The Help, which was originally written in 2009 by Kathryn Stockett and then released as a film in 2011 is an extraordinary example of courage, dignity, and self respect. In a time during racial injustice, segregation and oppression; three courageous characters break an ancestor cycle providing a new outlook of respect and dignity. I selected this film to review because I felt it truly displayed character, dignity, and self respect. This movie displayed the hardships of racial issues and the courageous acts of standing up for a population without a voice.
There were many characters in this movie that had a sense of dignity and self respect. However, Skeeter and Minny were the two characters that stood out the most that could be compare to Epictetus and Aristotle. Skeeter, in my opinion compares to Epictetus philosophy. Epictetus ethical teaching focuses on changing things about ourselves because we are unable to change things outside our own selves. Epictetus tells us that regardless of circumstances, human beings are capable of dignity and self control (Epictetus, 2010).
Skeeter is a young white college graduate who is looking for an opportunity to be a real journalist. Returning to her home town, Skeeter is reunited with her group of grade school friends and quickly realizes the wrong doings that is occurring with the help inside her society. Skeeter’s own dignity and self respect would not allow herself to view or treat the help as her friends and family; as Skeeter held a special bond with the women, who help raise or did raise her.
After landing a job writing in the column about cleaning tips in her city Jackson Mississippi; Skeeter decided she wanted to get the point of view from the Help. At this point Skeeter decided not to be like the world around her and since she was not able to change the way her friends and family handle the help; she would make changes within herself. These changes would happen by secretly writing a book with the stories from the black help working for white families and raising their children. According to Epictetus when you are about to undertake some action; remind yourself what sort of action it is (Epictetus, 2010).
Skeeter understood the risk she was taking when attempting to get the stories from the help but still went forward because it was very important information that needed to be heard. After the risking task of meeting with most of the help in the town Skeeter’s book was publish breaking the racial barriers set in the town. This courageous and brave act proves how Skeeter’s did in fact have control over the events in life and her personal choice to write her book did make a difference in several different individuals’ lives.
Celia Foote is a woman who grew up in a working class family but married a very wealthy man. Celia is often left home while her husband works and leaves Celicia to tend to the home. Celia longs to become a part of the social club with the other ladies in the community; sadly she is ignored and treated as an outcast. As Celia looks for help, she is face with rejection throughout the town due to Hilly Brook slandering tactics. Celia’s main objective is to find happiness in other people instead of finding happiness for herself.
She attempts several different times to force herself into the group so she will be accepted and feel a since of happiness. I would compare Celia to philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle defines happiness as functioning well. . . thus, the function of human being to function well is virtue. Reason plays a part in all of the specified human virtues (sommers ; sommers, 2007). It appears in the beginning of the movie Celia did not have any reason towards any of her actions. She wanted to belong to the group of women so bad she didn’t realize or understand that she was being rejected.
Celia wanted to live a fulfilling life but did not understand how to achieve that goal. According to Aristotle the good life and happiness as the means of obtaining a fulfilling life (Aristole, 2010). It took hiring Minny for Celica to see and understand that being happy was being happy within herself and not trying to fit in to a group where she was not wanted. According Aristotle, is happiness something that can be learnt, or acquired by habituation, or cultivated in some other way, or does it come to us by a sort of divine dispensation, or even by chance?
In this case I believe Celia was taught my Minny how to achieve happiness. Celia learned from Minny how to accept the things she had been hiding from herself and her husband. In this, case confusing to her husband about her multiple miscarriages and the fact that she had hired Minnie behind his back.
