PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI - core.ac.uk · buku, seperti yang dilihat dari novel The Help yang ditulis oleh Kathryn Stockett. Skripsi ini ditulis dengan tujuan mencari

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AN ANALYSIS OF SKEETER PHELAN’S INTENTIONS

IN WRITING A BOOK AS SEEN

IN KATHRYN STOCKETT’S THE HELP

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By

Christina Eka Laksmidea

Student Number: 101214062

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2015

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJIPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI



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DEDICATION PAGE

I dedicate this thesis to

my Mother,

my Grandmother,

my future self

&

to all strong and independent women out there

who are willing to survive and dare to make a change.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I WRITE FOR THOSE WOMEN,

WHO DO NOT SPEAK,

FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE A VOICE

BECAUSE THEY WERE SO TERRIFIED, BECAUSE

WE ARE TAUGHT TO RESPECT FEAR MORE THAN

OURSELVES.

WE'VE BEEN TAUGHT THAT SILENCE WOULD

SAVE US, BUT IT WON'T.

(AUDRE LORDE)




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ABSTRACT

Laksmidea, Christina Eka. 2015. An Analysis of Skeeter Phelan’s Intentions

in Writing a Book as Seen in Kathryn Stockett’s The Help. Yogyakarta: Sanata

Dharma University.

This thesis analyzed Skeeter Phelan‘s intention in writing a book as seen in

Kathryn Stockett‘s The Help. Skeeter Phelan is an egalitarian white American

who writes a book about African American maids‘ experiences in working for

white families.

In this thesis, there are three research problems. The first is how the

character of Skeeter Phelan depicted in The Help. The second is what the social

and historical condition regarding African American discrimination that

encourages Skeeter‘s decision to write the book is. The third is what the possible

intentions of Skeeter Phelan in writing the book as seen in Kathryn Stockett‘s The

Help are. This thesis was conducted in order to find out possible intentions of

Skeeter who is white American in writing a book about African American.

This thesis used library research to gather the data. It used the theory of

character, characterization, and author‘s intention. Socio-historical approach was

applied in this thesis to get the information about the life of white American

society and African American community in 1960s. This information was

important to reveal the intentions of Skeeter Phelan.

The findings of this thesis are concluded as follows. First, the

characteristic of Skeeter Phelan is described as egalitarian, hard-working, brave,

and determined. Second, a lot of racial discrimination and laws that exist in her

town make her want to do something to change her society into a better place.

Third, her intentions in writing the book are to express her love to Constantine, to

help African Americans maid to get a better life by speaking the truth in her book,

and to pursue her own career to become a writer in New York.

Keywords: The Help, Skeeter Phelan, author’s intentions, egalitarian


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ABSTRAK

Laksmidea, Christina Eka (2015). An analysis of Skeeter Phelan’s Intentions

in Writing a Book as Seen in Kathryn Stockett’s The Help. Yogyakarta:

Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Skripsi ini menganalisis maksud dari Skeeter Phelan dalam menulis

sebuah buku seperti yang dilihat dalam novel The Help yang ditulis oleh Kathryn

Stockett. Skeeter Phelan adalah seorang egalitarian Amerika berkulit putih yang

menulis buku tentang pengalaman-pengalaman para pembantu rumah tangga

dari ras Afrika Amerika yang bekerja pada keluarga Amerika kulit putih.

Di dalam skripsi ini terdapat tiga rumusan masalah. Yang pertama adalah

bagaimana karakter seorang Skeeter Phelan digambarkan dalam novel The Help.

Yang kedua adalah apa kondisi segi sosial dan sejarah mengenai diskriminasi

terhadap orang-orang Afrika Amerika yang mendorong keputusan Skeeter untuk

menulis buku. Yang ketiga adalah apa saja maksud dari Skeeter Phelan menulis

buku, seperti yang dilihat dari novel The Help yang ditulis oleh Kathryn Stockett.

Skripsi ini ditulis dengan tujuan mencari maksud dari Skeeter yang merupakan

seorang Amerika berkulit putih yang menulis tentang orang Afrika Amerika.

Skripsi ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka untuk mengumpulkan data.

Teori yang digunakan adalah teori karakter, karakterisasi, dan maksud penulis.

Pendekatan sosial dan sejarah diaplikasikan dalam skripsi ini untuk mendapatkan

informasi tentang kehidupan kalangan Amerika kulit putih dan komunitas Afrika

Amerika di tahun 1960-an. Informasi ini penting untuk mengungkap maksud dari

Skeeter Phelan.

Temuan - temuan dari skripsi ini disimpulkan sebagai berikut. Pertama,

karakteristik Skeeter Phelan dideskripsikan sebagai seorang egalitarian, pekerja

keras, berani, dan bertekad bulat. Kedua, banyaknya diskriminasi menyangkut

ras dan hukun yang muncul di kotanya membuatnya ingin melakukan sesuatu

untuk merubah lingkungan masyarakatnya menjadi tempat yang lebih baik.

Ketiga, maksudnya dalam menulis buku adalah untuk mengekspresikan cintanya

kepada Constantine, untuk membantu para pembantu kalangan Afrika – Amerika

untuk mendapatkan hidup yang lebih baik dengan cara menceritakan kebenaran

melalui bukunya, dan juga mengejar karirnya sendiri untuk menjadi seorang

penulis di New York.

Keywords: The Help, Skeeter Phelan, author’s intention, egalitarian


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to thank Jesus Christ for His guidance and

blessing to me so I did not give up on myself. He is the spirit of my life and He

works in a magical way that I have the chance to finish my study. He is the one

who gives me all the good luck from the very beginning.

I am also very thankful to my sponsor, FX. Ouda Teda Ena, S.Pd.,

M.Pd., Ed.D. for his time, guidance and endless patience in supporting me to

finish my thesis. This thesis would not be completed without his effective

feedback and encouraging comments.

My greatest gratitude goes to my parents, my beloved mother whose

unconditional love always gives me strength to live, Clara Tyas Agustina, who

always is the one I can count on every single time, and my father, Heribertus

Lilik Haryanto, who always supports me with his best effort. I also give my

greatest gratitude to my loving grandmother, Setyasmi, who always says my

name in her prayer 5 times a day, or even more, and for her patience and hope of

attending her first grandchild graduation, the first university graduate in our

family. I would like to thank them, who always proud of me, for being the biggest

motivation in every step I take. There is no word can describe how grateful I am

to have them in my life.

I would like to give my next gratefulness to my best friend, my partner,

and my worst distraction, Satria Ganeza Dirgantara, S.E., whose comments did


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not help at all, yet his absolute presence in some ways makes this thesis very

important to be finished. My special gratitude goes to my friends, Anin and Siwi,

for their existence and patience in answering my random questions in the middle

of the night, and also to Mbak Nay, Ratih, Tika Galin, Sani, and Fenty for the

support and companion during my study in PBI. I also thank Velum members,

Amel, Tiwi, Disa, Ijah, Maki, Nud, Inem, Ratri, Pandhu, Kapuk, Gallang,

Yoga, and Bondan, for the joyful and happy memories we created together.

I also thank my little brother, Christian Theo Dwi Hartono, and my little

sister, Chresentia Thelya Trianandha for not disturbing me when I wrote this

thesis. Last but not least, I would like to thank everyone who supported and

encouraged me to finish this thesis. May God bless them all.

Christina Eka Laksmidea


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ...................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL PAGES .......................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION PAGE .......................................................................................... iv

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ................................................... v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ................................ vi

ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... vii

ABSTRAK ...................................................................................................... viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................. ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... xi

LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................... xiii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 1

A. Background of the Study ........................................................... 1

B. Problem Formulation ................................................................. 3

C. Objectives of the Study ............................................................. 4

D. Benefits of the Study ................................................................. 4

E. Definition of Terms ................................................................... 5

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ................................. 7

A. Review of the Related Studies ................................................... 7

B. Review of Related Theories ...................................................... 9

1. Theory of Character .............................................................. 9

2. Theory of Characterization ................................................. 10

3. Author‘s Intention ............................................................... 12

C. Review of the Socio-Historical Background ........................... 15

1. Civil Rights Movement ...................................................... 15

2. Women‘s Role in Southern American Society ................... 18

D. Theoretical Framework ........................................................... 20


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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 21

A. Object of the Study .................................................................. 21

B. Approach of the Study ............................................................. 23

C. Method of the Study ................................................................ 23

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS ................................................................................ 26

A. The Character Analysis of Skeeter Phelan .............................. 26

B. Socio-Historical Analysis of Skeeter Phelan‘s Life ................ 35

C. Skeeter Phelan‘s Intention in Writing a Book ......................... 41

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND

RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................ 45

A. Conclusions ............................................................................. 45

B. Implications ............................................................................. 46

C. Recommendations ................................................................... 47

REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 49

APPENDICES .................................................................................................. 52


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LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Summary of Kathryn Stockett‘s The Help ................................... 52

APPENDIX B: Biography of Kathryn Stockett .................................................... 55

APPENDIX C: Lesson Plan for Teaching Prose ................................................... 58

APPENDIX D: Worksheet ..................................................................................... 60


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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The writer divides this chapter into five parts, namely background of the

study, problem formulation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study, and

definition of terms. In background of the study, the writer describes the topic,

gives reasons for choosing the topic and why the topic is worth studying. In the

problem formulation, the writer presents the formulation of the problem in the

form of questions. The objectives of the study state clearly about the problem

formulation as an objective in a paragraph. The benefit of the study is to explain

the contribution of this study to the development of knowledge. The last part is

definition of terms, which specifically explains the key terms to avoid

misunderstanding.

A. Background of the Study

Discrimination against African American in Southern America during

Civil Rights Movement circa 1960 is one of the major racial issues in the history.

During this era, a lot of well-known women writers and activists were born and

spoke their voices to the world and most of them were African American women

who experienced the discrimination themselves. They wrote about their own life

and their surroundings in the form of literary work without a purpose of being a

famous writer. Welleck and Warren (1949) describe that one of the literature


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functions is to ―relieve us – either writers or readers – from the pressure of

emotions‖ (p.36). The literary works are written to burn the spirit of their people

to make a change. Racial discrimination is a problematic issue and it is related to a

lot of people from different societies. Moreover, discrimination against African

American is a sensitive matter because it is related to the long history of slavery

and human rights. Writing about racial discrimination in the form of literary work,

the writer needs to be fully aware of the specific social and political condition.

It is a specific evaluative criterion to say that an author should express the

life of his own time fully, that he should be ‗representative‘ of his age and

society. Beside, of course, the terms ‗fully‘ and ‗representative‘ require

much interpretation: in most social criticism they seem to mean that an

author should be aware of specific social situations, e.g. of the plight of the

proletariat, or even that he should share a specific and ideology of the

critic (Wellek & Warren, 1949, p.95).

According to Wellek and Warren (1949), it is crucial that the writer should be

representative to be able to write the truth concerning social and historical facts.

A novel entitled The Help, written by Kathryn Stockett which was

published in 2009, many years after the oppression era, is chosen to be the main

object of this study. The Help is a fictional novel written by Kathryn Stockett, a

white American woman. The novel tells the life of African American maids

working for white families in Mississippi, in 1962 during the Civil Rights

Movement. It is written in multiple narrations, two African American maids

named Aibileen and Minny, and one white American woman named Eugenia

‗Skeeter‘ Phelan. Those three women are about to make a book entitled Help

compiling the real stories of working as maids to white families, involving dozen

of maids in their town, Jackson, Mississippi. Considering the racial discrimination


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and segregation against African American in Mississippi at that time, writing a

book like this was highly risky and very dangerous action. So, they worked in

secret, changed all the names in the story and published it as anonymous.

Skeeter and Stockett, they both have a few things in common as an author.

They write as they speak in African American voice while they are not even the

representative or member of the society. There are critics who say that writing

African American characters from the first person point of view is crossing the

line. The writer wants to find out why Skeeter would put herself in danger and

take all the risks to write such thing when she does not have to. Skeeter has

another choice to live her prosper life peacefully without writing about African

Americans but she does not take it. The writer wants to know what bother Skeeter

so much that she feels like she has to write about the certain topic. Goodman

(1996) states that ―it is crucial in reading literature that we are truly critical, that

we look for potential problems and points of contention as well as considering the

most successful aspects of any text, or simply celebrating an author‘s reputation‖

(p.146).

B. Problem Formulation

Based on the background, the writer formulates the problem of the study

into three questions:

1. How is the character Eugenia ‗Skeeter‘ Phelan depicted in The Help?

2. What is the social and historical condition regarding African American

discrimination that encourages Skeeter‘s decision to write the book?


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3. What are the possible intentions of Eugenia ‗Skeeter‘ Phelan in writing Help

as seen in Kathryn Stockett‘s The Help?

C. Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study is to find out the possible intentions of Skeeter

Phelan in writing Help as seen in Kathryn Stockett‘s The Help. To answer the

problems, the writer analyzes the character of Skeeter Phelan as depicted in the

novel. The writer also studies the social and historical background of the setting to

reveal the situation regarding African American discrimination that encourages

Skeeter Phelan‘s decision to write the book.

D. Benefits of the Study

The benefits of this study for future researchers is to give them additional

information about the intention of Eugenia ‗Skeeter‘ Phelan, the main character of

The Help. The reader of the novel will come up with more critical question rather

than just read what is written in the novel after knowing the intention. Future

researchers may use the findings of this study to complete their analysis about a

novel entitled The Help. They will be able to analyze the situation in the 1960s

using socio-historical approach. This study also aims to add information to the

existing knowledge, especially in literature.


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E. Definition of Terms

In order to avoid misunderstanding of the content of this study, there are

some important key terms that must be clearly defined. The key terms are author‘s

intention and African American.

1. Author’s Intention

According to Hancher (1972, p.827), intention refers to ―what he

intended‖. In addition, Salar (2011) describes intention as ―an entity with causal

and explanatory power over it‘s effects and their features‖ (p.10). Payne (1977)

also adds the term intention in English usage that generally refers to ―what one

has in mind to do or bring about‖ (p.249). According to Longman Dictionary of

Language and Culture, the word intention refers to ―a plan which one has;

purpose‖. The word intention used in this context is specifically associated to

author‘s intention. Author‘s intention is descibed by Hancher (1972) as a ―design

or plan in the author‘s mind‖. In this thesis, the writer used Hancher‘s definition

of author‘s intention.

2. African American

According to the definition that is used in 2010 U.S Census of US Office

Management and Budget, ―Black or African American‖ refers to a person having

origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa‖ (United States Census Bureau,

2010). It is supported by the statement of Stuckey (1987) in Slave Culture:


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Nationalist Theory and the Foundations of Black America that ―Afro – American

referred people of African ancestry in the Americas to the land, history, and

culture of their forebears, whiles their recognizing their presence as unassimilated

people in America‖ (p.243). According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary

English, African American refers to ―an American with dark skin, whose family

originally came from the part of Africa south of the Sahara desert‖. The term

―Negro‖ (means black in Spanish and Portuguese) used to be acceptable for

referring to dark –skinned people of African origin. However, the term ―negro‖ is

considered offensive and it is replaced by ―colored‖ or African American (South

African History Online).


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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of some theories and studies which are related to the

study. The writer divides this chapter into four parts. The first part is the review of

related studies. The second part is the review of related theories. The third part is

the review of socio-historical background. The last part is the theoretical

frameworks.

A. Review of the Related Studies

In order to complete the writer‘s analysis about Skeeter Phelan‘s character;

the writer reviews some studies which are related to the topic. One of the studies

is Egalitarianism in Kathryn Stockett‘s Novel The Help by Tuessonwily, Ningsih,

and Wahyuni (2013). Their study is about the characteristic of the protagonist

main character, Skeeter Phelan. The significance of this study to the writer‘s

analysis is that this study mentions one of the fundamental characteristics of

Skeeter Phelan. It is stated in the study that:

Novel The Help (2009) written by Kathryn Stockett shows egalitarianism.

It is revealed through text-based and context-based interpretation. Text

based interpretation examines the interrelation between fictional devices

such as character and setting (p.8).

To understand about egalitarian character, the writer also reviews Egalitarianism

study by Richard Arneson (2013). Arneson (2013, p.1) describes Egalitarianism

as ―a trend of thought in political philosophy. An egalitarian favors equality of


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some sort: People should get the same, or be treated the same, or be treated as

equal, in some respect.‖ Sears (1998) in Tuessonwily, Ningsih, and Wahyuni

(2013, p.2) mention that ―one of the values of egalitarian is equality of

opportunity or equal treatments‖. Furthermore, Tuessonwily, Ningsih, and

Wahyuni (2013) explain that egalitarianism can be ―created through the personal

experience of an individual‖ (p. 2). An example is given based on the story of

Mark Rossiter, a white film maker who is raised by an African American nanny.

In this case, egalitarianism is created through the interracial relationship

between a white child and his black nanny. Mark realizes that there was

something unusual about the ways his nanny treated; unequal and

different. He argues that his nanny should receive a better treatment.

Johnston (2010) states that Mark considers his nanny as a second mother

to him since the affection that she had given make him to be a better

person. This experience makes him consider that all people are equal and

should be treated equally (Tuessonwily, Ningsih, and Wahyuni, 2013, p.

2).

Mark Rossiter and Skeeter Phelan have similar story. It is also possible that

Skeeter‘s egalitarianism is created because of her affection with Constantine, an

African American maid who raised her. The writer uses this study as additional

information to the character analysis of Skeeter Phelan. The study of

Egalitarianism in Kathryn Stockett‘s Novel The Help by Tuessonwily, Ningsih,

and Wahyuni (2013) is different from this study. Tuessonwily, Ningsih, and

Wahyuni focus on egalitarianism as seen in Skeeter Phelan‘s character while this

study focuses on Skeeter Phelan‘s intention in writing a book. However, the

studies which have been reviewed by the writer are useful to complete the

analysis.


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B. Review of Related Theories

The writer reviews three theories. The first is the theory of character. The

second is the theory of characterization. The last is the author‘s intention.

1. Theory of Character

The Help is a fictional novel, whose character is a product during the

writing process. Abrams (1985) describes character as ―the name of literary genre;

it is a short, and usually witty, sketch in prose of a distinctive type of a person‖

(p.23). In Abrams‘ description,

Character are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who

are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional,

and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say—the

dialogue—and by what they do—the action (p.23).

Supporting Abram‘s statement, Gill (1995) defines character as ―a person in a

literary work‖ (p.127). Furthermore, he adds that a character has ―an identity

which is made up by appearance, conversation, action, name and (possibly)

thoughts going on in the head‖ (p.127).

Although some characters might have some typical human characteristics

in the same ways as people in real life, their personalities are made in particular

ways by the author as they speak and act only in the book. A character may

remain the same from the beginning until the end of the story, or ―may undergo a

radical change, either through a gradual process of motivation and development‖

(Abrams, 1985, p.23). In this study, it is important to analyze the character in

order to answer the first research question, which analyzes about the main


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character, because according to Gill (1995) ―a character‘s thought can be evident

to the reader.‖ (p.136). Furthermore, Gill states that:

If an author chooses to have access to the thoughts in a character‘s head,

the reader can be aware no only of what he or she is thinking, but can be

acquainted with the manner of thought—how the character‘s mind is made

up, and how they approach problems and challenges. (p.136)

In other words, a character‘s thought is made up by the author and the reader

could only define the characteristic from what is written in the story. The reader

could use a character‘s thought as an evidence to describe the character‘s

personality. Thus, in this study, the theory of character is used to analyze the main

character‘s characteristic in order to reveal her intention in writing a book.

2. Theory of Characterization

The process of making a character is known as characterization.

Characterization is defined by Gill (1995) as ―the way in which a character is

created‖ (p.127). Abrams (1985) states there are two ways of portraying the

character. The ways are by telling and showing. In telling, the author describes the

characters directly through the sentences in order to be criticized and ―often to

evaluate the motives and dispositional qualities‖. In showing or termed as

―dramatic method‖, the author only ―presents the characters talking and acting‖

and lets the readers see the motives and dispositional beyond words and acts (p.

24). Presenting a character cannot be separated from the setting of the story.

Setting covers the places where character appears, the social context; family,

friends, class, a character‘s manners, tradition, and rules that give a character

identity in society and also some particular scenes and atmosphere created along


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with previous elements (Gill, 1995, p.148). Thus, setting and social context are

important factors in analyzing a character.

Murphy (1972) mentions several examples of ways which the author

makes the characters understandable to the readers. According to Murphy, there

are nine ways of characterizing (pp. 161-173):

a. Personal description

The author directly describes the person‘s physical appearance such as

her/his build, her/his skin-color, her/his hair, and her/his clothes with

various adjectives that make the description more vivid.

b. Character as seen by another

The author conveys the person‘s character through the choice of words and

phrases through another character‘s eyes and opinion so that the reader will

get the reflected image of the person.

c. Speech

The author gives the reader clue about the person‘s personality through what

the person says and every time the person has conversation with other

characters.

d. Past life

The author lets the reader learn about the person‘s past life events that shape

her character. It can be done by giving direct comments, through the

person‘s inner thought, or through the medium of another character. The

person‘s past life might influence her personality in the present day.

e. Conversation of others


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The author gives a clue to the person‘s character through the things other

characters say about her/his in conversations when they talk about the

person.

f. Reactions

The author gives the reader a clue of the person‘s character through her

reactions on some situations and events in the story.

g. Direct comments

The author directly gives comments and description on the person‘s

character.

h. Thoughts

The author gives the reader direct information of the person‘s thoughts. The

person‘s thoughts might be different with her action in real life.

i. Mannerism

The author describes the person‘s character through her habits and behavior

that may tells some information about her character to the readers.

3. Author’s Intention

The writer chooses the author‘s intention theory to analyze the main

character‘s possible intentions in writing the book. An author has various reasons

for writing a paragraph, sentence, or even word. An author has specific purpose

and conscious plan in mind and put it into her work because every piece of

literature is basically a ―reservoir of sensory and mental experiences‖ (Payne,

1977, p.245). Intention is a part of the mental experience and it is developing


13

through the progress of writing. It may be more difficult to find out the real

intention of an author because we only read her thought only through her writings.

Yet, in historical context, one can draw conclusion to an author‘s intention by

analyzing the ―immediate configuration of the author (including his intention), his

audience, and their situation, which may be elucidated by other social, cultural,

and historical factors‖ (Payne, 1977, p.243).

Author‘s intention has an important role in dealing with the meaning of her

literary work. It is the fundamental point of giving a work its identity. Words are

simply the evidence of the meanings. According to Irvin (2006),

To understand a work appropriately, perhaps we must see it as the product

of an author: a particular human being in a certain socio-historical context,

who writes with a certain style, tends to use words in certain ways, brings

certain background knowledge and experiences to bear, and has written a

body of works which may inform one another (p.122).

Thus, discovering author‘s intention needs detailed inspection through the work

itself. Beside word, another evidence of the intention can be seen through author‘s

behavior. Intention is not a ―private mental events‖. It is connected in certain

system of human behavior, and for this reason, another evidences can be

recognized by looking at the author‘s behavior (Irvin, 2006, p.117).

In its correlation with human behavior, author‘s intention cannot be

separated with the way it works in the artist‘s mind, how it is displayed in the

work, and which is its power in order to produce a certain experience (Salar,

2011, p.8). Hancher (1972) proposes that:

The concept of ―the author‘s intention,‖ as it has generally figured in

literary criticism and literary theory, requires analysis into three separate

elements: (1) the author‘s intention to make something or other; (2) the


14

author‘s intention to be (understood as) acting in some way or other; (3)

the author‘s intention to cause something or other to happen (p.829).

In further explanation, Hancher (1972) says that the author‘s intention to make

something or other is called ―programmatic intention‖ and intentions to be

(understood as) acting is called ―active intention‖. The difference between these

two intentions lies in ―an intention to do something oneself‖ and ―an intention that

the thing one has made, mean something or other‖. Then, there is the third kind of

intentions which purpose to cause an effect of one sort or another, termed as ―final

intention‖. Yet the effect of this final intention is more explicit.

An author‘s intention of her completed work towards the reader might be

to change their knowledge or belief about subject matter; or purely to entertain; or

to release experience of pity and fear. On the other hand, the completed work, as

regard of the author herself, might be for earning certain amount of money, or to

make her famous. An author‘s intention during the writing process before it is

fully completed can be ―a kind of psychotherapy for him or to be a pure pleasure

for him‖ (Hancher, 1972, pp. 829-835). The psychological condition of an author

such as anxiety, fear, sadness, and homesick, might initiate her to write something

to relieve herself from those feeling. Intention is a thing that has ―causal and

explanatory power over its effects and their features‖ and its components are

influenced by its cause and influencing its effects‖ (Salar, 2011, p.10).


15

C. Review of the Socio-Historical Background

The writer reviews the socio-historical background of the novel. Socio-

historical background is used because the one of the ways to ―locate the real work

is in reference to the civilization that produced it‖ (Rohrberger & Woods, 1971,

p.9). The writer divides the socio-historical review into two parts. The first part is

concerning about Civil Rights Movement in general. The second part is the

specific topic of Women‘s Role in Southern Society during Civil Rights

Movement.

1. Civil Rights Movement

The world politics were dominated by the rivalry between Russia and

America during 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The rivalry is called Cold War. A lot of

human resources were needed. As a result, African American forebears were

imported to United States as slaves during war time. They were being bought and

sold as property and the buyer will own them. They had no rights to enjoy proper

living in United States and being considered less than human. Their human rights,

the rights that individuals have from the time they were born, were denied.

African American race became minority, and they often ―regarded as inferior‖

(South African History Online). The old rules of slavery seem to be continued

since some rules from the early eighteenth century slavery in the South are clearly

―codified‖. It is mentioned that African Americans were slaves who considered as

property to the owner. Children would also get their mother‘s status as a slave and

the Christian baptism did not lead to freedom of life. There is also prohibition of


16

marriage between African American and white people. African American cannot

get any kind of property by buying or inheritance either. African American ―could

not engage in litigation or enter into civil contracts; they could not testify against

whites in court, nor could they sit on juries‖ (Stampp, 1956; Starobin, 1970, p.7,

as cited in Aguirre & Turner, 2011, p.115).

Since 1865, the biggest population of slaves lived and worked on farms

and plantation in Southern America; North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia,

Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas. While it

was time for Northern America to end slavery, the Southern refused to follow the

decision. African American in Southern were still discriminated based on racist

laws called Jim Crow (South African History Online). The discrimination affected

many fundamental aspects of life: housing, political, economical, and educational

discrimination. When African Americans experience housing discrimination, they

were isolated from white American areas. While all the business is growing in the

city, African American lives far outside from it. According to Aguirre and Turner

(2011), ―90 percent of all African Americans remained in the South, 75 percent

living under oppressive conditions in rural areas.‖ (p.126). As the consequence,

not only they could not get employment, but also lost the access of good schools,

public facilities and services. They were not allowed to vote either (South African

History Online).

Even though their presence among white American was objectionable, a

lot of African Americans were still working for white families. The racial

discrimination against African American is higher than any other races in United


17

States because their skin color is more identifiable. It makes them the easiest

targets of discrimination, especially when they socialize with white Americans (as

their employers) in inner city (Aguirre & Turner, 2011, p.147). Along with the the

African Americans population escalates in the inner city; the segregation level

also escalates quickly. Armstrong (2012) mentions racial segregation as ―a form

of institutional racism‖ (p. 33) because of the separation by law and action in

daily activities including the use of public facilities and transportation. This

statement is supported by Calmore (1993) as cited in Aguirre and Turner (2011):

Segregation of African Americans means that this minority is concentrated

in inner cities and in city public housing. The result is that African

Americans have (1) reduced access to jobs (because many companies have

moved to the suburbs), (2) reduced capacity to go to good schools

(because many inner-city schools are underfunded, overcrowded, and

plagued with problems ranging from drugs and crime to high dropout

rates) and (3) reduced ability to live and grow up outside the sphere of

rampant crime, drug use, and gang activity (p.107).

Segregation is violating African American‘s civil rights. Civil rights are the law of

protection and freedoms given by nations to all citizens within their territorial

area. When African American‘s civil rights are not being granted, they form Civil

Rights Movement to receive equality. Armstrong (2012) describes The Civil

Rights Movement as:

an effort by blacks and whites in the mid-1950s to late 1960s to achieve

civil rights equal for blacks as those of whites, including equal opportunity

in employment, housing, and education, as well as the right to vote, the

right of equal access to public facilities, and the right to be free of racial

discrimination (p 32).

Civil Rights Movement hit the highest point in the 1950s-1960s (Aguirre &

Turner, 2011, p.112) and encouraged more people to fight for their rights,

including women.


18

2. Women’s Role in Southern American Society

A lot of women stood up for their rights during Civil Rights Movement.

They concerned to their freedom in taking care of their own families. Irons

(1998), as cited in Armstrong (2012) identifies that there are three types of women

participation varied by race in the Civil Rights Movement: ―(1) high risk activism,

(2) low-risk activism, and (3) activist mothering and women‘s work‖ (p.38).

High-risk activist deals with dangerous matters; legal, social, physical and

financial. African –American women dominated the number of high-risk activism

because ―they had more to gain by participating and thereby more willing to risk

more‖. Many of white American women were also involved in Mississippi

movement as low-risk activists. Low-risk activist is ―open to white middle-class

women who could have engaged in high-risk activism, but would have been in

jeopardy losing their economic, social, and political status in Mississippi society‖.

Since women have different skills than men, their concern also different. They

usually more focus on domestic specialty. Activist mothering or women‘s work

were referred to them whose ―skills relating to maternalism, nurturance and

domesticity‖ (Armstrong, 2012, p.38-41).

Gladney (1994, p.6) in Marshall (1999, p. 1) gives explanation that ―in

fact, the roles of the southern black woman and the southern white woman are

equally important and oppressive‖. The typical African American women in the

South are working as a cook, housekeeper, maid, or all of those occupations

wrapped into one person working for one white family. Marshall (1999) even

describes southern African American women as ―the cornerstone of the southern,


19

domestic life‖. Consequently, they are completing dual jobs; taking care of white

family and their own family. African American maid represents ―comfort and ease

not only to a child in conflict, but also to children who view their white mothers

as overbearing and unavailable‖ (p.2). White mother is responsible of advising her

own children about what is right and wrong. Subsequently, Marshall adds that the

white Southern American women have an ―equally important role‖ because they

are responsible for keeping the ―Southern Tradition‖ which consists of the do and

do not do list of behavior among Southern women (p.1).

The Southern Tradition causes American white women to be alienated

from their children because it makes the children feel uncomfortable with such

discipline and propriety. Therefore, the children are more comfortable and relaxed

around their ―non-authoritative figure‖ maids. The African American maids are

obviously ―better in domestic and nurturing role than the white mother who is

busy protecting Southern Tradition‖. They are ―easy, permissive, and less afraid

of simple earthy biological needs and manifestations‖ (Marshall, 1999, p.2). On

the other hand, the white women are more concerned about their social image and

tend to avoid conversation topics related to some sensitive subjects such as sex

and race. Smith (1994) in Marshall (1999, p.2) utters that ―southern white women

know there is something evil in their society, and because they did not believe

things could change or that they should (though they could not have told you why)

they had to shut their minds against knowledge of what existed.‖ This case is a

reality which is found in the novel as well.


20

D. Theoretical Frameworks

The reviews of related theories are applied to help the writer to answer the

research questions in problem formulations. Firstly, the theories of character and

characterization are used to analyze the main character of the novel, Eugenia

‗Skeeter‘ Phelan in Kathryn Stockett‘s The Help. Secondly, the theory of author‘s

intention by Michael Hancher is used to examine the intention of Skeeter as the

author of Help. To support the analysis of a character‘s intention in the novel, it is

important that the writer also reviews the setting, in this case, the Southern

America (Jackson, Mississippi) during early era of Civil Rights Movement

(1960s) and the social background of the main character. Thus, the socio-

historical approach is chosen by the writer.


21

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter consists of three parts. The first is object of the study. It gives

the details about the subject of the study. The second is approach of the study. It

explains the literature approach used in this study. The third is method of the

study which mentions the sources and elaborates the steps that the writer conducts

in this study.

A. Object of the Study

The object of this study is a fiction novel entitled The Help, written by

Kathryn Stockett. The novel tells about the writing process of a book with similar

title, Help. The book is written by the main character named Skeeter Phelan. To

help the reader understand the story, the writer provides the summary of the book

on appendix A. Before The Help was published, it had been rejected for more than

60 times. After it was published by The Penguin Group, New York in 2009, it

became the number one in New York Times Best Seller, selected as the 2010

Indies Choice Book of the Year – Adult Debut, selected as the 2010 Southern

Independent Booksellers Association‘s Book of the Year for Fiction and became

USA TODAY‘S Book of the Year (Kathryn Stockett, 2015).

The Help is Stockett‘s first novel. It consists of 34 chapters and 453 pages.

In 2011, Tate Taylor directed The Help in major motion pictures. Joshilyn


22

Jackson, the author of best-selling book, Gods in Alabama praised Stockett and

her novel,

Set in the rural South of the 1960‘s, The Help is a startling, resonant

portrait of the intertwined lives of women on opposite sides of the racial

divide. Stockett‘s many gifts – a keen eye for character, a wicked sense of

humor, the perfect timing of a natural born storyteller- – shine as she

evokes a time and place when black women were expected to help raise

white babies, and yet could not use the same bathroom as their employers.

Her characters, both white and black, are so fully fleshed they practically

breathe – no stock villains or pious heroines here. I‘m becoming an

evangelist for The Help. Don‘t miss this wise and astonishing debut.

The Help is written in multiple narrations of three women, one white

American named Eugenia ‗Skeeter‘ Phelan and two African American women

named Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson, her best friend. Working as maids for

white families in segregated Southern America, they experience many unequal

treatments and injustice accusations of crime from the employer. While most of

white Americans discriminate against their African American maid, there is

Skeeter Phelan, the only sympathetic white American in the story who is willing

to help the African American to fight against discrimination. As a result, these

three women work together in a secret project that may be influential to change

the life in a small town, or maybe to the world. They write, in secret, a book that

tells everything about what is really like to work for white families as an African

American maid. Despite the dangerous risks and troubles they have to get through

during the book writing process, they all have the same hope for a better future

life.


23

B. Approach of the Study

The writer chooses socio-historical approach in order to fulfill the

objectives of the analysis. Wellek and Warren (1949) state that ―much the most

common approach to the relations of literature and society is the study of works of

literature as social documents, as assumed pictures of social reality‖ (p.102).

There are three classifications of problem on how literature determined by society:

―the sociology of the writer, the social content of the works themselves, and the

influence of literature on society‖ (Wellek & Warren, 1949, p.96). Literature and

society are inseparably linked. Society influences the process of literary works

and once the works are completed, they might influence the society. Socio-

historical approach is used because ―this approach can lead to an ethical judgment

concerning the truth of an author‘s statements‖ (Rohrberger & Woods, 1971,

p.10). Socio-historical approach is used to examine the social and historical

background of the novel setting in order to find out the connections between

Skeeter Phelan‘s society and its influence towards the intention of her book, Help,

and influence of the book to the society.

C. Method of the Study

The writer uses library research to answer the problem formulation. It is an

appropriate method to be used in this kind of study. The primary source for this

study is the novel itself, The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The secondary sources are

taken from several books such as Reading and Writing about Literature,

Literature and Gender, American Ethnicity, Equality and Liberty, Theory of


24

Literature, Teaching Literature, Mastering English Literature, A Glossary of

Literary Terms, and The Race Question and the Negro. The writer also uses

journals and latest studies; Authors, Intentions, and Literary Meaning, Intention in

Intentionalism, The Fallacy of Equating Meaning With the Human Author’s

Intention, Three Kinds of Intention, Egalitarianism, and Egalitarianism in

Kathryn Stockett’s Novel The Help. The writer also uses online journals and

references. Those sources are useful in completing the writer‘s knowledge

throughout analysis progress.

There are several steps that the writer conducts in order to analyze the

matter of subject. First, the writer reads the novel several times to master the

primary source. From reading the novel, the writer finds several questions to be

researched.

The writer formulates the problem into three questions. The problem

formulation is made from the early analysis of the way Stockett depicts the

character of Skeeter and people around her; the socio-historical background of the

life of African-American and white American in Jackson, Mississippi and the

influence of those factors to main character‘s intentions in writing Help.

In the third step, the writer finds the expert theories related to the topic of

the study to be applied as theoretical frameworks. The theories are character –

characterization in novel and theory of author‘s intention. To support the

background knowledge, the writer also reviews the history of African American

who lives in Southern America during 1960s.


25

The fourth step is focusing on deeper analysis of the main character‘s intention

based on the previous theories and socio-historical background review. The writer

applies the theories and background review into the data from the primary source.

This step brings together the evidences found in The Help novel.

The last step is to draw the conclusion based on the result of the analysis.

The conclusion is presented after the problem questions answered. The writer also

gives the recommendations for future researchers and suggestions to English

teachers to use The Help as teaching material in Prose class.


26

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter discusses the analysis of Kathryn Stockett‘s The Help main

character, Skeeter Phelan. It is divided into three parts. The first part is the

character analysis of Sketeer Phelan. The second part discusses the social life and

historical issues in Sketeer‘s neighborhood. The third part discusses Skeeter‘s

intention in writing the Help novel.

A. The Character Analysis of Skeeter Phelan

Skeeter Phelan is the main character of the novel. Skeeter Phelan is a 23-

year-old white American woman who lives in Jackson, Mississippi. She lives with

her family in their cotton plantation, Longleaf. Skeeter belongs to the high-society

Junior League. She returns from college, Ole Miss, with double degree in

journalism and English. She is also financially independent and has cotton trust

fund from her parents. The story of the novel is about how she writes a book

entitled Help, a book telling the true story of African American maids who work

for white families during Civil Rights Movement. The story facts are not glossy;

some are happy experiences but the rest of them are the bad experiences. Skeeter

appears from the beginning until the end of the story. Thus, she takes big part in

influencing the whole story. Before she enters college, Skeeter is raised by a

family maid named Constantine. Skeeter has a close relationship with her.


27

Unfortunately, when she comes back from college, she finds out that Constantine

left. She has no idea why Constantine left her and no one tells her the truth.

Skeeter is an egalitarian. The writer analyzes her egalitarian behavior

based on an Egalitarianism study by Arneson. The indication that she is an

egalitarian is the fact that she believes that African American should get the same,

or be treated equal with white people. Even though she is a white American,

Skeeter has a high sense of humanity and she disagrees with those who try to

discriminate minorities, in this context is African Americans. Skeeter even refuses

when her best friend, Hilly insists to print the Home Help Sanitation Initiative, a

bill that will require all white homes to separate the bathroom for their African

American employees. Based on Murphy (1972, p.163), a character‘s personality

can be seen through the speech with other character. In this case, Skeeter‘s

conversation with Hilly Holbrook is the evidence.

―I told you five months ago to print my initiative and now another week

has passed and you still haven‘t followed my instructions.‖

I stare at her and my anger is sudden, ferocious. Everything I‘ve kept

down for months rises and erupts in my throat. ―I will not print that

initiative.‖ (p. 286).

Her childhood experience created her egalitarian personality. An African

American maid who raised her named Constantine is her biggest influence in

respecting African Americans. Constantine makes Skeeter a better person at heart.

Constantine used to live in Hotstack, a small neighborhood about a mile away

from Skeeter‘s house. When Skeeter was a girl, her mother let her to go to

Constantine‘s house. Her mother would tell her to be nice with the little African

American girls down there. Skeeter does not understand why she would not be


28

nice because she considers they are all the same. She has no idea about racial

discrimination. She adores Constantine a lot because Constantine treats Skeeter

like her own child. When things changes around her now, she can tell that the

situation is wrong. People are not friendly with African American anymore. Her

heart pushes her to do something about it. She cannot handle whenever Hilly or

other people treat African Americans like slaves who should obey the rules white

people make to them.

―These is white rules. I don‘t know which ones you following and which

ones you ain‘t.‖ We look at each other a second. ―I‘m tired of the rules,‖ I

say. Aibileen chuckles and looks out the window. I realize how thin this

revelation must sound to her (p. 158).

Even Aibileen, who already built a good relationship with Skeeter, still thinks

about the rules because she does not want to do something wrong. Skeeter thinks

about what she is going to do with the situation because she cannot just stand

there watching and do nothing. Her decision to write a book is the way she helps

Aibileen and her fellow maids to speak the truth from their point of views.

Skeeter Phelan is a hard worker. She is the only one from her circle who

graduated from Ole Miss. Most of her best friends left college to be married.

While other girls prefer to have fun with boys and parties, she reads books and

writes a lot. The writer obtains the evidence from Skeeter‘s ―personal description‖

(Murphy, 1972, p.161).

No one could argue that I hadn‘t worked hard at Ole Miss. While my

friends were out drinking rum and Cokes at Phi Delta Theta parties and

pinning on mum corsages, I sat in the study and wrote for hours—mostly

terms papers but also short stories, bad poetry, episodes of Dr. Kildare,

Pall Mall jingles, letters of complaint, ransom notes, love letters to boys

I‘d seen in class but hadn‘t had the nerve to speak to, all of which I never

mailed. Sure, I dreamed of having foot-ball dates, but my real dream was


29

that one day I would write something that people would actually read (p.

60).

After graduated, she applied for a job as an editor in Harper and Row New York,

but unfortunately she received a mail from Elaine Stein, the senior, saying that to

be an editor, she needs more experience. In order to find more experience, she

applied a job at Jackson Journal. She got the job as a columnist who writes about

housekeeping stuff. Meanwhile, Elaine Stein challenged Skeeter to write

something original and she might get another chance to work in New York.

.....Don’t waste your time on the obvious things. Write about what disturbs

you, particularly if it bothers no one else. Yours sincerely, Elaine Stein,

Senior Editor, Adult Book Division (p. 73).

Skeeter keeps thinking about the letters. After she receives it, she starts to list all

of the ideas and topics that pop out in her head. Another evidence which shows

her characteristic as a hard worker is the way she reacts with her sadness the

moment she broke up with her boyfriend. She said, ―instead of feeling sorry for

myself every minute of the day, I work, I type, I sweat‖ (p. 283). Her statement is

also the evidence of her hard-working characteristic.

Skeeter is a brave woman. One day, Aibileen and Skeeter are talking and

Aibileen tells about her son. Skeeter does not know Aibileen had a son because he

passed away two years ago. Aibileen says that her son also wants to be a writer.

―Say he gone write himself a book.‖

―What kind of idea?‖ I ask. ―I mean, if you don‘t mind telling...‖

Aibileen says nothing for a while. Keeps peeling tomatoes around and

around. ―He read this book called Invisible Man. When he done, he say he

gone write down what it was like to be colored working for a white man in

Mississippi (p.87).‖


30

Skeeter thinks that it is a brave idea. She decides to write the compilation of

interviews with African Americans maids who work for white families in a book

form. She plans to gather information from several maids working for white

families in Jackson, Mississippi, and they are all going to tell the truth whether it

is good or bad. She tells Aibileen about it and she wants to make a book based on

this idea. At first Aibileen is very excited with Skeeter‘s idea. When Skeeter says

that the book will be about what it is like to work for a white family, Aibileen

shows a little doubt. The writer analyzes Skeeter‘s brave characteristic from

another character‘s thought (Murphy, 1972, p.162). Aibileen‘s thought about

Skeeter when Skeeter decides to write the book about the African American maids

is the proof.

I look around. We out here in the wide open. Don‘t she know how

dangerous this could be, talking about this while the whole world can see

us? ―Exactly what kind a stories you think you gone hear?‖

―What you get paid, how they treat you, the bathrooms, the babies, all the

things you‘ve seen, good and bad.‖ She looks excited, like this is some

kind a game. For a second, I think I might be more mad than I am tired.

―Miss Skeeter,‖ I whisper, ―do that sound kind a dangerous to you?

―(p.105).

Skeeter‘s decision in writing Help is risky and dangerous. She will not only put

herself in danger, but also everyone who will be involved in the writing process of

the book.

Skeeter is a determined person. Her reactions on some hard situations

during the writing process shows the characteristic. According to Murphy (1972,

p.168), the character‘s reaction on some situations in the story is the clue the

author gives to the reader. The writer concludes that she is a determined person

from her effort to finish the book no matter what the obstacles are. It is not easy


31

for Skeeter to convince Aibileen to help her, because Aibileen is scared that the

employer will be angry if they find out that the story is about them.

―Minny got her some stories. Sho nuff.‖

―Aibileen,‖ I say. ―Thank you. Oh, thank you.‖

―Yes ma‘am.‖

―I just... I have to ask you. What changed your mind?‖

Aibileen doesn‘t even pause. ―Miss Hilly,‖ she says.

I go quiet, thinking of Hilly‘s bathroom plan and accusing the maid of

stealing and her talk of diseases. The name comes out flat, bitter as a bad

pecan (p. 125).

However, she is determined to do it. She works really hard when she gets a

chance to write Help.

I work for fifteen hours straight on Louvenia‘s interview. On Thursday

night, I go to the League meeting. I‘m dying to get out of the house, antsy

from nerves, jittery about the deadline. The Christmas tree is starting to

smell too rich, the spiced orange sickly decadent (p. 356).

It is a big opportunity for her career because the book will be published by Harper

and Row in New York City. She has strong will to write it. During the writing

process she meets a lot of obstacles. Yet, it did not stop her from continuing the

project. The first problem happens when she asks Aibileen to be the first

informant of her book. Aibileen says no because she thinks that it is too

dangerous. After Aibileen agrees to help, the first interview goes bad because

Aibileen is very nervous.

―I‘m sorry. I tought I was... ready to talk.‖ I nod, not sure what to do.

―I just... I know you already told that lady in New York I‘s gone do this

but...‖ She closes her eyes. ―I‘m sorry. I don‘t think I can. I think I need to

lay down.‖..................I look over at my notebook on the white leather seat.

Besides where she grew up, I‘ve gotten a total of twelve words. And four

of them are yes ma’am and no ma’am (p. 149).

Every single interview is a challenge for both Skeeter and Aibileen. They have to

work at night and Skeeter will come to Aibileen‘s house secretly without making


32

anyone suspicious. In order to keep it secret, Skeeter has to lie to all people

around her, including her own mother.

Another problem appears when Skeeter makes Hilly suspicious because

Hilly accidentally found a list of Jim Crow Laws in her satchel which is

accidentally left at Hilly‘s house. It is a miracle that Hilly does not read the

interview papers. This incident makes Skeeter realizes that she has to keep

distance with her friends in Junior League if she does not want to get caught. To

be away from her best friends is not an easy thing for Skeeter because they are the

only friends she has in the town. She is not ready to be casted out, but she is

willing to take the risk for the sake of safety. In the early January, Skeeter

proposed by Stuart. As his soon-to-be fiancée, she wants to be honest so she

decides to tell Stuart first about the project she has been working. She tells all of

the stories right away the minute after Stuart proposed her in the car. When

Skeeter tells him the truth, she feels relieved because it is all crystal clear. Stuart

is shocked because he thinks that Skeeter has been working on stories about Jesus.

He takes back his proposal. Skeeter lost her friends and her boyfriend but she

takes this as the consequences.

Another problem appears when the publisher, Elaine Stein from New

York, calls Skeeter to tell her that she likes Skeeter‘s story and perhaps will

publish it, but she wants more interviews. Elaine Stein wants Skeeter to have

dozens of interviews and finish it as soon as possible. Although Skeeter worries

that she will not make it on time or even will not be able to find more maids, she

does not stop. She gets a lot of sympathy from the other maids and those who


33

brave are willing to help her. Yet, it is not enough for Elaine Stein. Skeeter calls

the publisher a week after Thanksgiving week to let Elaine Stein knows that the

story soon will be finished.

―It‘s almost finished. We just have two more interviews to complete and I

was wondering if I should send it directly to your attention or to your

secretary.‖ ―Oh no, January is not acceptable.‖ ........... ―The last editor‘s

meeting of the year is on December twenty-first,‖ Missus Stein continues.

―If you want a chance at getting this read, I‘ve got to have it in my hands

by then. Otherwise it goes in The Pile. You don‘t want to be in The Pile,

Miss Phelan.‖ (p.350)

Skeeter is shocked by Stein‘s statement. As if it is not shocking enough, Stein

continues with another statement,

―And the negro woman who raised you, I‘m assuming she‘s still there?‖

―No, she‘s gone.‖

―Mmm. Too bad. Do you know what happened to her? It‘s just occured to

me, you‘ll need a section about your own maid.‖ I close my eyes, fighting

frustration. ―I don‘t....know, honestly.‖

―Well, find out and definitely get that in. It‘ll add something personal to

all this.‖

―Yes ma‘am.‖ I say, even though I have no idea how I‘ll finish two maids

in time, much less write stories about Constantine. Just the thought of

writing about ther makes me wish, deeply, that she was here now (p. 351).

She wants Skeeter to add something personal in the end of the book. It means that

Skeeter has to write about a maid who raised her.

No one around Skeeter tells her why Constantine left. When Skeeter

comes to Aibileen‘s house for the first time asking on housekeeping stuff for Miss

Myrna column, she asks Aibileen whether Aibileen knows Constantine. Aibileen

answers that Constantine used to be in the same church with her. Skeeter says that

Constantine ―didn‘t leave an address. I just—I can‘t believe she quit like that

(p.82)‖. Then a little part of the truth comes out of Aibileen‘s mouth. She believes


34

that Constantine did not quit, but she was fired by Skeeter‘s mother. So far, that is

all of the fact Aibileen can tell Skeeter. Skeeter comes home in anger with her

mother.

I‘m shaking, I‘m so mad. I pound my way up the stairs. I sit at my

typewriter, stunned that my mother could cast off someone who‘d done

her the biggest favor of her life, raise her children, teach me kindness and

self-respect (p. 83).

Even though Skeeter knows she cannot write about her own maid, the maid who

raised her, she does not give up the stories. She likes to work in detail when it

comes to the point of the story. She knows about how Constantine works in her

house, but she does not know the life story of Constantine. She wants to write the

real story of her. The paragraph below shows Skeeter‘s determination to find out

what happen with Constantine. She asks Aibileen for the second time so that she

can write the truth.

It‘s a crisp December night and a fine rain is just starting to fall. Head

down, I hurry along the street. My conversation this afternoon with Missus

Stein is still racing through my head. I‘ve been trying to prioritize

everything left to do. But the hardest part is, I have to ask Aibileen, again,

about what happened to Constantine. I cannot do a just job on

Constantine‘s story if I don‘t know what‘s happened to her. It defeats the

point of the book, to put in only part of the story. It wouldn‘t be telling the

truth (p. 355).

In January, the book is finally published. Skeeter makes it happen because she

holds her willingness strongly. She believes that what she writes will matter and

because of her strong determination, she finishes it even though she meets a lot of

obstacles.


35

B. Socio-Historical Analysis of Skeeter Phelan’s Life

The first chapter setting of The Help is in August, 1962 in Jackson,

Misssissippi. Skeeter and her friends from Junior League play bridge at Elizabeth

Leefolt‘s house. It is a routine activity for white ladies who belong to upper class

society. Life in Southern America during those years was not a good one. There

were several racial issues related to discrimination towards African Americans. In

the middle of the conversation, Hilly Holbrook, Skeeter‘s best friend who is the

leader of the Junior League brings up the conversation about separate bathroom

for the African American maids. Some white people believe that African

Americans can spread contagious disease. For that reason, some families, but not

all, build an outside bathroom for their African American employees. It happens

in Skeeter‘s house as well. Her maid, Constantine, has a different bathroom

outside her house. Skeeter remembers that ―when we were kids, Mother told us

she‘d spank us if we went in Constantine‘s bathroom. I miss Constantine more

than anything I‘ve ever missed in my life.‖ (p. 62). Skeeter as a little kid does not

understand why her mother would never let her uses Constantine‘s bathroom.

Hilly Holbrook designs the Home Help Sanitation Initiative on which she

says ―as a disease-preventative measure‖ (p. 9). Home Help Sanitation Initiative is

a bill that requires every white home to have separate bathroom for the African

American help. Skeeter is confused and does not like this idea. This is shown

through Aibileen‘s thought when she saw the conversation between Skeeter and

Hilly.


36

Miss Skeeter, she frowning at Miss Hilly. She set her cards down faceup

and say real matter-a-fact, ―Maybe we ought to just build you a bathroom

outside, Hilly.‖ And Law, do that room get quiet. Miss Hilly say, ―I don‘t

think you ought to be joking about the colored situation. Not if you want

to stay on as editor of the League, Skeeter Phelan.‖ Miss Skeeter kind a

laugh, but I can tell she don‘t think it‘s funny. ―What, you‘d.....kick me

out? For disagreeing with you?‖ Miss Hilly raise a eyebrow. ―I will do

whatever I have to do to protect our town. Your lead, Mama.‖ (p. 9).

Hilly is the leader of the Junior League. Her statement shows that she will not

tolerate whoever disagrees with the ideas of discriminating African-Americans.

She has no doubt to kick someone out, even her own best friend. This is one of the

consequences white people have to take if they want to defense African American

rights, or join in any kinds of activism against discrimination. As for African

Americans, the consequences will be much worst. That is why African Americans

like Aibileen was scared to talk to Skeeter because if her employer sees something

suspicious, she will be investigated.

―You and Miss Skeeter looked like you were talking awful serious about

something.‖ ―No, Ma‘am, she just....asking do I want some old clothes,‖ I

say and it sound like I‘m down in a well hole. Grease already working

itself up my arms. Smell like underarm in here. Don‘t take no time fore

sweat‘s running down my nose and ever time I scratch at it, I get a plug a

crud on my face. Got to be the worst place in the world, inside a oven. You

in here, you either cleaning or you getting cooked. Tonight I just know I‘m

on have that dream I‘m stuck inside and the gas gets turned on. But I keep

my head in that awful place cause I‘d rather be anywhere sides answering

Miss Leefolt‘s questions about what Miss Skeeter was trying to say to me.

Asking do I want to change things (p. 11).

Skeeter asks Aibileen whether she wants to change things after the talking about

bathroom in the league, but Aibileen says no because she is scared.

Aibileen‘s neighbor, Louvenia, has a grandson named Robert. He and his

family are good people. Yet, one day in November 1962, a bad thing happened to


37

Robert. Robert Brown is beaten and blinded by white men after accidentally use

the white bathroom at the local lawn and garden store where he works.

Franny bend her head down, say, ―You hear what happen to Louvenia‘s

Brown‘s grandson this morning?‖ ―Robert?‖ I say. ―Who do the

mowing?‖

―Use the white bathroom at Pinchman Lawn and Garden. Say they wasn‘t

a sign up saying so. Two white mens chased him and beat him with a tire

iron.‖ Oh no. Not Robert. ―He...is he...?‖ Franny shakes her head. ―They

don‘t know. He up at the hospital. I heard he blind‖ (p. 103).

Robert‘s case shows how terrible and dangerous the situation is. White people

start to find any single mistake they could find from African Americans so it can

be the reason to give them lesson because a lot of white people do not want to be

equal with African American, or those who they call as slaves. By hurting them,

white people aim to scare and stop the African American community from asking

for equal civil rights. The next day, Skeeter surprises Aibileen by coming to her

house in the African Americans neighborhood. People are staring at them talking.

It is uncommon to have white people coming to African American house for good

reason.

―I hope you don‘t mind me coming by,‖ she say. ―I just...I didn‘t know

where else we could talk.‖ I set down on the step and ever knob on my

spine hurt. Baby Girl is so nervous around her granmama, she wet all over

me and I smell like it. The street‘s full a folks walking to sweet Louvenia‘s

to pray for Robert, kids playing ball in the street. Everybody looking over

at us thinking I must be getting fired or something (p. 104).

Skeeter does not aware of the fact because she spends a lot of time in college and

has not been around these years.

One Monday afternoon in 1963, Skeeter stops by the library on her way to

League meeting. She searches anything related to race in the Mississippi History


38

room. This is where she finds a thin booklet of ―Compilation of Jim Crow Laws

of the South.‖

The booklet is simply a list of laws stating what colored people can and

cannot do, in an assortment of Southern states. I skim the first page,

puzzled why this is here. The laws are neither threatening nor friendly, just

citing the facts:

No person shall require any white female to nurse in wards or rooms in

which negro men are placed.

It shall be unlawful for a white person to marry anyone except a white

person. Any marriage in violation of this section shall be void.

No colored barber shall serve as a barber to white women or girls.

The officer in charge shall not bury any colored persons upon ground used

for the burial of white persons.

Books shall not be interchangeable between the white and colored

schools, but shall continue to be used by the race first using them (p. 176).

Skeeter already knew about this kind of rule but this is the first time she sees them

printed. She is shocked by how many laws exist to separate African Americans

with her society. African Americans go to different church. They are also not

allowed to use the same facilities with white people; water fountain, movie

houses, public restroom, ballparks, phone booths, circus show, pharmacy, post

office, lunch counters, the state fair, pool tables, and even hospital. Even though

people who live in Jackson know all about it, they do not talk about it because it is

a sensitive issue.

Skeeter starts to interview Aibileen for the book in February 1963. In

writing her book, Skeeter keeps it top secret and she is very careful by not telling

anyone about it. It is not only for her safety, but also the maids who are involved

in the book as informants. If the employers find out, those maids would

experience terrible consequences. After Robert‘s case, Aibileen observes what

will happen to the informants if their employers finds out. It might be as terrible


39

as Robert but the difference would be the way they beat their employees. Aibileen

says,

No, white womens like to keep their hands clean. They got a shiny little

set a tools they use, sharp as witches‘ fingernails, tidy and laid out neat,

like the picks on a dentist tray. They gone take they time with em.

First thing a white lady gone do is fire you. You upset, but you figure

you‘ll find another job, when things settle down, when the white lady get

around to forgetting. You got a month a rent saved. People bring you

squash casseroles. But then a week after you lost your job, you get this

little yellow envelope stuck in your door. Paper inside say notice of

eviction. Even landlord in Jackson be white and ever one got a white wife

that‘s friends with somebody. You start to panic some then. You still ain‘t

got no job prospects. Everywhere you try, the door slams in your face. And

now you ain‘t got a place to live (p. 192).

White women do everything smoothly but in a long period of time. They do not

forget and will not stop to torture someone‘s life. They will not only make the

maids lose their place to live. After that, everything the maid does is wrong.

Aibileen continues,

Then, it starts to come a little faster. If you got a note on your car, the gone

repossess it. If you got parking ticket you ain‘t paid, you going to jail.

If you got a daughter, maybe you go live with her. She tend to a white

family a look hurt, scared. She don‘t understand why. You got to tell her

it‘s cause a you.. She don‘t understand why. You got to tell her it‘s cause a

you. Least her husband still working. Least they can feed the baby. Then

they fire her husband. Just another little sharp tool, shiny and fine (p. 192).

As said by Aibileen, very little mistake can be turned into a big one by white

women who dislike their African American employees. You do not even need to

make any mistake and they will be able to punish you anyway.

The racial tension in Jackson, Mississippi raised in June 12, 1963, after the

assassination of civil rights leader, a 37 year-old Medgar Evers. He is being shot

and killed in the early morning. In the novel, Medgar Evers is Aibileen and

Minny‘s neighbor. He lives in the same neighborhood, only 5 minutes far from


40

Minny‘s house by car. The day Medgar Evers assassinated, Aibileen is on the bus

ride home after working late at Miss Leefolt. She goes straight to Minny‘s house.

This incident really scares them.

I choke then. The tears roll down. It‘s all them white peoples that breaks

me, standing around the colored neighborhood. White people with guns,

pointed at colored peoples. Cause who gone protect our peoples? Ain‘t no

colored policemans. Minny stare at the door the kids went through.

Sweat‘s drilling down the sides a her face.

―What they gone do to us, Aibileen? If they catch us....‖

I take a deep breath. She talking about the stories.

―We both know. It be bad.‖ (p. 200).

They think about the book project and suddenly feel extremely insecure. The day

after Medgar Evers‘ funeral, and the day after that, a lot of African Americans

reacts to his assassination and starts to find out the murderer. They march up High

Street and hundreds of them were arrested.

Skeeter knows that this time, after Medgar Evers‘ assassination, it will be

harder for her to find other maids to be interviewed. Out of her expectation, Yule

May, a maid who works for Hilly after Minny fired, interested in helping Skeeter

as an interviewee. Unfortunately, on July, Yule May is arrested for stealing

Hilly‘s ring. Yule May tells the truth Skeeter by writing a letter,

...I suppose you could look at this a confession letter. I stole from that

woman. An ugly ruby ring, hoping it would cover the rest of the tuition.

Something she never wore and I felt she owed me for everything I’d been

through working for her. Of course now, neither of my boys will be going

to college. The court fine is nearly as much as we had saved...(p.255)

Yule May has been struggling with financial problem because she wants to send

both of her boys to college. When she sees the ring, she thinks maybe it will be

her solution. Hilly finds out and she sends Yule May to jail with fake charges and

make sure she gets 4 years in prison. Even though the ring worth nothing to Hilly,


41

she spreads bad news about Yule May. Aibileen and her community react to

Hilly‘s unfair treatment to Yule May. When Skeeter comes to Aibileen‘s house, a

lot of people are there. Thirteen women agreed to help Skeeter with the interview.

Yule May‘s imprisonment makes them realize that they should do something to

make the situation better. A lot of confrontations and unfair treatments to African

American in Skeeter‘s society encourage her to continue the writing process of

her book. Thus, the socio-historical factors around Skeeter are influencing her

decision in writing the book.

C. Skeeter Phelan’s Intention in Writing a Book

The writer analyzes Skeeter‘s programmatic intention based on Hancher‘s

theory that an author‘s intention during the writing process before it is fully

completed can be ―a kind of psychotherapy for him or to be a pure pleasure for

him‖ (Hancher, 1972, pp. 829-835). Skeeter‘s psychological condition after she

lost Constantine and her sadness might initiate her to write something to relieve

herself from those feelings. Skeeter and Constantine have a close relationship just

like a mother and her daughter. Constantine always reminds Skeeter that people‘s

opinion does not matter and what matter is what you believe.

―You gone have to ask yourself, Am I gone believe what themfools say

about me today?‖ She kept her thumb pressed hard in my hand. I nodded

that I understood. I was just smart enough to realize she meant white

people. And even though I still felt miserable, and knew that I was, most

likely, ugly, it was the first time she ever talked to me like I was something

beside my mother‘s white child. All my life I‘d been told what to believe

about politics, coloreds, being a girl. But with Constantine‘s thumb

pressed in my hand, I realized I actually had a choice in what I could

believe (p. 64).


42

Constantine does play important role in Skeeter‘s life. Being friendly with African

Americans is a natural habit for Skeeter so that she could not disrespect them or

give them unequal treatment. Skeeter‘s affection to Constantine and her

egalitarian characteristic become very important factors in her decision to write

the book. She expresses her feeling to Constantine by caring to other African

American maids.

Skeeter‘s active intention is analyzed by noticing her action during the

writing process of the book. It is obvious that her idea is to write about African

Americans maids. At first, she asks Aibileen whether Aibileen wants to change

things, right after the bathroom talk in League meeting. It bothers her so much

that the League members just agree with Hilly‘s Help Home Initiative and she

wants to do something for the maids. She has the ideas when she sees Pascagoula,

her maid at home.

I wonder if I‘ll ever write anything worth anything at all. I turn when I

hear Pascagoula‘s knock on my door. That‘s when the idea comes to me.

No. I couldn’t. That would be...crossing the line. But the idea won‘t go

away (p. 91).

She knows that it is dangerous but in other way, it will change things to be better.

Skeeter asks Aibileen two times before she finally agrees to help Skeeter with one

condition, Skeeter has to change everyone‘s name.

―Miss Skeeter, we gone have have to be real careful.‖

―We will. I promise.‖

―And you gone have to change my name. Mine, Miss Leefolt‘s,

everybody‘s.‖

―Of course.‖ I should‘ve mentioned this. ―When can we meet? Where can

we meet?‖

―Can‘t do it in the white neighborhood, that‘s for sure. I guess... we gone

have to do it over at my house (p.125).‖


43

Aibileen‘s decision to help her in writing Help is an important turning point for

Skeeter. It is where it all starts. It affects the whole writing process for Skeeter.

Aibileen makes all seem possible to write about African American maids working

for white families. She helps the African American maids to get a better life by

encouraging them to speak the truth through her book of compilation.

Skeeter‘s final intention can be seen through her goal after the book is

finished. Her final intention is to release her feeling after Constantine

mysteriously left her and during the writing process she finds out what really

happens with Constantine. Besides, she also wants to make people who read her

book care more about their maids. In the last chapter, Skeeter emphasizes,

―Wasn‘t that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people,

Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I thought.‖ (p.426). In writing

Help, Skeeter also does not give up because she really wants the chance to be a

book writer. This book could be her ticket to have a better career. The publisher,

Elaine Stein, is from Harper and Row in New York where many famous writers

were born. It is not enough for her just working in Jackson Journal, writing a

column about stuff she does not even know how to answer, housekeeping.

Pursuing a better career as a writer is also her final intention.

. The possible intentions of Skeeter Phelan in writing a book entitled Help

are analyzed by the writer using Hancher‘s (1972) concept of three separated

elements of author‘s intention; programmatic intention, active intention, and final

intention. The programmatic intention is to release her sadness of losing

Constantine and to express her love to Constantine through other African


44

American maids. Skeeter‘s active intention is to help the African American maids

to have a better life by saying the truth through her book. The final intention of

Skeeter is to pursue a better career with the hope that after the book is published,

it will also change Jackson into a better place.


45

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter consists of three parts; conclusions, implications, and

recommendations. The first part is concluding the whole analysis of the study.

The second part is the implication of this study to education matters. In the third

part, the writer gives suggestions for the future researchers and English teachers to

use this study in teaching activity.

A. Conclusions

From the analysis of Skeeter‘s characteristics, the writer concludes that

Skeeter is an egalitarian, hard worker, brave and determined woman. She is an

egalitarian because she believes that African American deserves equal rights.

When she sees injustice towards African Americans around her, she wants to do

something because she cares about those people. She decides to help the African

American maids to get a better life by writing a book where they can speak the

truth so that there will be more people who realize not only the good side but also

bad side from the maids‘ point of view. Skeeter is a hard-worker since she was

just a student in college. She reads and writes a lot. She is able to manage herself

to work with tight deadline and a lot of requirements from her publisher. She is

also brave because even though she knows what she writes is highly risky and

dangerous, she believes it will matter and for that reason she is willing to take the


46

risk. She is not affected by her best friend‘s threat that she will be casted away

from the Junior League if she disagrees with them about discriminating African

Americans. She is determined for the reason that she does not stop writing even

though she meets a lot of obstacles along the way. She is also determined in

pursuing her career to be a writer and she hopes this book will be her ticket to a

brighter future.

Based on the socio-historical analysis of Skeeter‘s life, her decision in

writing the book is because she sees a lot of unfair treatment from the white

people around her towards African American in her society. Writing a book is her

act to help the African Americans to facilitate them in speaking the truth about

their experiences in working for white families.

From the analysis of Skeeter‘s intentions based on Hancher (1972) theory

of author‘s intention, Skeeter‘s programmatic intention is to make her relieved of

her sorrow of losing Constantine and to express her love to Constantine by

helping other African American maids. Skeeter‘s active intention is to help the

African American maids to have a better life by speaking the truth through her

book. The final intention of Skeeter is to pursue a better career with the hope that

after the book is published, it will also change Jackson into a better place.

B. Implications

Novel as one of literary works is a good media to be used in teaching

language. In the novel, the story contains a lot of language features and moral

value. Teachers should guide the students to choose certain kind of stories which


47

is related to good moral values. Skeeter in The Help is a good character example.

Besides learning the language features of the novel, the students can be taught

about humanity and good personality. From Skeeter character, teachers could

explain that it is important to respect others without discriminating, even though

the students have different sex, physical appearance, age, race, and religion.

Learning literature could also broaden students‘ knowledge in history. The

students will be guided to draw conclusion based on what they read.

C. Recommendations

The writer divides this part into two sections. In the first part the writer

gives general recommendation for the future researchers and the second part is the

specific recommendation for English teachers.

1. Future Researchers

The writer recommends the future researcher to study other main

characters. The Help by Kathryn Stockett is written in multiple narrator points of

view. There are three main characters; Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny. The writer

also gives suggestion to conduct study about the author of The Help novel.

Skeeter as the main character and Stockett as the author of the novel have some

similar facts regarding the social and historical background. Thus, the writer

suggests that the future researchers will conduct study of Kathryn Stockett‘s life

experience and intention in writing The Help using biographical approach.


48

2. English Teachers

The writer suggests the teachers to use The Help novel as teaching

material in Prose class. Teachers can explain the good character of Skeeter Phelan

to teach students about humanity, justice, and to respect diversity. From Skeeter

character, the students will understand that it is important to respect other people;

that race and class differences should not separate people. It is also important to

make a move when they see unfair treatment around them. In Indonesian schools,

there are a lot of races and some of them have different physical appearance.

Students must be taught the beauty of the racial diversity instead of mocking their

friends because they think the minorities are different. The Help is a good

reference because it contains a lot of themes and moral values that is related to the

daily life. The writer gives the example of lesson plan on appendix C and the

worksheet in appendix D.


49

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52

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF THE HELP

(Source: www.theconcordian.org)

The Help, Kathryn Stockett's debut novel, tells the story of black maids

working in white Southern homes in the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi, and

of Miss Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a 22-year-old graduate from Ole Miss, who

returns to her family's cotton plantation, Longleaf, to find that her beloved maid

and nanny, Constantine, has left and no one will tell her why. Skeeter tries to

behave as a proper Southern lady: She plays bridge with the young married

women; edits the newsletter for the Junior League; and endures her mother's

constant advice on how to find a man and start a family. However, Skeeter's real

dream is to be a writer, but the only job she can find is with the Jackson

Journal writing housekeeping advice column called "Miss Myrna." Skeeter knows

little about housekeeping, so she turns to her friend's maid, Aibileen, for answers

and finds a lot more.

Aibileen works tirelessly raising her employer's child (Aibileen's seventh

one) and keeps a tidy house, yet none of this distracts her from the recent loss of

her own son who died in an accident at work while his white bosses turned away.


53

Two events bring Skeeter and Aibileen even closer: Skeeter is haunted by a copy

of Jim Crow laws she found in the library, and she receives a letter from a

publisher in New York interested in Skeeter's idea of writing the true stories of

domestic servants.

Skeeter approaches Aibileen with the idea to write narratives from the

point of view of 12 black maids. Aibileen reluctantly agrees, but soon finds

herself as engrossed in the project as Skeeter. They meet clandestinely in the

evenings at Aibileen's house to write the book together as the town's struggles

with race heat up all around them. Aibileen brings in her best friend, Minny, a

sassy maid who is repeatedly fired for speaking her mind, to tell her story, too.

Hearing their stories changes Skeeter as her eyes open to the true prejudices of her

upbringing. Aibileen and Minny also develop a friendship and understanding with

Skeeter that neither believed possible.

Along the way, Skeeter learns the truth of what happened to her beloved

maid, Constantine. Constantine had given birth, out of wedlock, to Lulabelle who

turned out to look white even though both parents were black. Neither the black

nor the white community would accept Lulabelle, so Constantine gave her up for

adoption when she was four years old. When the little girl grew up, she and

Constantine were reunited. While Skeeter was away at college, Lulabelle came to

visit her mother in Jackson and showed up at a party being held in Skeeter's

mother's living room. When Charlotte Phelan discovered who Lulabelle was, she

kicked her out and fired Constantine. Constantine had nowhere else to go, so she

moved with her daughter to Chicago and an even worse fate. Skeeter never saw

Constantine again.

Skeeter's book is set in the fictional town of Niceville and published

anonymously. It becomes a national bestseller and, soon, the white women of

Jackson begin recognizing themselves in the book's characters. Hilly Holbrook, in

particular, is set on vengeance due to the details in the book. Hilly and Skeeter


54

grew up best friends, but they now have very different views on race and the

future of integration in Mississippi. Hilly, who leads the Junior League and bosses

around the other white women in the town, reveals to Stuart, Skeeter's boyfriend,

that she found a copy of the Jim Crow laws in Skeeter's purse, which further

ostracizes Skeeter from their community.

In the end, it is a secret about Hilly that Minny reveals in Skeeter's book

that silences Hilly. The book becomes a powerful force in giving a voice to the

black maids and causes the community of Jackson to reconsider the carefully

drawn lines between white and black.

Taken from :

Young, Melissa Scholes. (n.d). CliffsNotes on The Help. Retrieved on November

9, 2014 from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/h/the-help/book-

summary


http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/h/the-help/book-summary

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/h/the-help/book-summary

55

APPENDIX B

BIOGRAPHY OF KATHRYN STOCKETT

(Source: www.kathrynstockett.com)

Kathryn Stockett is a writer and editor of American origin. Born in 1969 in

Jackson, Mississippi, she is best known for her critically acclaimed novel The

Help.

Stockett studied creative writing and English for her undergraduate course

from University of Alabama. Then she moved to New York in order to pursue

work in publishing business. For about nine years she offered her services in

marketing and publishing of magazine there and later relocated in Atlanta,

Georgia. She shifted her interest to literary writing as she moved back to South.

After five years of hard work on her personal writing project she finally

had The Help published in 2009. It was not easy for Stockett to find a willing

literary agent to represent her work. After rejection from 60 literary agents

consecutively, eventually agent Susan Ramer took upon the task. The novel

became a milestone in Stockett‘s writing career earning a tremendous praise for


56

writing on a unique subject matter. The inspiration for the novel is Stockett‘s own

childhood.

The Help highlights the relationship dynamics between whites and their

African-American domestic help in South. At first Stockett was reluctant to write

about the dynamics of this relationship as she knew it would be heavily criticized.

In her interviews she recounted her experience as a child in South where Jackson

had equal population of white and back, though she never saw any black receiving

education. Her childhood memories are only of blacks as domestic help for white

people which she assumed customary affair. It was not until she moved to North

she was able to see the bigger picture. She realized that she was living in an

isolated place where blacks were not considered equal race.

As she shared her childhood experiences of black domestic help in her

family with other Southerners, she mulled the idea of writing down a story on it.

The model for her novel was her close relationship with a black housekeeper,

Demetrie. In an interview, Stockett sketched Demetrie‘s life who was

underprivileged and was treated somewhat like a slave despite the change in

segregation laws in 70‘s. Every family in Stockett‘s town had a black woman as a

domestic help and they were expected to wear a white uniform which granted

them access to white people‘s markets. They were not allowed privacy or offered

any sort of comforts.

During the initial process of writing Stockett employed the first-person

narrative of a black housekeeper, thinking her work would never have any

readership. It was not until she let her friends read the book in order to get their

valuable feedback, she felt concerned about her narrative technique and depiction

of characters. Despite her apprehension, the novel won rave reviews from readers

and critics alike. Over ten million copies of the book have been sold in over 42

different languages. In 2011, the novel was adapted into film by Walt Disney

Studios.


57

After publication of the novel, Kathryn Stockett professed that she felt

mortified that it took her 20 years to see the unjust treatment of blacks. And the

sole reason for her writing The Help was to understand why she couldn‘t see

through the duplicity of things in South. The memories of Demterie still haunt her

and make her wonder what her childhood companion would think of present

America, electing a black president twice.

Taken from :

Kathryn Stockett. (2012). FamousAuthors.org. Retrieved on November 9, 2014

from http://www.famousauthors.org/kathryn-stockett


http://www.famousauthors.org/kathryn-stockett

58

APPENDIX C

LESSON PLAN

Subject: Prose

Semester: III

Time Allocation: 150 minutes (50 minutes x 3 meetings)

Basic Competence:

Students are able to interpret an English novel

Indicators : 1. Students are able to identify the main characters

2. Students are able to identify the setting of the novel

3. Students are able to conclude the moral values of the novel

4. Students are able to present their interpretations

5. Students are able to present a topic from the novel

I. Teaching Learning Approaches: Individual work, discussion, group

presentation

II. Teaching Learning Activities

No. Steps Classroom Activities Media Time

Allocation

1. Introduction Greeting

Teacher invites students

to discuss about racial

diversity

Teacher gives clues about

the novel

Power Point 15

minutes

2. Main

Activities

Students listens to

teacher‘s pre-reading

explanation about The

Power Point

130

minutes


59

III. Assessment

Progress Test 1 : 25% Assignments : 15%

Progress Test 2 : 25% Attendance : 5%

Final Test : 30%

IV. Reference

Stockett, K. 2009. The Help. New York: Berkley Books.

Help

Students read The Help

individually

Students answer the

guidance questions from

worksheet about The Help

Students discuss their

conclusion after reading

The Help in group

Students make group

presentation of a daily-

life-related topic from The

Help

Students present their

interpretation in group

Novel

3. Closing Teacher gives conclusion

about the topics and moral

values from the

presentation about The

Help

Closing

15

minutes


60

APPENDIX D

WORKSHEET

(Source: www.ja.wikipedia.org)

Students’ Guidance Questions

1. Who are the main characters of The Help?

2. Who is your favorite character from The Help? Why?

3. What is the setting of The Help?

4. In your opinion, what is the influence of the setting to Skeeter Phelan‘s

decision?

5. What is the major conflict of the story?

6. What are the main themes that you get after reading The Help?

7. Can you relate the themes to your daily life? How?

8. Make a group of 5 and discuss your interpretation of The Help!


61

(Source: www.theconcordian.org)

Group Presentation

1. Make a group consist of 5 students, then make a 20- minute- presentation

to share your interpretation of the topics from The Help. (The topics are

given by the teacher.)

2. Share your presentation in front of the class.

3. Draw your final conclusion in the form of creative mind mapping.


Documents

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI - core.ac.uk · buku, seperti yang dilihat dari novel The Help yang ditulis oleh Kathryn Stockett. Skripsi ini ditulis dengan tujuan mencari