WHITE PEOPLE’S RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN KATHRYN STOCKETT’S THE HELP

AriranitaPutri El Vristiana
English Literature Study Program, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Surabaya
ariranitavristiana@mhs.unesa.ac.id

Dr. Ali Mustofa S.S, M.Pd

English Literature Study Program, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Surabaya
ali.mustofa08007@gmail.com

Abstract

Racial discrimination occurs almost every day in the world. Generally, it can cause conflict and destroy the
reconciliation of human beings. Racial discrimination can be defined as a different treatment given to certain
individual or group. This action tends to differentiate human beings based on their races. Discrimination always has
negative connotative issues in African America life and history. The discrimination towards African Americans
happens when white people resist against black people. Moreover, the discrimination of the African Americans
happens in many aspects of life.The purpose this study is to analyze how racial discrimination happened in the
African American society; the racial discrimination upon black people by white people and how black people resist
the racial discrimination in Kathryn Stockett’sThe Help.The racial discrimination which had been done by white
people is the main topic for this research. It is based on the phenomenon of discrimination which happened in the
society. The racial discrimination in the story shows how white people underestimate black people in terms of
housework chores, education, and issues on racism or skin colors.
Keywords : Racial Discrimination, African American

Abstrak

Diskriminasirasialhampirterjadisetiaphari di dunia.Padaumumnya,
halitudapatmenyebabkankonflikdanpermusuhanantarmanusia.Diskriminasirasialdapatdiartikansebagaiperlakuanmen
yimpang yang
diberikansuatuindividuataukelompokkepadasuatukaumtertentu.Perlakuaniniditujukankepadasukuataurastertentu.Dis
kriminasiselalumemilikicitraburukdalamsejarahkehidupanbangsaAfrikaAmerika.Diskriminasirasialselaluterjadiketik
abangsakulitputihmenindasbangsakulithitam.Hal
itusendiriterjadidalambeberapaaspekkehidupan.Tujuandariskripsiiniadalahuntukmengalaisabagaimanafenomenadisk
riminasirasialterjadidalamkehidupanbangsaAfrikaAmerika :Diskriminasirasial yang
dilakuhkanolehbangsakulitputihkepadakulithitamdalam novel The Helpkarya Kathryn
Stockett.Diskriminasirasialmerupakantopikutamadalamperbahasan. Analisis yang
dilakuhkanberdasarkanfenomenadiskriminasi yang terjadi di masyarakat.Diskriminasirasial yang dilakuhkan di
masyarakatadalahsepertidalambidangkehidupandirumah, pendidikansertaisu negative tentangsukuataurastertentu.
Kata Kunci :DiskriminasiRasial, AfrikaAmerika

INTRODUCTION that their region had no ability to overpower racial

1
ideology, racism is structured around three basic experiences and expresses the voices of black
ideas. First, humans are divided into different helpers.
physical types. Second, such physical traits as they After looking up to the background that has been
display are intrinsically related to their culture, written before, the question which related to the
personality, and intelligence. Third, on the basis of analysis in White People’s Racial Discrimination in
their genetic inheritance, some groups are innately Kathryn Stockett’sThe Help might emerge. This
superior to others.” question as follow still engaged to race and racism in
In America, black people became victims of terms of discrimination;How is the white people’s
discrimination from the white people. The Black racial discrimination upon black people depicted in
people were discriminated because their race The Help. The objective of the study is to reveal
stratification and social stratification make them white people’s racial discrimination upon black
different from the white people. Discrimination people in Kathryn Stockett’sThe Help. The scope of
always has negative connotative issues in African this study is about racial discrimination of white
America life and history.The discrimination towards people which influences the black
African Americans happens when white people resist perspective.Meanwhile, the study is limited on the
against black people. Moreover, the discrimination of white people’s characters and black people’s
the African Americans happens in many aspects of characters in The Help. For more specifics, there are
life.The phenomenon can be seen as racial theories about discrimination from some experts in
discrimination. The word “race” in biology means as Liliweri’s book and Doob’s book that are going to be
one of human race. It does not divide people into used to examine the data analysis.
different “races”. Therefore, when people resist one
and another according to their races, it is known as METHOD
racism. Racial discrimination occurs almost every This study uses a literary research. The source
day in the world. Generally, it can cause conflict and of the data is mainly from Kathryn Stockett’sThe
destroy the reconciliation of human beings. Racial Help. From the source of the data, the writer gains
discrimination can be defined as a different treatment the data in form of texts. This data are used as the
given to certain individual or group. This action tends main data to run the research. The references are used
to differentiate human beings based on their races. to support the theoretical foundation of analysis. The
Racial discrimination is always done by violence discourse of racial discrimination is added to
behavior, for example: the black people get seriously comprehend Kathryn Stockett’sThe Help novel.
injured or injustice treatment.It became a hostility The writer's methods for this thesis were to first
symbol and a major reason to make white people read and to analyze the issues that deal with Kathryn
discriminate the black people. Stockett’sThe Help novel. After reading the issues,
The concept of racial discrimination inspires racial discrimination will be analyzed through the
many authors to write it into their literary works.The way the major characters occupy white people roles
Helpis an interesting work of this kind of issue.The toward black people. To examine the problems, this
fact comes from Kathryn Stockett’s experiences of thesis needs supportive theories. There are theories
living with black people, and the fiction side is about discrimination from some experts in Liliweri’s
illustrated in 1960’s discrimination in Jackson, book and Doob’s book that are going to be applied to
Mississipi. The main problem ofThe Help is the examine research questions. To support this analysis
relationship between white families and the domestic into a good reliable thesis, it applies theory of racial
servants. Black people were employed in the whites' discrimination.
houses during the 1960s.Since the novel is based on
the real experience, particularly the one related to THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
white-black relationship, this study would like to find This part covers the review Of theoretical
out how the whites discriminate the blacks. framework of the study. It covers the theories about
Furthermore, it will try to reveal how the blacks as discrimination from some experts in Liliweri’s book
the group of victims by the whites view themselves in and Doob’s book that are going to be used to
such a situation. The novel actually describes the examine the problem. Essentially, racial

2
discrimination theory is used to examine problem, “some ethnic groups are racially homogenous, and
how is the white people’s racial discrimination others decidedly are not.”
depicted in Kathryn Stockett’sThe Help. According to Doob (2004:17), there are two
Theory of Race, Ethnicity, and Racism terms which are related to race and ethnicity. They
The complication of racial is based on human’s are majority group and minority group. Majority
concept related to their racial. The word racial came group is a category of people within a society who
from French and Italian razza which means; first, posses distinct physical or cultural characteristic and
differentiate the existence of human beings based on: maintain superior power and sources. Moreover,
1. Appearance like hair, eye, skin color, and body minority group is a category of people who are
shape; 2. Generation class; 3. Generation pattern; 4. recognizable by physical or cultural traits that place it
Unique habit which differentiate with the origin in position restricted by power and inferior status. It
people. Second, reveals identity based on: 1. shows that its members suffer by limited
Behavior; 2. Current habit qualities from society; 3. opportunities and rewards. Sometimes the minority
Clarify the existent of society based on current group is somewhat larger than the majority group in
geography; 4. Clarify the activities of society based society.
on their habit and their mindset; 5. Group of people As same as prejudice, racism has been defined as
who that has the same generation family and clan; 6. a believe that alleged differences between racial
Biological sense which shows subspecies and groups that asserted as the superiority of one racial
varieties, birth. (Liliweri, 2005:19) Basically, the group. Eduarto Bonilla in Doob (2004:122) has
concept of race refers to the idea which divides reduced the study of racism to focus on individual
human beings into their phenotype (appearance, skin act: “The idea of racism entails a person’s prejudice
color, and hair) and genotype (genetic differences). toward minority groups, inducing him or her to
Moreover, from the biological similarity, there are engage in discriminatory act against those groups.”
current behaviors which build a social construction in Marger (1994:242) stated that “fear and
society. According to Daldjoni in Liliweri (2005:25) humiliation are integral parts of everyday life for
there are four methods for race classification which blacks in South.” He also explains that racism is
were introduced to classify human beings: a. about an ideology or system’s belief designed to
Biological method that consider anatomy justify and rationalize racial and ethnic inequality.
characteristics; b. Geographic method, common Moreover, Liliweri (2005:29) defined racism as
characteristic of human beings investigated based on discrimination toward individual of people based on
the observation for current region; c. Historic method their race. However, this concept sometimes judges
that have been studied in nation migration history; d. certain race is better than the others.
Cultural method that is related to cultural condition. Theory of Discrimination
The term ethnicity comes from Greek; ethnos Discrimination is an action of accepting or
which has close meaning to people. Furthermore, refusing people (at least influencing by) based on
ethnos can be defined as every social group group membership. Inside the group, there are some
determined by races, customs, languages, values, and differencee, exceptions, restrictions, or choices which
cultural norms. Ethnicity classifies people into are based on ethnicity, racial, nationality, that have
particular categories based on cultural or national purpose or influence to destroy confession, pleasure
qualities. According to Doob (2004:07) ethnic groups for implement a turn on the basic similarity, freedom
are differed based on “such issues as values, in politic, cultural, socialized, economic activities,
language, religion, food habits, sexual behavior, and any other field that exist in society. (Sears, 1994:
recreational patterns, outlook on work, and the 149)
culture of an ethnic group creates a sense of identify The word discrimination can be defined as an
among members.” In American society, it is often unfairly act. Commonly, it existed because the
synonymous with national-group membership. They society gives different treatment toward one another.
are Chinese-Americans, Italian-Americans, Mexican- It is in line with Fulthoni, et.al (2009:8), he defined
Americans, Haitian-Americans, Polish-Americans, discrimination as an unfair and unequal treatment,
and many other groups. Doob (2004:7) stated that that is given by someone in order to discriminate a

3
person or a group. It discriminates based on some institutional discrimination refers to the action from
things such as race, nation, religion, and social status. majority group toward minority group.
The term of discrimination can be used to describe an According to McConnochie in Liliweri
action from majority group toward minority group. (2005:221) institutional discrimination can eliminate
As a result, their action can be claimed as an a certain race rule based on skin color: discrimination
immorality and undemocratic thing. in school, transportation, restaurant, hotel, and event
Doob in Liliweri (2005:218) confessed that in church. Liliweri (2005:221) stated that “institution
discrimination is an action aimed to prevent a group, discrimination will separate or avoid authority in
or to restrict another group which try to get sources. marriage institution, education, politic, economic,
Theoretically, discrimination is used to reduce, and religion.”
destroy, conquer, displace, protect legally, create
cultural pluralism, and assimilate another group. ANALYSIS
Moreover, Pettigrew in Liliweri (2005:221) In this chapter, the writer presents the analysis of
classified discrimination in two types. The first type the story of The Help, which focuse on racial
is direct discrimination. It deals with an action which discrimination process between white people and
restricts current district such as, living area, works’ black people. This chapter is divided intothe white
types, public facilities, and others. Furthermore, it people’s racial discrimination depicted in the
also restricts a group in order to make choices. The novel.Racial discrimination of white people which is
second type is indirect discrimination. It is held by done toward black people will be discussed further in
creating some wisdom which block current race and this part; white women as boss have big power to do
ethnic to have relationship freely with another race everything in their house like to discriminate black
and ethnic. people in white area. Although white and black
Theory of Racial Discrimination people live in different area, the whites still have
According to Liliweri (2005:219) discrimination power to control black people. Most of all maids in
is “an unfriendly attitude from majority group or its whites' house are black people. Jackson Mississippi is
member to minority group.” Therefore, racial a region where white people live. White women in
discrimination can be defined as an attitude for Jackson make a group and they also have some rules
certain race of people or group of people which to treat black people. The rules are used to show that
comes from another race. Furthermore, The they have different status based on their race. In this
International Convention on the Elimination of All area, the main characters in this story are four black
Forms of Racial Discrimination adopted in 1965 maids and four white women. Moreover, white
defined “racial discrimination broadly and in represented by the house owners are in higher status
practical terms includes any distinction, exclusion, and black as maids are in lower status.
restriction or preference based on race, color, descent White People’s Racial Discrimination
or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or This novel consists of some written works by the
effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, main characters of the story. Each story is written
enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human from each main character’s point of view. Every
rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, character has her own perspective about racial
economic, social, cultural or any other field of public discrimination by white people toward black people.
life.http://www.allbusiness.com/laboremployment/lab One of discrimination that can be considered as racial
or-sector-performance/7781428-1.html discrimination is how white people treat and have
Carmichael and Hamilton in Liliweri (2005:67) some rules for black people.
stated that racial discrimination is divided into two 1. Housework Chores
types. There are individual and institutional In housework chores racial discrimination
discrimination. First, individual discrimination divided into two parts like rules and separate
happens when an individual from a certain race bathroom.
creates rules and has bad attitude toward another
race. It is because the individual has power. Second, ““Rule Number One for working for a
white lady, Minny: it is nobody’s

4
 business. You keep your nose out of should use different stuffs from their boss and eating
your White Lady’s problems, you don’t in the kitchen. They should use same stuff like they
go crying to her with yours—you can’t used before when they work in white women house.
pay the light bill? Your feet are too The white women explained the rules to the
sore? Remember one thing: white black maid so it made the black maid know how to
people are not your friends.” behave in their white boss’s house. The black maid
“Rule Number Three: when you’re cannot do anything other than obey the rules given.
cooking white people’s food, you taste The rules showed the discrimination given by the
it with a different spoon. You put that white boss toward the black maid. The rules given
spoon to your mouth, think nobody’s were used to make a space between them. However,
looking, put it back in the pot, and this space created racial discrimination between the
might as well throw it out. white boss and the black maid. According to Liliweri
“Rule Number Four: You use the same (2005:219) discrimination is “an unfriendly attitude
cup, same fork, and same plate every from majority group or its member to minority
day. Keep it in a separate cupboard and group.” Therefore, racial discrimination can be
tell that white woman that’s the one defined as an attitude for certain race of people or
you’ll use from here on out. group of people which comes from another race. It
“Rule Number Five: you eat in the proves that what white people did can be considered
kitchen.”” (Stockett, 2009:22) as a racial discrimination.
Since the beginning, the basic concept of racial
The quotation above shows some rules given by discrimination is based on the attitude of leaders and
white boss to their black maid. Actually there were multiple discrimination rules. According to the story,
seven rules between white boss and black maid. the white women as a leader controlled and gave the
Those rules were given when the black maid wanted rules for their black maid. The rules like in the
to work with white people. Here, the researcher just quotation above explained well about the
put four rules from the novel. The four rules that discrimination given by the white boss toward the
were given showed clearly about the power of white black maid. The rules given can be considered as a
people and how racial discrimination appeared discrimination act. It was because indirectly the white
between white boss and black maid. However, the boss still kept the space with the black maid. The
black maid must obey the rules. The rules used to rules and spaces were used to state their difference
clarify that the race between white boss and black race. Therefore, the white boss could discriminate the
maid are really different. From the quotation above, it black maid making use of the rules between both of
shows clearly that one of the rules between them them.
showed that they will never be a friend. It was The white boss took dominant part in the story.
because the white boss did not want to make their They always used their dominance to make the black
relationship became intimate. maid looked like that they were the poorest people in
Moreover, although the white boss treated their the world. Even though the white women never
maid well, it did not mean that they care about each treated the black maid harshly, they always used their
other like friend. Their differences which based on dominance toward the black maid. The white boss
their race still appear between the white boss and treated their black maid well, but they usually made
their black maid. The white boss assumed that they the black people feel sad with what they had done
had to keep distance between them because they were toward black maid. The white people usually talked
different. From the rules above, it showed that even a about their racial differences without thinking about
little thing could create a big distance between them. it before. This proof could explain how white boss
One of the rules showed that the white boss did not talked about their racial differences.
let their maid to use same stuffs with them.
Moreover, the black maid should use different spoon “It’s off the kitchen. The door’s half
when they were cooking and tasting the food. open and I can see a tiny room with a
Moreover, when the black maid was eating, they also toilet, a pull string flusher at the top, a

5
 bulb with a yellowing plastic shade. The chapter in the story has different point of view. The
small corner sink hardly holds a glass of point of view came from white people and black
water. I’ve never once been inside. people’s point of view.
When we were kids, Mother told us Moreover, racial discrimination will be easier to
she’d spank us if we went in understand by analyzing each scene in the story. In
Constantine’s bathroom.” (Stockett, the story, the bathroom showed that there was a gap
2009:31) between white people and black people based on
their race. The bathroom appeared in some scenes
The quotation above is simply similar with the several times. It was used to explain how white
previous quotation. It still discusses about the people as higher class got a big power to do
bathroom and the differences between white people everything towards black people.
and black people based on their race which can cause Moreover, other than bathroom, another scene
the racial discrimination phenomenon to appear in the which was explained to be setting of racial
story. This quotation shows the flashback of white discrimination was the library is a part of education
women when she was a child. She remembered that in institution. In the black maid’s point of view,
when her mother reminded her to keep the distance library was a place that unusually to be visited by
with their black maid in the house. If she went to the them. However, there was no certain rule that forbid
black’s bathroom her mother would spank her. black people to enter the library.
Therefore, it made her never go to black’s The quotation below shows that black maid was
bathroom. However, the racial discrimination toward rejected to enter the library. In the black maid’s
the black people happened since long time ago. The perception, library was the place that's impossible to
white people always discriminate black people in be visited by them. However, although there was no
every era. The white people especially women can rule that forbid black people to enter the library, the
show her power to discriminate black people based black maid thought that inside the library would be
on their race. It happened when they gave them some exactly full of white people.
social rules in their life. This act was one of strong
points to show how the racial discrimination appears ““You know colored folks ain’t allowed
between white people and black people. in that library.” I sit there a second,
Furthermore, whenever the white woman had feeling stupid. “I can’t believe I forgot
flashback about the situation in the past, she realized that.” The colored library must be pretty
that her mother always built a space between her and bad. There was a sit-in at the white
their maid. Now, she realized that the act from her library a few years ago and it made the
mother was racial discrimination for their maid. The papers.” (Stockett, 2009:72)
use of different bathroom between them was one of
some evidences that racial discrimination truly The quotation above tells about black maid who
happened. was asked by white people to enter the library in
2. Education Jackson. The black maid answered that entering the
Other proofs that proved racial discrimination library was the one of impossible things to do by
happened in another scene. If in the previous proof them. However, the black maid ever entered the
discussed about bathroom, another proof discussed library before, but she felt like a fool people in there.
about library. According to McConnochie in Liliweri All of white people there saw her like a stranger. This
(2005:221) institutional discrimination can eliminate condition made the black maid feel uncomfortable to
a certain race rule based on skin color: discrimination stay in the library any longer.
in school, transportation, restaurant, hotel, and event In the black maid's perception, the way of white
in church. Liliweri (2005:221) stated that “institution people treated the black maid looked like they
discrimination will separate or avoid authority in underestimated them. The scene in the library was
marriage institution, education, politic, economic, dominated by white people. However, the white
and religion.” Bathroom or library used to show how people in the library actually never did anything
racial discrimination happened in the story. Each toward black people when black people entered the

6
library. Yet, the gaze of white people towards black folks ain’t as good as whites.” (Stockett,
people showed that white people underestimated 2009:47)
black people. The scene in the library can be
considered as racial discrimination. From the white The quotation above was the scene when the
people's point of view, they liked to explain that black maid described if only white baby girl was not
black people should not enter the library. The black influenced by white people’s thought, she might had
people should have to understand that when black different point of view about the black people.
maid entered the library they could not do anything in However, the white women already told their
there. children that the race of them and their maid was
According to McConnochie in Liliweri different. The quotation above told about the black
(2005:221) institutional discrimination can eliminate maid’s thought. The black maid uttered that thought
a certain race rule based on skin color: discrimination because they usually got some different treatments. It
in school, transportation, restaurant, hotel, and event happened when white boss tried to keep the distance
in church. Liliweri (2005:221) stated that “institution between their child and the black maid.
discrimination will separate or avoid authority in The scene on the quotation above happened
marriage institution, education, politic, economic, when Aibileen as black maid changed diapers of Mae
and religion.” So, that the effect of racial Mobley. The white baby girl chose to use Aibileens’
discrimination is really influence to savor, moral, bathroom although Aibileen never shows her
religious, and their intellectual. The quotation given bathroom to Mae Mobley. Yet, her mother saw when
was in line with the theory. It happened when white Mae Mobley ran into Aibileen’s bathroom. The white
people as a high group did racial discrimination baby girl always spent whole day with Aibileen so it
towards black people in the institution like library. made her knew where the Aibileen’s bathroom was.
However, the white people can discriminate black After that, her mother and Aibileen ran after her.
maid everywhere and the black maid just accepted Then, her mother pointed her finger and her voice
what white people have done. turned into ten pitches too high. She said that “This
The act from white people toward black people is not your bathroom!” “I did not raise you to use the
supported by the theory above which proved that colored bathroom!” then, the Aibileen thought that “I
racial discrimination happened there. It showed that hear her hiss-whispering, thinking I can’t hear, and I
when white people dominated the public institution, think, Lady, you didn’t raise your child at all.” The
the racial discrimination happened. The white boss still fell into anger, she said that “This is
discrimination by white people in the public dirty out here, Mae Mobley. You’ll catch diseases!
institution proved that there was racial discrimination No nono!”” (Stockett, 2009:47). This evidence shows
going on. It was proved as racial discrimination the scene happened between white boss and black
because white people discriminated black people in maid which made Aibileen thought that actually
the library based on their race. white baby girl’s did not have the thought of racial
3. Racial Issues discrimination at all even though her mom has.
In racial issues, racial discrimination divided into The quotation above showcased the Aibileen’s
two parts like doctrine that white people and black thought after she watched how her boss did not let
people are really different, also about the society. their child to use her bathroom. Her boss said that she
Almost all of thesocial media dominant by white did not raise her baby to use black’s bathroom.
people. However, baby was still a baby, they did not
understand about their racial differences. Yet, the
“I want to yell so loud that Baby Girl white women still tried to explain that there were
can hear me that dirty ain’t a color, differences between white and black maid. Her
disease ain’t the Negro side a town. I mother thought that although they are still baby, she
want to stop that moment from coming should have known that they had different race from
and it come in ever white child’s life black people. The white people assumed that the
when they start to think that colored black people were dirty and would bring diseases and
the white baby should know about that.

7
 As a black woman, Aibileen felt sad when the According to Fulthoni, et.al (2009:8), he defined
boss said those things to her children. In fact, this “a discrimination as an unfair and unequal treatment,
condition shows that the racial discrimination existed that is given by someone in order to discriminate a
when the white boss gave the understanding about person or a group. It discriminates based on some
the racial differences between white people and black things such as race, nation, religion, and social status.
people to her child. Moreover, it made black people The term of discrimination can be used to describe an
feel that they were in poor condition when white action from majority group toward minority group.
women explained about racial differences between As a result, their action can be claimed as an
white people and black people since they were very immorality and undemocratic thing.” The theory
young. The black people thought if only white people from Fulthoni, et.al (2009:8) shows that the quotation
would never explain about racial discrimination since above is really part of racial discrimination
she was child, maybe the phenomenon of racial phenomenon. The white people made social relation
discrimination would decrease in the future. between white and black people look different.
However, black people cannot explain that they Media social was used as media which had relation
were not dirty and they were not always the cause of between white people and black maid in order to
disease. Black maid just described, if only they could make black people learn their position.
explain things about black people to white baby as Furthermore, The International Convention on
well as they wanted to do. They wanted to explain the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
that dirty was not caused by color and the disease Discrimination adopted in 1965 defined “racial
was not always brought by Negro. They hoped that discrimination broadly and in practical terms. Its
when white baby grew up, they did not have the same definition of racial discrimination includes any
thought as their parents about black people. They also distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based
would not have the perspective that white and black on race, color, descent or national or ethnic origin
had different race. Indeed, the racial discrimination in which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or
their society will be decrease. impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on
an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental
“The booklet is simply a list of laws freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural
stating what colored people can and or any other field of public life.” As a dominance
cannot do, in an assortment of Southern group in Jackson, the white people intentionally
states. I skim the first page, puzzled made the state and public to discriminate the black
why this is here. The laws are neither people. The white people did it because they wanted
threatening nor friendly, just.” to be dominant group there. Therefore, the white
(Stockett, 2009:81) people did not let black people enter the institution.
The main idea of the booklet that was quoted
The quotation above is an example of above showed that the dominant group intentionally
discrimination happened by institution. Booklet was wrote that black people should have to keep distance
part of social media which existed in the story. from the white people. The booklet was distributed in
Moreover, the social media in Jackson had a very big every area in Jackson. However, not only the white
influence. The white people had dominance in every people but also the black people were able to read
institution there; with their dominance white people about the cintent of the booklet. Therefore, black
can do everything and made rules to discriminate people knew how to treat white people. The black
black people. The quotation above is the evidence people were also aware of their position in Jackson,
that white people dominated in the institution by so they did everything as what white people wanted
giving some rules to black people. Black people them to. Moreover, the black people just followed the
could not do anything without agreement from white rules and never tried to oppose the white people.
people's institution before. Booklet in the story used
to show how white people should do and how black “Negroes and whites are not allowed to
people should be aware of their position there. share water fountains, movie houses,
public restrooms, ballparks, phone

8
 booths, circus shows. Negroes cannot Ain’tnocolored policemans.” (Stockett,
use the same pharmacy or buy postage 2009:91)
stamps at the same window as me.”
(Stockett, 2009:81) However, being black people, lower class, and
poor people in the state was the saddest moment ever
The quotation above is the main topic of the for them. They did not have much power to resist the
booklet. White people shared the rule in the society discrimination around them. The quotation above is a
which black people should obey. The white people part when black people got a problem from the white
had dominance to disperse the rules to society's people. It clearly shows that white people had big
awareness by social media like booklet. The power to discriminate the black people. Yet, the
information shared by social media was easier to be black people could not do anything when they got the
accepted in society. In the quotation above, it shows problem from white people.
clearly that white people shared their rules to black The black people felt very sad because of that.
people by using social media. As a white woman, The black people felt that the condition between them
when she read about these rules, it got her thinking and white people was very unfair. They thought “why
about how the black people’s feeling. However.the just black people which get everything’s nauseate
white woman felt that their group had big dominance from white people?” “Why just White people have
to do everything toward black people and black power to do everything?” “Why black people cannot
people could not protest anything about White do everything just because their race is different and
people’s rule. they cannot reject their discrimination which white
The evidence from the story above provides people do toward them?” Being born as black people
clearly that white people intentionally made some with their low social status, this condition seemed
rules for black people so white people would always very unfair for them. The black people just hoped
dominate their society. The black people never that these things happened to them would be changed
rejected to follow white people’s rule. It was not only somehow into something better.
about society’s rule, but also the help’s rule. The The quotation above shows a scene when white
white woman had her own rules when black people people and black people were stocked in the bad
wanted to be a maid in white people house. In the condition. There was a problem in the state, white
white house, some rules also underestimated black people which had big power in society could resist
people in many ways. Racial discrimination emerged the rebel with their dominance by using guns to resist
clearly when White people always made their own the rebel. The black people could not do anything
rules to devalue the black people. White people except pray to God for their salvation. All of white
always wanted to be dominant group everywhere people fought back with guns and black people just
because they were considered to have better race than resisted by their bare hands. White people did not
black people. It happened not only in their house, but help black people in the situation. The differences
also in some institutions. The white people always based on their race and the discrimination term
wanted to keep the gap from black people. between them made White people did not care about
black people’s salvation.
“Radio man get loud again, say, “. . . The white people made limited access for black
policemen everywhere, blocking the people to do everything, so there was no way black
road. Mayor Thompson is expected to people could fight for their salvation in the described
hold a press conference shortly—”I situation. The black people just accepted what came
choke then. The tears roll down. It’s all to them. The situation pictured in the quotation above
them white peoples that break me, makes it clear thatheret was racial discrimination.
standing around the colored White people as dominance group, discriminated
neighborhood. White peoples with black people in every condition. The dominant group
guns, pointed at black peoples. Cause had big power to do everything towards the lower
who gone protect our peoples? class.

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 The concept of theory from some experts in CONCLUSION
Dob’s and Liliweri’s book and the quotation based on One of the themes in Kathryn Stockett’sThe
the story show that racial discrimination really Help is racial discrimination done by white people
happens. Moreover, the quotation is in line with the toward black people. In the story, racial
theory. In every quotation, the explanation of each discrimination happened when the white people as
point of view also supports the part of racial dominant group made a gap based on their racial
discrimination itself. All of the explanation above did differences toward black people. The racial
not mention the name of the characters in the story, discrimination which had been done by white people
because it is to make the reader easy to understand is the main topic for this research. It is based on the
how all of white people treat black people in the phenomenon of discrimination which happened in the
story. All of the quotation above shows that white society. The racial discrimination in the story shows
women discriminated black maid. The white woman how white people underestimate black people in
is group of white people in which they should treat terms of housework chores, education, and issues on
black people differently. racism or skin colors
Liliwery (2005:29) defined racism as In housework chores, white people
discrimination toward individual of people based on underestimate black people. There were some rules
their race. However, this concept sometimes judges given by white boss to their black maids. The rules
certain race is better than the others. Moreover, were used to describe the differences between both of
accordingly with this theory Sears (1994: 149) them. The rules given show clearly about the power
explain, “discrimination is an action of accepted or of white people and how racial discrimination appear
refused people (at least influenced by) based on between white boss and black maid. In terms of
group membership. Inside the group, consisted some education, white people did not let black people to
different, exception, restriction, or choices which have same knowledge with white people. One
based on ethnicity, racial, nationality, that have example is when black people entered the
purpose or influenced to destroy confession, pleasure library.Dealing with skin color issues which were put
for implement on the basic similarity, freedom in into media discourse, white people prejudice
politic, cultured, socialized, economic activities, and everything about the differences toward black people.
any other field that consisted in society.” The prejudice and the idea of the white people
Racial discrimination was powered by influenced social media in Jackson. Social media was
discrimination from one group towards another group used as media which connected white people and
in the society. The discrimination in one of group black maid in order to make black people aware of
comes from the motive where they want to be the their position. The white people intentionally made a
leader. Furthermore each quotation and theory given gap in the state and public to discriminate the black
above shows clearly how racial discrimination people.
happens between white people and black people in Moreover, the writer hopes for the next
their society.It shows how racial discrimination researcher can hopefully understand another chance
appears in the society, how white people treat black of taking a view toward racial discrimination not only
people which caused racial discrimination between as the resistance but also the “hidden” issues within
them. it, and how it relates to the race discrimination.
It is showed in the story that the white women
had some rules toward black maid in their house.
Moreover, the white people also had some rules in
the government and institution that made black
people could not do anything for their life. However,
as a dominant group, white people had big power to
be leader. The quotation supported by theory shows
that racial discrimination appears in the society, and
there are clear evidences on how white women
dominated black people in every condition.

10
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Feagin, Joe R. 2000. RacistAmerica: Roots, Current
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Katz, David, and Kenneth Braly. 1993. Racial Stereo
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Liliweri.2005.PrasangkadanKonflik;KomunikasiLin
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