The Help Ex De Texte
III. DICTION
The plot of Kathryn’s novel moved through the dialogue of the characters and their tone. The story is mostly told through narrative and uses dialogue between characters for clarification on the subject if it is needed. In certain parts of the novel, the narrators’ thoughts would help the readers understand what was going on and what they were feeling. In less important sections, the author uses dialogue being exchanged between the characters.
The author gives its three narrators, Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny a southern sounding slang. For an example, “’Mister Johnny, this ain't none a my business. But I can tell you Miss Celia ain’t having no relations outside a this house’ (163)”. With Kathryn’s brilliant writing, the readers can hear the southern slang Minny is using in their head as they read. All of the maids talk with improper grammar and slang when they are talking to each other and their bosses’. Hilly Elizabeth, and Mrs. Phalen and other white women and men talk a lot more proper, implying they have been educated. They are often talked down to because most of the white people think that they would not have understood what they