The Help

In Stockett’s depiction of Jackson, invisible lines dictate the hierarchical organization of society. Some of those social lines are reinforced by Jim Crow Laws. For example, the Black community must use a library, grocery store, barbershop, and even graveyard separate from the white community. Because of the lines these laws create, additional lines are drawn by extension between the white women of Jackson and their maids. Other than simply keeping Black and white people separate, these lines provide authority on the white side, but stipulate inferiority on the Black side.

Lines in Jackson’s community are not only drawn between races, but also between classes. At The Benefit, many prominent white families are invited to attend, but even then, lines are drawn between members and nonmembers. League members give polite nods and fake smiles cloaked in condescension to nonmembers, sending a subtle yet clear reminder that they are superior to the nonmembers. At the family dinner between the Phelans and the Whitworths, the lines between the two families are almost palpable. Skeeter immediately feels self-conscious about her family’s country roots when Stuart’s father holds a position as a senator, and Stuart’s mother is clearly patronizing because of her wealth and high social standing.