Jason's Reviews > The Help

I hated the dialect in this book. Not because it was badly written--it was spot on--but because it was only ever applied to the black characters. The white characters were accentless, I guess. Despite growing up in Mississippi.

Stephen King does it too, to his lower-class characters. But he at least sometimes dialects his middle-class and upper-class characters also.

You're right. It's something that's been talked about a lot on Goodreads, especially in Sparrow's review (which I think you should read). If I had honestly noticed that, I'd probably have liked it a lot less but I didn't. I hope that doesn't say anything incriminating about myself, not having noticed it, but there it is.

Jenn, as a Brit, I didn't have that problem: when I read it, all the white characters had a southern drawl in my head. It may have been inaccurate, but it was definitely an accent. ;-)

Nevertheless, I think it's actually an important point, albeit one I hadn't noticed until now.

Your reviews are priceless. Accurate. Glad you do this for a living.

The dialect was not an issue with me. I think some of you might be neglecting the fact that these black women had to leave school early to help contribute to their family's incomes. Keep in mind that this was also the 1960s. While there were plenty of black educated people, the less-than-adequate school resources, especially in southern schools, didn't provide blacks with equal opportunity for the best education.

Miss Skeeter, on the other hand, is a college-educated white woman. She's a double-major as well as a writer. Naturally, her English is going to be better than that of Minny or Aibleen. It doesn't take away from the fact that she's from Mississippi, so our imaginations should naturally gravitate toward the Southern twang.

I am listening to this as a Book-on-Tape. You see, I have stopped listening to VPR/NPR and since you drive a lot in Vermont what does one do? I jsut started it yesterday - and when I read your review I could hear Miz Aibilene exactly as she would say it! Thanks for making me laugh.

Why have you stopped listening to NPR?

It all started with Terry Gross and Fresh Air. I found her style in dealing with the guests to be intrusive and inconsiderate of them and it just kind of morphed into a general dislike, mostly for the commentators. Kind of a self-aggrandizement that I found more and more annoying. I do enjoy listening to Eleanor Beardsley, Larry Miller and Sylvia Puggolie (spelling - sound it out) And I read somewhere that Jane Lindholm, host of Vermont Edition, a Vermont Public Radio show is referred to as Vermont's own Terry Gross. And Liam Conner another afternoon VPR host.. So, they are all too much and I would rather not listen to them pontificating and of course asking for money.

I'm grateful to be in a public radio market with more than one NPR affiliate...when one is asking for money, I switch to the other!

There are a few programs that I miss, OnPoint, for one. I am enjoying the audiobooks too much. I remember a cycle with Terry Gross programs within a few months time, as I was driving back to PA to address issues with my ailing mother that we covered the gamut on transgender issues - from all perspectives: writing, art, TV, blogging, dance, music, everything. enough already. Nothing against transgeneder, just enough! Perhaps I should look at it as public education, but from my perspective the people that need to be educated are not listening to NPR! Be Well. Enjoy your day. We have had a week of intense sunshine, and cerulean blue skies in Vermont, which is highly unusual for April. Amd no real mud season this year either. El nino I am sure!

Stephen wrote: "...but from my perspective the people that need to be educated are not listening to NPR!"

This has always been my thought as well.