Female Bonding in Kathryne Stockett's The Help

Abstract

This research on Female Bonding in the novel The Help by Kathryne Stockett focuses on the relationship among black women. It aims to explore the theme of female bonding among the black women who work in the houses of whites in 1960s in Mississippi, Jackson in America. Strong bond among these working women can be seen throughout the novel. It is the crucial point that how the bond among black women helps them to cope with the racial and social pressure in the novel. Aibileen, Minny and other black women who work in the whites have to face many kinds of discriminatory practices there. So, they enhance their relationship within themselves. They meet talk and share their problems which help them to heal their burnings of domination. Skeeter also helps them writing a book which is against racial discrimination. They meet and help each other and get published the book finally which is the concrete evident of their bonding. Due to long term subjugation of the whites, black women have realized the importance of their bonding. They exclude male counterpart and share and support each other emotionally and materialistically. Thus, the bond among the black maids helps them to get rid of the tortures they receive from their mistress and from the patriarchal society.