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Book Review - The Help and Brown like Dosas, Samosas, and Sticky Chikki


Mae Mobley: “Colored folks are dirty. Black is not good.”

Aibleen: Little girl, who is teaching you these things?

Mae Mobley: Our teacher in school – Miss Taylor

This is the conversation that one of the protagonists has with the little girl she takes care of. Aibee  thinks, “What person out there don’t remember their first grade teacher?” Totally agree! Like Aibleen, my jaw tightens and fists get clenched.

The Help is a gripping tale of what it was like to be a colored maid during the civil rights movement of 1960s. It talks about color discrimination and the heinous aspects attached with it, through the lives of housemaids in racially conflicted area – Jackson in Mississipi. “Don’t judge by the color, love all the people”, is what this book determines to tell through the three voices. These bold voices take turn in filling the pages all along. Aibleen - with a balanced mind, Minny – the sassier of the three and Skeeter – though a white, pledge to make life easier for the colored and do not turn back to the prevailing situation and all keeping her life at stake. Skeeter is the example of “The pen is mightier than the sword” as she gets down to that weapon to change the situation around her. No spoilers here.  These women are strong minded in their own ways. Together they bring in devastating sadness, tickling humour and ultimately a shining hope.

How this discrimination exploited the lives of harmless people, ruining their households and forever instilling fear in their minds, glares bright and make our heart bleed. Stockett beautifully weaves the tale showing us not only the ugly truth that existed in that society but also appreciating the brighter sunshine that prevailed in some white households. After I finished I almost ended up whispering “You is kind, You is Smart, and You is important” to my daughter.

Coming to the conversation in the beginning of the post, color discrimination is the last thing you want to hear at the age when your mind along with the body is developing. These minds, now innocent, will turn into an adult with the same thought process, building a narrative which they hear or been used to. Children have a raw emotion and that should not be spoiled with a negative narrative. Though we have come a long way and certainly our minds have broadened, there exists remnant of this ugly truth in few sections of our society. There is a dire need to erase such beliefs from our children’s mind and I am very happy to know that the authors are working on it. I recently purchased a book which talks about the concept of embracing the self, irrespective of difference in the shade of our skin. 

‘Brown like Dosas, Samosas and Sticky chikki’ by Rebecca Manari tells an illustrious tale through a little girl who loves her own skin color even though the Antagonist conjures different tricks. As parents, we want to teach our children to love themselves and their bodies just as they are. This book will stand by that for sure!


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