I have this habit of reading the reviews on a book AFTER I finish reading the book. I don't want reviews to influence my take on the book, so I avoid the gossips before I get to finish the book.
The comments on this book and the movie based on this book, disturbed me.
I am not saying people should like this book. There are so many books with raving 5 star reviews, that I fail to connect with, and end up giving 1 star. It's fairly normal, some people connect to a story, some don't. You didn't like a story or plot, you didn't find characters convincing, you didn't connect to the story etc..etc.. but that should be it. It shouldn't be because you are prejudiced - racially, sexually, religiously, politically etc..etc..it should be purely objective as a reader.
"The Help" is about African Americans working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi, during the early 1960s. It's told primarily from the first-person perspectives of three women: Aibileen Clark, Minny Jackson, and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan. Aibileen and Minny are African American maids, while Skeeter is a daughter of wealthy white family. Story covers aspects around life during civil war.
The comments that you will see flooding internet has a tone of racism.
The comments on this book and the movie based on this book, disturbed me.
I am not saying people should like this book. There are so many books with raving 5 star reviews, that I fail to connect with, and end up giving 1 star. It's fairly normal, some people connect to a story, some don't. You didn't like a story or plot, you didn't find characters convincing, you didn't connect to the story etc..etc.. but that should be it. It shouldn't be because you are prejudiced - racially, sexually, religiously, politically etc..etc..it should be purely objective as a reader.
"The Help" is about African Americans working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi, during the early 1960s. It's told primarily from the first-person perspectives of three women: Aibileen Clark, Minny Jackson, and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan. Aibileen and Minny are African American maids, while Skeeter is a daughter of wealthy white family. Story covers aspects around life during civil war.
The comments that you will see flooding internet has a tone of racism.
"...another Hollywood movie that sees racial progress as the province of white do-gooderism."
"..the 2011 film directed by Tate Taylor, a white man, is based on a 2009 novel written by author Kathryn Stockett, a white woman, that focuses more on the white voices and characters than those of the black domestic workers."
If you think that credibility of any content is defined by the origin of the creator, of him or her being from the same sect of humanity that the subject is focused on, then you surely don't understand art or literature.
Whether it's a movie or play or music or book or article or art of any form, if you think only a spy can write an authentic spy story, a jewish can do justice to holocaust novels, a soldier reserves the right to write about wars etc...etc... we wouldn't have works of literature at all.
And also, if you think the weak section of the society never got help from the stronger section during the times of turmoil, then you don't understand humanity at all.
We all have seen one or other form of struggles in the history, and just because one is born into the wrong side of the history, doesn't take away the right from him or her to be human.
Not all germans were evil during Nazi regime - Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz a German diplomat, tipped off the Danes about the Germans' intended deportation of the Jewish population in 1943 and arranged for their reception in Sweden. Danish resistance groups subsequently rescued 95% of Denmark's Jewish population. We cannot belittle his efforts as Nazi do-gooderism, can we?
And I learnt this reference from "Number the Stars" book, written by Lori Lowry, an American, not a Danish or Jewish or German. Doesn't make it any less credible, does it?
Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a born brahmin, reformed hindu society, doesn't make him any less honest than B.R.Ambedkar does it?
I can go on and on, but you get the idea.
"..the 2011 film directed by Tate Taylor, a white man, is based on a 2009 novel written by author Kathryn Stockett, a white woman, that focuses more on the white voices and characters than those of the black domestic workers."
If you think that credibility of any content is defined by the origin of the creator, of him or her being from the same sect of humanity that the subject is focused on, then you surely don't understand art or literature.
Whether it's a movie or play or music or book or article or art of any form, if you think only a spy can write an authentic spy story, a jewish can do justice to holocaust novels, a soldier reserves the right to write about wars etc...etc... we wouldn't have works of literature at all.
And also, if you think the weak section of the society never got help from the stronger section during the times of turmoil, then you don't understand humanity at all.
We all have seen one or other form of struggles in the history, and just because one is born into the wrong side of the history, doesn't take away the right from him or her to be human.
Not all germans were evil during Nazi regime - Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz a German diplomat, tipped off the Danes about the Germans' intended deportation of the Jewish population in 1943 and arranged for their reception in Sweden. Danish resistance groups subsequently rescued 95% of Denmark's Jewish population. We cannot belittle his efforts as Nazi do-gooderism, can we?
And I learnt this reference from "Number the Stars" book, written by Lori Lowry, an American, not a Danish or Jewish or German. Doesn't make it any less credible, does it?
Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a born brahmin, reformed hindu society, doesn't make him any less honest than B.R.Ambedkar does it?
I can go on and on, but you get the idea.
It will be unfair to say we know what the oppressed felt like back in those times, none of us can ever comprehend that. And yes, we are still fighting those prejudices even in 2020. Whether it's for black lives or muslims or women empowerment etc..etc.. But the reason we are still here, is because we don't want to give the world a chance to change. It's like making sure the other side does not forget how their ancestors made our ancestors feel. It's like me being anti-British, for ruling my country, and showing that frustration on some 20yr old bloke who wasn't even part of the whole deal. What's the point of that scrutiny?
**you know actually now I feel I have started down a rabbit hole. This is one of those complicated topic that has no true answer. Just an emotional mess. I don't think there is ever a right way or tone to send this message out. Re-reading my blog, I sound very arrogant and anti-*whatever. So, I will stop it here****
I just feel, art & literature should be kept away from the overbearing shadows of these prejudices; although it's hard because these very elements are the heart & soul or rather true inspiration for art & literature. Well, coming to think of it now, my original thought on which I started this blog seems to be a moot point. I just want people to see each other for who they are, for their emotional & intellectual abilities, as just humans, not for where they come from; but I guess it's not possible, because where we come from bears a mark on our personality, on who we are.
**you know actually now I feel I have started down a rabbit hole. This is one of those complicated topic that has no true answer. Just an emotional mess. I don't think there is ever a right way or tone to send this message out. Re-reading my blog, I sound very arrogant and anti-*whatever. So, I will stop it here****
Everytime I start believing in homo sapiens, I am brought back to the harsh reality of our minds. I used to think that people who travel are open minded or rather one who look at facts unbiased. Same applies to people who read books, they are travelers too, reading and consuming different stories, opening up their minds to the world out there. But I have been proven otherwise more than once.
I just feel, art & literature should be kept away from the overbearing shadows of these prejudices; although it's hard because these very elements are the heart & soul or rather true inspiration for art & literature. Well, coming to think of it now, my original thought on which I started this blog seems to be a moot point. I just want people to see each other for who they are, for their emotional & intellectual abilities, as just humans, not for where they come from; but I guess it's not possible, because where we come from bears a mark on our personality, on who we are.
Well, like I said, moot point. This blog just feels like a crazy rant, and so I titled it as such. I probably just need a run followed by a cold beer.
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