Together We Rise

What happens when voices are silenced by fear before and finally, they come together as one? What gives people courage and strength to stand up against injustice? Is the unity among the unheard stories strong enough to face injustice?

The movie “The Help” tells an answer for all these questions. It is a powerful story set in Mississippi, during the time of racial inequality. The movie shows how the Black maids are treated badly in that time, and how they come forward to share their painful experiences with a young white writer, Skeeter. While unity did not take as the main theme of the movie, but without Black maids’ courage, their stories would remain silenced. This courage reminds us that unity is the key in making sure that the voices are heard and create a change in society. This movie shows unity as a powerful thing which highlights how the maids come together to tell their stories even without considering the risks to their safety, jobs, and their lives. In their shared experiences, they find collective strength to voice against racial injustice, and the involvement of Skeeter reflects that even those who are not directly affected should stand together to face the injustice.

In the movie, the maids' decision to share their stories is a bravery act, as it forces them to face their fear and to speak out their problems. At the beginning of the movie, the maids are very much afraid to tell their stories. The fear of losing their jobs, facing severe punishments, or  risking their lives keeps them silent. This fear is made by the widespread of racism that treats them as unimportant in the society. However, the arrest of one Black maid, as she suspects of a theft, serves as a turning point. This situation makes an emotion and anger within the Black maids. They have no strength to hold their frustrations anymore. They realize that silence only supports injustice, so they decide to share their stories without any fear. So this act, it proves that unity can turn fear into strength. By choosing to speak out, they take the first step to challenge the racism in their society.

        The shared experiences of injustice of Black maids form a powerful bond and it gives them the strength to challenge the racial inequality. Throughout the movie, the maids' individual stories of mistreatment and inequality may seem small on their own, if only one person experience suffering in the movie, it is hard to show the powerful message of the movie. But when the stories are combined, they create a collective strength that can no longer be ignored. As each maid shares their experiences, they realize that they are not alone in their suffering. This shared understanding of injustice shows the power of unity. For example, when Aibileen and Minny share their painful experiences by their white employers makes an impact to the other maids to share their bad experiences also. The strength of unity among the maids is undestroyable after that. By sharing their experiences, they not only support each other but also create a powerful force to challenge racial inequality. Their collective strength proves that standing together to face a problem is a powerful tool for changing the world.

In the movie, Skeeter’s role highlights the importance of standing up for justice, even if it is not directly affected by injustice. In today’s world, many people live selfishly, everyone ignores the struggles and injustices faced by others until they are personally impacted. Most people remain without any care when someone suffers because they think that it is not their problem. However, Skeeter shows us the power of supporting injustice, even when we are not affected. As a white woman, Skeeter is not personally affected by the mistreatment that the Black maids face. Even though she listens to their stories and makes a situation where the entire world listens to their stories. Without Skeeter’s support to write about the maids’ experiences, their voices would remain silenced. Skeeter’s role in the story teaches us a valuable lesson that we all have a responsibility to stand up against injustice even if we are not affected. Her support to the Black maids shows that the fight for justice requires more than just the voices of those directly affected.

In conclusion, the movie “The Help” highlights the power of unity to face injustice. While the theme of unity is not considered as the main theme of the movie, it serves as the sub theme that shows how the maids overcome their fears and share their painful stories. The maids create a collective strength of shared experiences to challenge the racial inequality. Skeeter's involvement further shows that standing up for justice is a responsibility even if you are not directly affected. The movie “The Help” teaches us that when voices are silenced before by fear, later if it united, they become a powerful force, which has the capacity to change the world. Even when facing difficulties, unity is just enough to create a real change in society.

“Unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

Article by: IM/2022/090