MovieChat Forums > The Help (2011) Discussion > Minny's daughter, did they not think abo...

Minny's daughter, did they not think about the long term affect on her?

posted 9 years ago by EmilyTheDramaQueen
20 replies | jump to latest

My heart broke at the part where she had to drop out of school to work as a maid to help them out but back then did people not think about what that would do for her in the long term? Surely she would want her daughter to do more than be a maid so why make her drop out of school to support her brothers and sisters, and without an education that would be where she was heading.

"I'd rather lose for what I am than win for what I ain't"

Kacey Musgraves "Pageant Material"

[–] Flosive 9 years ago

Surely she would want her daughter to do more than be a maid so why make her drop out of school to support her brothers and sisters, and without an education that would be where she was heading.

Valid points, but I'm 99% certain it was her abusive husband, Leroy, who forced their daughter to quit school.

*
Last seen: The Mechanic (2011) 5/10

[–] carrie_713 9 years ago

I'd like to think that after Minny left Leroy, the daughter went back to school.

[–] Pmdmnym 9 years ago

Yes! Me too and also that Minny and her children all moved into the guest house of Celia and her hottie hubby! That would have made the ultimate ending!!! :) Truly

[–] EJverh 9 years ago

Aibeleen's voice over narrates 'Leroy made Sugar quit school to help out with the bills.'

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] EmilyTheDramaQueen 9 years ago

Yeah well she should have been able to stay in school so she can get a better job for when she had her own family. Sugar was a teen during this time by the time she would have gotten into the workforce if she attended college or whatever would have been the 70s when there were more options then being maids. The 70s had lots of black nurses and teachers for instance.

"I'd rather lose for what I am than win for what I ain't"

Kacey Musgraves "Pageant Material"

[–] januaryjoy_83 8 years ago

I'm almost positive that Minnie wanted her to stay in school. What parent wouldn't? The fact of the matter is they needed the money. They couldn't plan for the future because they had to live in the here and now and with no income from Minnie that would allow them to do that.

It's kind of upsetting that you don't see that or understand the hopelessness and oppression.

[–] pioneergrrrl 8 years ago

I assume that a combination of leaving Leroy, meeting Celia and her husband and then civil rights laws being passed would lead to expanded opportunities for Minnie's family.

She could probably just get the money from Celia and Johnny without having to pay it back. They'd be happy for her children to attend school and then go on to college.

[–] januaryjoy_83 8 years ago

I like to think that that is how it ends. :-)

[–] Ithilfaen 8 years ago

Yeah well she should have been able to stay in school so she can get a better job for when she had her own family.

You know you're talking about a black woman in the south in the mid 20th century, right? At that time and in that place, most white women didn't graduate high school unless they were from middle class. You had to have money to stay in school. Most kids from humble families had to leave school to get a job and make money for their family.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] EmilyTheDramaQueen 8 years ago

What are you talking about lots of white women graduated from high school back then! I don't know where you get that they didn't. They had public schools, so you didn't need money to stay in school.

"I'd rather lose for what I am than win for what I ain't"

Kacey Musgraves "Pageant Material"

[–] januaryjoy_83 8 years ago

You are totally missing the point.

[–] EmilyTheDramaQueen 8 years ago

That's all you are saying so just step off if you have nothing else to add

"I'd rather lose for what I am than win for what I ain't"

Kacey Musgraves "Pageant Material"

[–] januaryjoy_83 8 years ago

If I added anything you would miss that too.

[–] EmilyTheDramaQueen 8 years ago

Like I said nothing to say...go back to your glass house and off my thread!

"I'd rather lose for what I am than win for what I ain't"

Kacey Musgraves "Pageant Material"

[–] KricketSC80 8 years ago

They had public schools, so you didn't need money to stay in school.

Sure you didn't need money to stay in school, but you needed money in order to eat, have a house to live in, pay for eletricity, water, same as you do now except now there are laws where back then the laws were less strict when it came to education.

Actually in the Southern MANY WHITE WOMEN/MEN didn't graduate high school unless they were from a middle to upper class family, due to monetary needs of the family. Most lower class families children didn't get anything passed a 5th to 7th grade education if they were lucky b/c they became of age to help with the family make money. My grandfather who lived in GA during the films time period had to stop going to school after the 8th gradeb/c he had to help his family pay the bills, and many other people in his income level did the same. My grandmother, his wife, only had a 5th grade education and had to help her mother raise her other 10 siblings. That was what it was like back then.

If you were from a well off family or at least middle class your family could afford for you to stay in school even public school. My father lucked out and came from a middle class family in the 50s (he is alot older then my mother) and was able to attend school and graduate from HS along with other kids in his income class, but kids in lower income wasn't that lucky b/c they needed to support their families and back then family was important over anything else.

People are stupid with random moments of brillance!

[–] pioneergrrrl (2388) 7 years ago

It's not a question of wanting people to drop out, but needing her to do it in order to make ends meet. Domestic wages were so low back then--that the family needed every one 'old enough' to pitch in. Sugar could not do this if she was in school.

[–] pioneergrrrl (2388) 6 years ago

Having a safe roof over their heads and enough food to eat means the kids can go off to school and get new opportunities.

[–] JujusFlix 8 years ago

As much as I would like to believe that Minnie had higher hopes for Sugar, and maybe even let her quit then go back to school after their success with the book and being a full time maid for the Foote's - but I'm pretty sure that things were not so sweet and simple back in that time. After all, when Skeeter asks Aibleen if she knew she was gonna be a maid and she says she always did, because her mama was a maid and her mama's mama was a slave. I think Minnie knew Sugar would be a maid too, but she was likely just hoping the girl would be able to finish school first.

"When a day starts like this, it's all uphill from here."

[–] pioneergrrrl (2388) 7 years ago

Sugar was never interviewed for the book even after she started working. Minnie and obviously Celia/Johhny wanted something else for her.