Book 3 Listicle-5 Reasons Why Humor Works in The Help

When reading a serious topic is often hard to find the light in things. In The Help written by Kathryn Stockett she purposefully crafts a novel on a serious topic by adding humor where it is needed. While this book shows a serious matter it makes the reader provide a light chuckle every so often.

1. Provides comic relief to the story:
In the story it is clear that Minny is the comic relief character always providing funny lines to back up something that would otherwise not be funny. On page 192 Minny discusses about the lady she worked with that went on "vacation" and concludes with saying that she was fired but "Miss lazy fingers couldn't go a day without having a maid wait on her."

2. Poignant Moments made hilarious:
When you think of the help you think of moments like Minny's pie or Hilly Holbrooks Toilet yard. These moments were originally meant to show the sadness associated with civil rights because Minny would have to apologize to regain her job. And Skeeter felt the need to put toilets in Hilly's yard to show the unjustness of separate bathrooms. These moments originally had a sad appeal to them but the author added humor to shape a better story.

3.Humouros characters make for a more dynamic characters:
Minny is probably the character the makes one of the biggest leaps in the book she is often sarcastic and sassy seen with Celia, Hilly, Skeeter, Aibeleen and anyone she comes in contact with. Minny becomes a more powerful figure for herself when she realizes that being sassy doesn't always work out. This is seen with Celia in chapters 17 and 18.

4.Humor adds understanding:
Often in the book Stockett provides humor that helps the reader feel more sensitive and  conscious of a character's feelings. With Celia the author provides deep description of how she doesn't fit in and often pokes fun at who she is and what she looks like. But with this element you can see how she clearly feels outcast and you get a better feel of who she is. This is seen through Minny's perspective and descriptions of her as well as at the banquet and how she just doesn't understand Jackson lifestyle.




5.Humor adds more stability to a story:
If an author is able to add humor elements to a story it's shows the ability to make a stable story without the element of humor the story wouldn't be the same you wouldn't be able to laugh and feel sorrowful at the same time through the characters of Minny and Skeeter. It also wouldn't have notable scenes like the pie or the toilets. It creates a comfortable atmosphere for an often uncomfortable topic.

Conclusion: 
This is important to the story of The Help because it provides the necessary means to provide a successful story to the audience. Using humor creates a new element to the serious genre of historical fiction which ultimately improved the story.