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Publication: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina - Columbia, Columbia SC.
As Women's History Month celebrates its final week, we should all reflect upon why this month is so important. It acknowledges the incredible feats of the women of the world. Without these women, we would not have the opportunities that we have today. To finish this month on a strong note, read these thought-provoking books -- both fiction and nonfiction -- and appreciate how far we have come and the work we still need to do.
"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
"The Help," set in the small southern town of Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1960s, follows Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan as she interviews African American maids about the uncensored, harsh truths of their jobs. Although this is a fictional novel, "The Help" is so rich with historical accuracies and credible characters that it speaks volumes about the true racial tensions and hierarchies of the South at this time.
Along with the racial issues tackled in this novel, Stockett uses Phelan's character as a symbol for female empowerment and independence. Phelan does not desire to find a suitable husband and settle down with a family, but rather to make a difference and pursue a career as a writer. Her ideals are different from...