The Help

Stockett contrasts the Black and white social circles within the novel to create irony, showing that the white community, which seemingly has all the necessary ingredients for happiness and friendship, offers nothing but false kindness. In contrast, the Black community, which is oppressed and lives in fear, offers genuine friendship. Stockett first establishes this motif through Aibileen’s observations that the white side of town constantly grows as new white neighborhoods are built. Oppositely, the Black part of town grows in population, but not in size, since none of the land surrounding the neighborhood is available for purchase. Through this example, Stockett establishes the marked lines of separation that exist between the white and Black communities in Jackson. She also shows the unlimited resources available to the white community, versus the restrictions placed on the Black community because of skin color.

In addition, Stockett’s descriptions of the Jackson Ladies League and its president Hilly Holbrook show the manipulative and hierarchical structure that characterize the white community. The white ladies in the League are constantly worried about falling out of Hilly’s good graces, and Elizabeth serves as a prime example of the need to put up a false front to be accepted.