their employers as. As they work together you learn about how the maids were treated just because their skin color is different. Also, you see what the mindsets of the white people were back then to do the things they did. Word Count: 167 Part Two: Literary Analysis

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1. Diction: Diction is when the author types out how a person annunciates and uses words. The majority of characters are uneducated and you could tell by the way the author wrote their word choice and how they were written. Examples: I laugh and mutter to myself, even though everbody gone think Im crazier for it. (Stockett 211) I didnt do nothing Leroy. Just go set and lemme get to supper. (Stockett 406) 2. Setting: The setting is the place and time period a story is held. The place is Jackson, Mississippi. As for time its starts in 1962 and continues on for a couple years after. Examples: You aint gone tell him till 1963? No maam, before Christmas. (Stockett 41) Hes wishing Jackson, Mississippi, was interesting enough to write a whole book on and even though its Jackson well, he doesnt know that. (Stockett 402) Word Count: 146 Part Three: Literary Review This book should be read by everyone who can read. No matter the age or grade. I say this because it is extremely truthful. From the way the characters act, to how the author portrays them just by using diction when she write. It also opens your eyes to see that even though slaves were illegal, you were still treated like one if your skin color was different from a white persons. Also, it isnt just race issues that are dealt with but many others as well. Such as

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acceptance, physical abuse, verbal abuse, and heart ache. It also shows how much we have progressed in race issues today. Yes, there are still many racists out there but at least the government isnt letting that get in the way peoples natural rights like it use to. I really dont have anything bad to say about this book, everything kept me on edge and was so real I never wanted to put the book down. Word Count: 164