Mohanty begins by discussing the construct of the Third World Woman—she defines this woman as complex and multilayered, however, when feminist rhetoric addresses this group it is done so in a monolithic manner that could be considered global hegemony in which Western women serve as the patriarchal figure in text and scholarship as it relates to defining and addressing the "situation" of the Third World Woman. Mohanty writes that --by the homogenization and systemization of the oppression experienced by woman, the Western feminist discourse exercises power over these very women. Mohanty contends that grouping women by their victim status or the shared experience that somehow makes them an inferior group, not only in that woman’s experiences as it relates to her local situation, but also to the implicit Western standard.
Mohanty examines the idea that women by nature of their gender have some type of bond of sameness that binds us all together as a powerless, exploited and sexually harassed group tied together as “sisters” in this struggle for equality and relief from our victim status. Like Mohanty, I believe that this assumption of “sameness” is not only historically inaccurate it allows for Western feminist to serve as international “superhero” who swoops in and rescues her sisters from their perpetual victim-hood. In American media this theme is evident in various fiction and documentary films along with television shows in which an independent powerful and intelligent White woman serves as the feminist model of strength. However in order for her to be seen as powerful and wise she has to “save” someone. Very often the object of her effort and desire to display strength and independence is a woman of a different race, or social status. In Mohanty’s writing she illustrate the idea that an image of a “typical third world woman” is derived from the Western feminist grouping women together based on their struggles and negative experiences. I believe the same could be said regarding how the media through its stereotypical depiction of Black woman against an image of the well educated, modern white woman could lead one to incorrectly believe that there is an image of a “typical poor black woman.” In my opinion the 2011 book and film adaptation "The Help" illustrates this idea in a manner that I find problematic and quite disturbing.
They Cannot Represent Themselves, They Must Be Represented,
"The Help" was written and the screenplay adapted by Kathryn Stockett. The book and subsequent film tell the story of a White empowered journalist, Skeeter Phelan, who comes back home to Jackson Mississippi after graduating from college to pursue a journalism career and to think about what she wants to do next. Once she returns to Jackson, Skeeter decides to write a book from the point of view of of the Black maids which are cleaning and raising the children of these families. Much like Skeeter in the book and film Stockett supposedly wrote the book to give a voice to the voiceless African American domestic workers of US South during Jim Crow. Stockett writes in the epilogue of the book that she wrote the book to honor her family’s maid who died before she could tell this story. Stockett felt the story of domestic workers had to finally be told and she was the only one capable of telling it— apparently, having a black maid living in her home until the age of 16 provided her with enough insight to write this story. This book and film, sparked a great debate in the African American community and beyond regarding “who” is qualified to tell the story of the African American experience.
Kathryn Stockett Is Not My Sister and I Am Not Her Help
Association of Black Women Historians-An open Statement to the Fans of the Help,
The issue that I have with the film is the fact that Stockett decides to write a book in a way that defines all of these African American women by the term that Mohanty refers to as their object status, the victimization tie that binds them. As noted in this week’s reading, if the only tie that binds this group of African American poor domestic s is their subordinate and victim status, they remain powerless without the assistance of the White woman who comes to their rescue. According to the interview below with the film’s director , Tate Taylor maintains that this film was created to “tell the truth” about this topic. Taylor speaks of how, up until this point, no one has spoken up for these poor women, without a voice.
This stance of telling the truth which is repeated in every interview by both the writer and director of this film is problematic since the plight of the African American domestic worker of the south was told in several books prior to "The Help". Works that address the this topic include : Like one of the Family: Conversations from A Domestic’s Life, Alice Childress, and Living In, Living Out: African American Domestics and the Great Migration by Elizabeth Clark-Lewis.
The book and film illustrate a theme that is quite prevalent in contemporary media, that of the powerless poor black woman that must be saved and supported by often white hero or heroine. The fact that this type of rhetoric is so often depicted in films, provides a basis for characteristics of the victim and the hero which become deeply ingrained in our minds as art depicting real life.
This stereotypical treatment of women is also relevant to the Gill article on post-modern feminism. Gill’s article discusses the fact that post modern feminism as it relates to media is a sensibility and that our ideas regarding feminism and roles is derived from the stereotypes that are reinforced. Postmodern feminism encompasses the layers of femininity that go beyond just pursuing equal rights but the concept additionally includes the ideas of race and social class. If we look at this film from the perspective of the gender/race this movie seems to reinforce the ideas of race and gender and social class that society is most comfortable with seeing. Granted this film is a period piece and certain aspects of race/gender that are portrayed are reflective of the time. In Gill’s article she specifically notes that the notion of choice and being oneself are central to the post-modern sensibility. In the film this luxury of choice is afforded to the White character, since both of the maids are fired and don’t seem to have the ability to choose anything that empowers them. The men is the film are additionally presented in ways that are quite stereotypical however the one African American man in the film is portrayed as a cruel , wife batterer who doesn’t understand or support his wife as if being poor and black and male equates to cruelty and abuse.
"The Help" is a confusing beast. Despite what several African American and Gender scholars say is WRONG with the book and film, the story continues to resonate and make lots of money. The truth of the matter is, a story does not have to be accurate or "politically correct" to get an Oscar nod. The film's story just has to be clearly communicated, entertaining and preferably something the "committee" has not seen before - original. But I am an African American woman who is the daughter and grand-daughter of a domestic worker. Unfortunatley, we lose again in our quest to shape our own image before it is broadcast to the world.
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