The Help

***The Help*** is a 2011 American period drama film

## Synopsis

An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids' point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.

## Plot

In 1963, Aibileen Clark is an African-American maid in Jackson, Mississippi, and in intermittent voice overs she tells her "career" story to the aspiring writer Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a recent graduate of Ole Miss and a friend of Aibileen's employer and fellow socialite Elizabeth Leefolt. Aibileen cares for the Leefolt's daughter, whom Elizabeth neglects. Aibileen's best friend is the plain-spoken Minny Jackson, who works for Mrs. Walters, the mother of Hilly Holbrook, the leader of the women's socialite group.

Skeeter is uncomfortable with the attitudes of her socialite friends towards their maids. She is shocked when Hilly forwards a letter to the Home Sanitation Initiative to install separate bathrooms for the help. Skeeter later learns that her mother Charlotte fired her childhood maid Constantine for unknown reasons.

During a terrible storm, Minny refuses to go out to use the help's toilet and uses the guest's bathroom, resulting in her getting fired by Hilly. Minny finds a job with Celia, wife of Johnny Foote--Hilly's former beau. The two become friends through Minny's cooking lessons. Minny comes upon Skeeter's visiting Aibileen and joins in the book project effort. Skeeter is advised by her book editor at Harper & Row, Elaine Stein, that the stories of two maids are not enough. Potential retribution from the maid's employers hinders others from joining the project. Aibileen tells Skeeter about the pain she experiences about her son being fatally crushed while on the job. After his death, Aibileen struggles to find closure and believes the book will help her find closure.

Hilly refuses to lend more money to her replacement maid, Yule May who is struggling to send her twin sons to college. One day, she discovers a discarded ring and pawns it. However, Yule May is brutally arrested after Hilly reports the theft. Following this and the assassination of Medgar Evers, more maids come forward with their stories, believing the book would put an end to the brutality against African-Americans.

Following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny fear that the maids' stories will be recognized. Minny then reveals the "terrible awful” that she did to Hilly. Following her termination, Minny baked her renowned chocolate pie and gave it to Hilly. Minny, however, prevented Mrs. Walters from having a slice and revealed that she baked her excrement into the pie. Its inclusion in the book would prompt Hilly to crusade in denial that the book is about Jackson.

Skeeter confronts her mother Charlotte about Constantine's termination. Charlotte revels that during a lunch with the local chapter of the Daughters of America, Constantine's daughter Rachel arrived. Rachel disobeyed Charlotte's orders of entering through the kitchen and embarrassed her. In order to save face, Charlotte fired Constantine and orders them to leave. Shortly afterward, Rachel took Constantine to Chicago where she died later. Charlotte had every intention to bring Constantine back to Jackson.

The book is published anonymously, and it is a success. Minny reveals the "terrible awful" to Celia, who finally sees Hilly as a manipulative bully. Celia lets on that she knows about the "terrible awful" by writing a check to one of Hilly's charity groups. Hilly attempts to intimidate Skeeter through threat of legal proceedings, but she reminds Hilly that "that" is in chapter 12. Charlotte lets on that she knows about the terrible awful and orders Hilly off the property. Charlotte and Skeeter reconcile when Charlotte tells her how proud she is about her courage, the book and the job offer in New York City.

Johnny tells Minny that it is not too difficult to know that there has been a change at the house, how appreciative he is about her friendship with Celia, how it saved her life, and that she has job security. This act gives Minny the courage to take her children away from her abusive husband.

In an attempt to seek revenge for helping Skeeter, Hilly pressures Elizabeth to terminate Aibileen, with Hilly present and trying to frame Aibileen for theft. But Aibileen stands up to Hilly, calling her a godless woman, never satisfied until she gets what she wants. Elizabeth orders Aibileen to leave. Aibileen bids farewell to Elizabeth's daughter and pleads with Elizabeth to give her daughter a chance. Aibileen reflects on the ordeal and finds closure. She looks to the future of becoming a writer.