'Melissa Harris-Perry Revisits Everything She Hates About The Help In Oscar Preview'

[onpatrol98]

13. I read the book, I also saw the movie. (The Help)

I am always uncomfortable with the idea of a white hero, riding in to the save the day. To be honest, I also believe this is why I distrust most politicians. Sometimes the way they ride in and save the day causes far reaching repercussions, especially for the black community.

As for the book and the movie, I guess I just see it as a creative work. Someone wrote a novel that later became a movie. For many authors, they simply see themselves as writers. As an author, just one person with a pen, computer, or word processor, I don't think you consider all the ramifications that a later reader and/or viewer might see.

I write. If my characters fight. I'm not making a statement about abuse. At least, I don't mean to. Writing isn't always well informed, in terms of history, and societal impact. It's often a story telling experience. It's one thing to not like the story. But, if the story doesn't consider additional dimensions that should have been obvious to every group involved...that might be asking a bit much from one author with a limited perspective.

I do believe the author attempted to inform, and did try to consider history. Unfortunately, I believe typically authors of fiction, offer works primarily from their own prism or lens. So, I imagine the author didn't anticipate the backlash. From her perspective, she wouldn't had a problem with a white woman coming in as a hero to save the day for these black women. Or, get agitated with the lack of detail on some of the issues we thought were missing. If anything, she probably considered herself as "riding that white horse" with the book and movie.

I think what we need is a push to get more black authors published. So, we can get views from more familiar perspectives. The backlash highlights the limited selection that we to chose from. So often times, one film is expected to carry the weight and burden of many.

We need studios with more black producers, writers, directors, actors, etc. We need to see films (plural) with story lines that include a black perspective, more often. That way, when a film does happen to have more than one black actor (who dies in the first 30 minutes), it doesn't have to be everything to everyone. We'll have more to chose from and can be more selective.

We need more diversity in what comes to the box office. So, black actors can have a wider variety of roles to play. Black viewers will have more choice and see more of our issues on the big screen from our own perspectives.
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What I disliked about the move and book? White woman rides in to the save the day.

What I liked about the movie and book? The support for each other that black women displayed on the screen, that to my mind, really does happen every day. We support each other very well, in whatever way that we can.

I think we have yet to fully utilize the power of black women when multiplied for a common goal. I understand the backlash. I hope it drives more black authors to publish.

*I didn't watch Precious. I didn't watch it simply because I heard it was depressing. If I want to be depressed, I can watch the news. I'll have to catch someone's review of it.