Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan in Kathryn Stockett's novel "The Help" - a woman that doesn't fit anywhere?

"Is she ironing pleats? Scrubbing toilets? Polishing silver for an all-important meeting of the local bridge club? No way. She is Miss Skeeter Phelan, a white woman. And the white women of “The Help” don’t do those demeaning jobs. They don’t do much of anything else either. But brave, tenacious Skeeter is different. "

Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan in Kathryn Stockett's novel "The Help" - a woman that doesn't fit anywhere?

Analysis of Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan's charateristics

Eugenia

1. Outer appearance

2. Social situation

3. Behavior outwards

4. Psychological behavior

5. Conditionality by society

6. Emotional and social relations

7. Development

8. Conclusion

Outer appearance

Maslin, Janet, ed. “Racial Insults and Quiet Bravery in 1960s Mississippi.” New York Times. 05.11.2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/books/19masl.html?_r=0>.

Social situation

Outline

- her book is a hit => job offer

=> decides to take the offer and move to NYC

Psychological behavior

Outer appearance

- able to see Hilly as the villainous character she is

- thinking outside of the box and very modern way of thinking

- starts to form opinion on things

=> change of mindset

from wallflower to hippie

Any questions?

Conclusion

• Eugenia has broken almost all social bonds and social conventions => able to leave Jackson

=> start a new life in NYC where she belongs most likely

• conventions and norms aren't as strict
• confrontation with new opinions and thoughts

=> real growth will take place after the book ended

Thank you for listening

Behavior outwards

Eugenia does not fit the ideals of beauty of the 60s

• bony stature
• five-foot-eleven
• grave, sincere facial expression
• natural blond corkscrew curls*
• feels indifferent towards fashion and dressing up for certain events
• quite androgynous dress style

Conditionality by society

Social and emotional relations

- easily hurt and influenced by what other people say about her

- wants to be "part of the group"

- constant critism => feels like an outsider and ugly

=> college: place far from constant critism

Social and emotional relations

*Korkenzieher Locken

• ambitious and studious
• language
• use of rhetorical devices
• understanding of sarcasm and irony
• knowledge of technical terms

=> smart young woman

Psychological behavior

then:

- cuts bondings to former best friends

- considers black maids her friends

first:

- friendly with the help but not friends

- does not dare to be honest about her opinions and actions

- oppressed by other women in the white community

- no self-esteem, holds on to some relations because of social benefits

- smarter than the other characters

• different, profound topics she is interested in
• great sense for atmosphere and ambience
• able to reflect herself and her actions

- has no fixed opinion on many things, yet

=> Eugenia does not know

where she belongs, yet

"I've been dropped off in a place I do not belong anymore."

- Eugenia

Social situation

White society

- basically belongs to white society due to skin color

- used to enjoy privileges she has benefitting from the segregated system

- opinion changed after college

• doesn't follow social principles
• does not feel like fitting in

Black society

- feels accepted but also guilty

- knows, she does not belong into black society either