Friendly Affection and Trans-Racial Community Building in Kathryn Stockett’s The Help

Abstract

The Help, winner of the 2009 Exclusive Books Boeke Prize, is the debut novel of American author Kathryn Stockett. Taking Jacques Derrida’s “Politics of Friendship” as the major theoretical framework, this research examines the transformation from the white community and the Black community to the trans-racial community through the emotional interaction between white mistresses and Black maids. The distinctively exclusive white community perpetuates racial discrimination and confronts Black others with hostility, while the racially injured Black people can only seek mutual refuge and friendly affection in the Black community. On the surface, the white community and the Black community are antagonistic. However, the racist system has entangled the emotions and fates of the three protagonists with different identities. In the book, when the Black people open their hearts to tell their stories and gain support and trust within the community, white people not only witness social injustice, but also unconditionally assume responsibility for the “other” when facing Black “others”. Based on the “law of unconditional love”, the novel breaks through the inherent limitations based on race, class, geography, etc., and calls for the advent of the politics of friendship and the formation of trans-racial communities.

1. Introduction

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, is a novel set in the American South during the 1960s, a time of significant social and political change. The novel tells the story of Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, a young white woman who decides to write a book about the experiences of Black maids in Jackson, Mississippi. Critics have explored the novel’s portrayal of race, gender, and class dynamics, while its portrayal of friendship—within the white community, Black community and across racial lines—offers a compelling lens through which to examine the possibilities of trans-racial community.

Jacques Derrida’s “Politics of Friendship” theory provides a useful lens through which to analyze the relationships in The Help. Derrida critiques traditional notions of friendship as based on homogeneity and common interests, often excluding the “other”. Instead, he advocates for a concept of friendship that transcends racial, gender, and cultural boundaries, emphasizing equality, respect, and understanding. Key Derridean concepts include: “primary friendship”, which defines “friend” and “enemy” based on shared racial identity and privilege (Derrida 2005, p. 14); “law of unconditional love”, which embodies the idea of true fraternity (Derrida 2005, p. 184); “community without community,” which refers to a community that values diversity and inclusivity (Derrida 2005, p. 42); and “hospitality”, which embodies respect and understanding for the “other” (Derrida 2005, p. 87).

This paper argues that Stockett’s narrative reimagines friendship as a radical, politically charged force, one that challenges the exclusionary logic of white supremacy and gestures toward a fragile but transformative vision of community. Drawing on Jacques Derrida’s “Politics of Friendship”, which critiques Western ideals of fraternity rooted in blood ties and homogeneity, this analysis positions The Help as a literary experiment in deconstructing racial binaries through acts of “friendly affection” that defy societal norms.

This paper will mainly analyze the relationships among Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny and Hilly through the lens of Derrida’s “Politics of Friendship” theory. By focusing on these key relationships, this paper will explore how The Help challenges and extends Derrida’s concepts, providing a nuanced and insightful analysis of the novel’s themes of race, gender, and community, particularly as they relate to trans-racial relationships. Specifically, this paper will explore how the white community embodies “primary friendship” by defining “friend” and “enemy” based on shared racial identity and privilege. It will also analyze how hostility towards Black people is perpetuated within the white community and how this hostility aligns with Derrida’s critique of traditional friendship concepts. For the Black community, this paper will analyze how the Black maids exhibit active love and solidarity towards each other, embodying Derrida’s idea of true fraternity. For the trans-racial community, this paper will probe into how Skeeter’s relationship with Aibileen and Minny embodies Derrida’s concept of hospitality, as she welcomes them into her world and listens to their stories. It will also show how Skeeter’s decision to write a book about the Black maids reflects her commitment to unconditional love and the pursuit of social justice.

2. White Community

2.1. The Formation of White Community

The formation of the white female community in The Help is a multi-dimensional process deeply intertwined with issues of race, power, individual awakening, and social justice. Set in 1962, a time when segregation laws were strictly enforced, the novel presents a society in which white and Black people were systematically separated in public facilities and social events, from hospitals, restrooms to schools and even cemeteries. This rigid segregation, sanctioned by law and deeply ingrained in societal norms, served as the cornerstone for the formation of the white community.

Within this community, a shared value of racial superiority pervades, shaping the way white people view themselves and others. As Hilly Holbrook, the leader of the Junior League, states, “I will do whatever I have to do to protect our town” (Stockett 2009, p. 9). This sentiment echoes throughout the novel and reflects a broader societal belief that white people are inherently more noble and deserving than Black people. This shared value fosters a tacit understanding and consensus among white people on racial issues, creating a closed and exclusive community that excludes those who do not conform to its norms.

Homogeneity as a tool of exclusion. The white community’s cohesion relies on erasing differences and enforcing conformity. Hilly’s infamous “Home Help Sanitation Initiative” exemplifies this: “It’s just plain dangerous. Everybody knows they carry different kinds of diseases than we do” (Stockett 2009, p. 9). This fabricated health crisis masks a political agenda: to codify racial segregation through bathroom laws. By framing Black maids as biologically “other”, Hilly unites white women under the guise of collective safety. The bathroom initiative is less about hygiene than about performatively reaffirming who belongs to the “friend” category (white elites) and who is excluded as “enemy” (Black maids).

Social rituals and performative solidarity. Bridge games and charity luncheons function not merely as social gatherings but as carefully curated performances of whiteness. These events emphasize wealth, propriety, and conformity, serving to distinguish the white elites from the Black people. At “Benefit”, Hilly’s maroon taffeta dress, with its restrictive ruffles and swathes of fabric (Stockett 2009, p. 328), symbolizes the suffocating adherence to societal expectations. The clothing acts as armor, masking individuality and reinforcing a collective identity rooted in racial superiority. This insistence on “appearances” underscores the fragility of their solidarity. Their “friendship” is a performance of whiteness, sustained by gossiping about maids and shaming dissenters like Skeeter. When Skeeter questions segregation, she is met with icy silence: “And Law, do that room get quiet” (Stockett 2009, p. 9).

Derrida argues that such a community calcifies through “calculation”—defining membership by who upholds the status quo (Derrida 2005, p. 85). Skeeter’s questioning disrupts this calculus, exposing the exclusivity required to maintain homogeneity.

The cost of dissent: Skeeter’s ostracism. Skeeter’s growing empathy for the maids fractures her standing in the white community. After she was seen frowning at Miss Hilly for suggesting the maid use an outside bathroom, Hilly hisses: “I don’t think you ought to be joking around about the colored situation. Not if you want to stay on as editor of the League, Skeeter Phelan.” (Stockett 2009, p. 9). Her expulsion reveals the conditional nature of “primary friendship”. As Derrida notes, exclusionary communities “quantify” belonging (Derrida 2005, p. 14)—Skeeter’s refusal to comply with racist norms renders her an outsider. This mirrors the novel’s broader critique: the white community’s unity is a mirage, sustained by silencing dissent and dehumanizing Black lives.

Derrida criticizes this notion of friendly affection because it is not a true fraternity but rather a kinship-based fraternity that excludes the “other” (Derrida 2005, p. 104). In the white community of The Help, this exclusionary practice is evident in the way white people maintain their friendships and alliances based on shared racial identity and privilege. This exclusivity not only reinforces the white community’s sense of superiority but also fuels its hostility towards Black people, as seen in the numerous instances of discrimination and mistreatment throughout the novel.

Ultimately, the white community’s formation through “primary friendship” led to the community becoming a singular quantification of differences, where it calculated and defined which friends belonged to it, thus dividing the relationship between friend and enemy (Derrida 2005, p. 85).

2.2. The Hostility of the White Community

Who is the enemy? What is hostility? Thomas Hobbes describes the state of nature in Leviathan as “a war of all against all” (Hobbes 1985, p. 183), where each person is a potential enemy of others. Carl Schmitt’s views are clearly influenced by Hobbes. In Schmitt’s theory, Hobbes’ state of nature is extended to groups, and Schmitt believes that an enemy is not an individual but an ensemble of grouped individuals (Derrida 2005, p. 86). According to Schmitt, the antithesis of friendship in the political sphere is not enmity but hostility (Derrida 2005, p. 87). Schmidt emphasizes that hostility is an ontological opposition that involves the survival and essence of a group rather than just moral or emotional hatred.

Derrida critically deconstructs Schmidt’s idea. He believes that emphasis on hostility is actually a kind of destruction and distortion of fraternity. He believes that fraternity is the foundation of the human community, while hostility is the destruction of this foundation. Derrida further analyzes the function of fraternity in the social community. He points out that the community constructs hostility towards those outside the covenant by distinguishing the friendship among those within the covenant (Derrida 2005, p. 116).

In The Help, the racial identity of the Black community is the fundamental reason for their rejection, expulsion, and discrimination by the white racial community. The prejudice against the Black race makes the white community see them as an enemy, and the various discriminatory behaviors of white people towards Black maids in the novel are the hostility of the white community towards them.

The Help provides a vivid illustration of the harsh realities faced by Black maids in a racist society, as seen through the interactions among its characters. One particularly disturbing example highlights the plight of Flora Lou, a Black maid employed by Miss Hester. Flora Lou was compelled to use a “special hand wash” every morning, which her colleague Ernestine revealed to be straight bleach (Stockett 2009, p. 442). The “special hand wash” is an euphemism that masks the violence of enforced disinfection. The bleach, a chemical agent meant to “purify”, symbolizes the white community’s obsession with racial hygiene. Flora Lou’s scar becomes a physical manifestation of systemic hostility—a mark of her exclusion from the white fraternity. Derrida critiques such acts as the violence of fraternity (Derrida 2005, p. 13), where exclusionary bonds are maintained through literal and metaphorical erasure. The scar is not just a wound but a trace of the suppressed history of racial hostility.

Furthermore, during Minny’s conversation with Aibileen, they reminisced about distressing experiences they endured at the hands of their former racist white employers. Aibileen recounted the memory of Mister Charlie, who saw humor in humiliating Minny through name-calling and insults. His wife was equally cruel, forcing Minny to eat lunch outdoors even in the middle of January, regardless of the snowfall (Stockett 2009, p. 232). Forcing her to eat outside in winter literalizes her status as an outsider—a “guest” denied the warmth of hospitality. Derrida’s concept of “hospitality” (the duality of host/enemy) is at play here: the white employers weaponize their role as “hosts” to degrade Minny, perverting the ethical obligation of care into a spectacle of domination. Mister Charlie’s laughter reveals how hostility is normalized as humor, reinforcing the dehumanization central to Jim Crow.

These events vividly illustrate the hostile treatment that Black female domestic maids frequently faced. The racism and mistreatment they experienced were not isolated incidents but rather systemic issues that permeated society.

The hostility of the white community towards Black people is concentrated in the “separate but equal” principles advocated by Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow laws were a series of laws passed by southern states in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation, particularly in areas such as public facilities, education, and transportation. In 1896, the United States Supreme Court established the legal principle of “separate but equal” in Plessy v. Ferguson, stating that as long as the facilities of segregation are equal for Black and white people, it does not violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. This principle provided a legal basis for racial segregation, leading to the widespread implementation of Jim Crow laws in the southern states.

Stockett illustrates separation by the fact that Black people have to obey rigid Jim Crow laws, which maintain the racial hierarchy stressing white supremacy and control over African Americans. It is worth mentioning that when African Americans refuse to obey these rules, groups such as the Ku Klux Klan attack them. Its members often terrorize Black people, burn their houses, beat them, and shoot them for not obeying Jim Crow laws. The cutting out of Aibileen’s husband’s cousin’s tongue for speaking out against the Ku Klux Klan was another chilling example of the brutal tactics used by white supremacists to silence their opponents (Stockett 2009, p. 261). The mutilation of the tongue—a symbol of speech and agency—epitomizes a kind of epistemic violence where dominant groups erase marginalized voices to sustain power. The Klan’s act literalizes “ontological hostility”, treating Black resistance as an existential threat. Derrida, however, would highlight the ethical failure here: reducing the “enemy” to a silenced body denies their humanity and forecloses dialogue (Derrida 2005, p. 80).

The hostility of the white community towards Black people is rooted in racial prejudice and discrimination, as reflected in the “separate but equal” principle advocated by Jim Crow laws. This hostility is not just moral or emotional hatred but an ontological opposition that involves the survival and essence of the white group. The white community sees Black individuals as enemies, and their various discriminatory behaviors towards Black maids in the novel are manifestations of this hostility.

The white community’s hostility is paradoxically fragile. Acts of resistance by Black maids, such as Minny’s defiant response to Hilly’s accusations, destabilize the white community’s authority and reveal the exclusiveness required to maintain homogeneity. These acts of resistance serve as counter-narratives, symbolizing the dilemma of the white community.

2.3. The Dilemma of the White Community

The white community in The Help is fractured by a paradox: its exclusionary “primary friendship” (Derrida 2005, p. 14) demands absolute conformity to racial hierarchies, yet dissent simmers beneath the surface. This tension exposes Derrida’s critique of Carl Schmitt’s friend/enemy binary—a framework that reduces politics to hostility while ignoring the ethical possibilities of solidarity.

The white community in The Help consolidates its power through homogeneity and exclusion, creating a rigid racial hierarchy that excludes Black individuals. This “primary friendship” among white people is not based on mutual respect or ethical bonds but rather on adherence to this racial hierarchy, enforced through segregation laws and social rituals. White women, led by characters like Hilly Holbrook, define their community through shared values of racial superiority, using “friendship” as a weapon to ostracize dissenters and dehumanize Black domestic workers.

The dilemma arises when the white community’s cohesion relies on erasing differences and enforcing conformity. The homogeneity that defines their community becomes a tool of exclusion, as seen in Hilly’s initiative, which masks a political agenda to codify racial segregation through bathroom laws. By framing Black maids as biologically “other”, Hilly unites white women under the guise of collective safety, creating an alliance built on the exclusionary fiction of white supremacy. The more Hilly insists on Black inferiority, the more she betrays her fear of losing control—a fear realized when Minny’s pie story exposes her hypocrisy.

Within this community, there also exists a complex interplay of friend-enemy relationships. Some white people form friendships based on shared values and interests, but these friendships are often built on the foundation of racial discrimination and exclusivity. For instance, when Elizabeth Leefolt and her friends gather to discuss the hiring of a new maid, their conversations reveal a shared disdain for Black maids and a desire to maintain the status quo (Stockett 2009, p. 24).

However, there are also signs of change within the white community. Some white people, like Miss Skeeter, begin to reflect on and criticize racial discrimination, forming hostile relationships with those who persist in such practices. Skeeter’s decision to write a book about the experiences of Black maids embodies her dissatisfaction with the unfair treatment they face and her desire to bring about change. Skeeter’s moral awakening destabilizes the white community’s exclusionary bonds. Skeeter’s refusal to comply fractures her standing in the community. Hilly’s later threat—”You are in big trouble, missy. You’re going to jail, you know that?” (Stockett 2009, p. 429)—reveals the conditional nature of white solidarity: membership hinges on perpetuating racial violence. Skeeter’s isolation mirrors Derrida’s critique of Schmitt—by reducing politics to a friend/enemy antagonism (Derrida 2005, p. 79), the white community forecloses ethical engagement with the “other”.

Derrida criticizes Schmidt’s approach of attributing the nature of politics as a relationship between friend and enemy. He believes that Schmidt’s viewpoint overemphasizes the existence of hostility and neglects the role of friendship in political life.

3. Black Community

In stark contrast to the “fraternity” within the white community, the Black maids in The Help exhibit genuine mutual assistance and fraternity. This sense of community and solidarity was forged in the harsh social context of the American South in 1962, where racial segregation was still severe and Black maids faced pervasive discrimination and low social status. As Qian Wen argues, Black maids in this period were completely silenced under patriarchal and imperial oppression, calling for society to listen to their subaltern voices (Qian 2013, p. iii). Wu Qi and Su Xiaomei further note that racism in American society was still present in an invisible way and that mutual efforts between Black and white people were necessary to eliminate racial discrimination (Wu and Su 2012, p. 74). In the social context of that time, racial segregation was still severe, and Black maids had a low social status. Black maids have nothing to rely on except themselves. If they want to achieve equality and freedom, there is no better solution than to unite with their peers. It is precisely in this harsh environment that a special bond has formed between Black maids, who support each other, face difficulties together, and strive to seek help from same-sex individuals within their own ethnic group.

3.1. The Starting Point of the Black Maids’ Community: Proactive Affection

The study of the two Black maids in the novel, Aibileen and Minny, has always been a focus of critical attention. If we consider these two characters as a whole and explore in detail how they gradually move from individual friendly affection to the affection among Black maids that the novelist Kathryn Stockett intends to portray, this concept of friendly affection actually serves the purpose of constructing a community of Black maids.

At the heart of the Black maids’ community are the proactive affections displayed by its members, particularly Aibileen and Minny. Derrida emphasizes the importance of initiative in friendship (Derrida 2005, p. 7), which is vividly illustrated in the relationship between Aibileen and Minny.

When Minny loses her job due to malicious rumors spread by Hilly Holbrook, Aibileen does not hesitate to help her friend. She comforts Minny, promising to find her a new job despite the risks involved. Her words, “Don’t you worry, Minny. We gone find you somebody deaf as a doe-knob, just like Miss. Walter… And I call Miss Ruth, she is so nice it near about break your heart” (Stockett 2009, p. 17), reveal a sense of proactive affection. What’s more, in order to seize any opportunity for Minny to get a job, Aibileen took the risk of lying to the white lady. When Celia calls Elizabeth Leefolt to ask her to introduce a maid, Aibileen lies to Elizabeth and asks Celia to contact Minny directly. When Aibileen lies to secure Minny a job with Celia Foote, she takes a political risk, transgressing the “rules” of white supremacy. Derrida’s assertion that “it is more worthwhile to love than to be loved” (Derrida 2005, p. 7) underscores Aibileen’s agency here. Aibileen’s proactive support is not merely personal but a subversive act against the racial hierarchy, foreshadowing collective resistance.

Minny’s role, meanwhile, embodies what Hobart terms “radical care”—a set of vital but underappreciated strategies for enduring precarious worlds (Hobart and Kneese 2020, p. 2). If Aibileen’s expression of affection for Minny is gentle and graceful, then Minny’s affection for Aibileen is much rougher, but it is not lacking in delicacy. After losing her son, Aibileen was depressed all day, she recalled,

That was the day my whole world went black. Air look black, sun look black. I laid up in bed and stared at the dark walls a my house. Minny came every day to make sure I was still breathing, feed me food to keep me living.

(Stockett 2009, p. 3)

It was Minny’s repeated visits, encouragement, and guidance that finally lifted her eyes to see the world again. Her blunt yet tender support of Aibileen during her grief reflects the ethic of communal care central to Black feminist thought (Collins 2000, p. 3). The proactive affection between Aibileen and Minny is the budding period of the Black community.

3.2. From Individual Solidarity to Collective Resistance: Building a Community of Empowerment

In contrast to the hypocrisy and strife among white people, Black people are more united under the common suffering, and they seem to live in one big family full of affection and care. Derrida frames friendship as a bridge between private affection and public action (Derrida 2005, p. 15). The maids’ evolution from personal support to collective storytelling embodies this shift.

As the novel progresses, Aibileen and Minny come to realize that they can only fight white oppression by working together. They begin to help other Black maids, encouraging them to come forward and tell their own stories and jointly expose the injustices of white society. This mutual support extends beyond individual acts of kindness to the entire Black maids’ group, forming a powerful community of empowerment.

The Black maids’ community subverts traditional fraternity by prioritizing inclusivity, active care, and political resistance. Derrida’s framework illuminates how their friendship—rooted in initiative and risk—becomes a catalyst for social transformation (Derrida 2005, p. 7). By reframing storytelling as collective resistance, the maids challenge white hegemony, embodying Derrida’s vision of friendship as a radical, world-making force.

The Black maids’ solidarity is not only a source of strength and resilience in the face of adversity but also a challenge to the white community’s exclusivity and hostility. Their struggle and pursuit of equality and freedom not only fight for the dignity and rights of Black maids but also promote social change and progress. As Su and Yan point out, deeply troubled Black people ultimately gained a voice in mutual assistance, winning dignity and inner freedom (Su and Yan 2012, p. 36). The Black maids’ community in The Help embodies this concept, showing that through collective action and solidarity, they can challenge the status quo and achieve their goals.

The Black maids’ community in The Help also serves as a model for trans-racial community building. Their unity and solidarity demonstrate that genuine connection and understanding between people of different races are possible, even in the face of significant social and political barriers. Moreover, by listening to the stories of Black maids and acknowledging their experiences, white characters like Skeeter are able to challenge their own prejudices and assumptions about race and identity. This process of empathy and understanding is crucial for building trans-racial communities, as it helps bridge the gap between people of different backgrounds and cultures.

3.3. The Importance of the Black Maids’ Community

In stark contrast to the hypocrisy and strife among the white people, the Black maids exhibit genuine mutual assistance and fraternity. In the socially segregated context of the time, Black maids had a low social status and could only rely on themselves. Unity among peers became their only hope for achieving equality and freedom.

The Black maids’ community provides them with a sense of belonging and support in a society that is indifferent and oppressive. It allows them to feel the warmth of the world despite the cold and cruelty of the white-dominated society. Through their friendships, the Black maids come to understand their own situation and how to save themselves. They realize that only through solidarity and mutual support can they overcome the obstacles they face and realize their desire for equality and freedom.

In conclusion, the Black maids’ community in The Help is a powerful illustration of Derrida’s theory of the “Politics of Friendship”. Through proactive affection and mutual support, the Black maids challenge the oppressive, white-dominated society, form a cohesive community, and pave the way for social change and progress. Their story serves as a reminder of the importance of friendship and solidarity in fighting against injustice and discrimination.

4. Trans-Racial Community

There is a confrontation between the white community and the Black community, which is not only brought about by the difference in skin color but also reflects the deep-seated class and race issues. Stockett skillfully portrays the irreconcilable antagonism between different stakeholders, allowing readers to get a deep sense of the complexity and severity of this social conflict. It is important to note that Stockett’s purpose is not limited to describing the “hostility” of the white community or the “fraternity” of the Black community. She has a broader vision of building a trans-racial community.

A trans-racial community is a symbiotic relationship formed through communication and cooperation between people of different races, based on interdependence and mutual respect, with the aim of achieving harmonious coexistence and common development among races. Therefore, trans-racial community requires that various races and tribes living in a certain region or country transcend the boundaries of skin color, culture, economic life, etc., and realize trans-racial connection based on equality and free race relations.

4.1. “May Be”: The Fraternity of “May Be” and the Return of the “Other”

In the novel, there is a confrontation and estrangement between the white and Black communities. Derrida’s idea of “may be” opens up the possibility of building a trans-racial community.

In Derrida’s philosophy, “may be” is not only a word expressing possibility (Derrida 2005, p. 131), but also a way of thinking that opens up the future and opens up to others. When we apply this way of thinking to the relationship between the white community and the Black community, “may be” becomes an important force for exploring the possibility of trans-racial community. In the context of fraternity, the “may be” brings back the “other”, no longer as enemies or opposites, but as a possible friends and partners.

Derrida writes, “Now, the thought of the ‘perhaps’ perhaps engages the only possible thought of the event--of friendship to come and friendship for the future. Such a thought conjoins friendship, the future, and the perhaps to open on to the coming of what comes” (Derrida 2005, p. 29).

The relationship among Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny is the embodiment of “may be”, bringing back the “other” in fraternity. In the novel, racial segregation and discrimination prevail; Black maids are seen as the “other”, a different and unaccepted group from white people, excluded from the white community.

Skeeter has developed a deep affection for Black maid Constantine since her childhood. Constantine not only taught Skeeter many tips to deal with depression, but also warmed Skeeter’s heart with companionship. This early contact and emotional connection made Skeeter develop a deep identification with and pursuit of racial equality. With Skeeter’s reflection and awakening of racial discrimination, she began to accept Black maids Aibileen and Minny as friends; this awakening not only reflected her personal identification and pursuit of racial equality but also indicated a change in social concepts. By forming a fraternity with Aibileen and Minny, Skeeter broke down racial boundaries and brought them into a community of affection. In the process, “may be” becomes a force that opens up the possibility of trans-racial community.

4.2. The Law of Unconditional Love

Derrida believes that the traditional concept of fraternity is often limited by natural blood, conflict of interest, and other external conditions, so it cannot realize the true fraternity. The law of unconditional love is a kind of love that transcends these limitations, embodying a profound ethical requirement. In The Politics of Fraternity, Derrida deeply criticizes and deconstructs traditional notions of fraternity and democracy, advocating for a true universality that is not limited by racial, gender, or cultural boundaries (Derrida 2005, p. 85). He proposes the idea of “a democracy to come” (Derrida 2005, p. 104), which emphasizes unlimited responsibility and unconditional hospitality towards others. In Derrida’s account, unconditional hospitality does not have any conditions or restrictions. Unconditional or absolute hospitality requires the unconditional reception of the other, whomever she or he is (Derrida and Dufourmantelle 2000, p. 77). This hospitality, for Derrida, is not just a polite or superficial warmth but a profound ethical stance that embodies respect and understanding for the “other”.

The novel’s alternating first-person voices (Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter) enact Derrida’s unconditional love by granting marginalized voices space within a white-dominated literary tradition. The novel is framed by Skeeter’s decision to write a book about the experiences of Black maids, which serves as a catalyst for change and transformation. This framing device allows Stockett to explore complex issues of race, class, and gender through the lens of personal narratives and emotional entanglements.

One of the most powerful examples of unconditional love and hospitality in the novel is the relationship between Minny and the other characters. Minny’s love is unconditional, as she is willing to sacrifice her relationship with Hilly for the good of everyone. When she suggests that Hilly’s story of eating chocolate pies with feces be written in the book, she does so, knowing that it will make her situation worse with Hilly. Minny’s act is not vengeful but protective: “Minny made us put the pie story in to protect us. Not to protect herself. … She knew it would only make it worse for herself with Hilly. But she did it anyway, for everyone else” (Stockett 2009, p. 437). She does it anyway, out of a sense of duty and responsibility to her fellow Black maids. This act of unconditional love embodies the spirit of fraternity that Derrida emphasizes, transcending race and class to build a more inclusive and open social relationship.

Furthermore, Minny’s hospitality extends beyond her fellow Black maids to include Skeeter, the white protagonist. When Skeeter tells Aibileen and Minny that she has been offered a job at Harper’s Magazine in New York, despite the risks it poses to their own relationships with her, they encourage her to take it, as Aibileen said, “Go to New York, Miss Skeeter. Go find your life” (Stockett 2009, p. 445) and Minny encouraged Skeeter, “You done burned ever bridge there is. And you ain’t never gone get another boyfriend in this town and everybody know it. So don’t walk your white butt to New York, run it” (Stockett 2009, p. 433). This act of support and encouragement reflects a sense of unconditional love and hospitality that transcends racial boundaries.

In addition to Minny, Skeeter also embodies the law of unconditional love. She witnesses the injustices faced by Black maids and decides to speak out for them through writing. Her writing project is not just a personal endeavor but a political act that challenges the status quo and promotes understanding and unity between Black and white people. In the course of her cooperation with Aibileen and Minny, they form a deep friendship that is grounded in mutual respect and understanding. This friendship, like Minny’s love, transcends racial boundaries and serves as a model for the kind of trans-racial community that Derrida advocates for.

In conclusion, the law of unconditional love is central to the narrative structure and emotional entanglements of The Help. Through the relationships among Minny, Skeeter, and the other characters, Stockett explores the potential for trans-racial community building and the importance of unconditional love and hospitality in fostering inclusive and just societies.

4.3. Community Without Community

The concept of “community without community” (Derrida 2005, p. 42) proposed by Derrida challenges the homogeneity and exclusivity of the traditional concept of community. Derrida believes that the traditional community is a kind of calculation, while the “community without community” is composed of unique individuals. In this community, people belong to different types of friends than the ones defined by Aristotle. Derrida emphasizes the importance of diversity and believes that only when diversity is integrated into the new community can we treat the community with an open mind. This difference makes the community no longer single and homogeneous, but pluralistic and inclusive. In this community, fraternity is no longer a love based on commonality or similarity; there is no community scale, without a familial bond, without proximity, without oikeiotes (Derrida 2005, p. 35).

In the novel, there is racial prejudice and conflict between the white community and the Black community, and this antagonistic relationship leads to the estrangement between the two communities. However, this separation also provides space for the formation of a “community without community”, giving people of different races the opportunity to redefine their relationships with each other.

The friendship between Celia Foote and Minny is an important manifestation of the “community without community” in the novel. Both Celia and Minny faced prejudice and discrimination from society. They supported each other and faced these challenges together. As a white woman, Celia Foote is an outsider in Jackson’s white female community. She yearned to be accepted but was ostracized by white ladies due to her birth and background. When Celia faced rejection from her white ladies, Minny stood by her side and supported her. Minny’s directness and openness helped Celia adapt to the new environment and find her place. As Celia says, “I’m lucky to have you as a friend, Minny” (Stockett 2009, p. 329). Minny is a Black maid with a forthright personality and excellent cooking skills. Minny was fired for using Hilly’s toilet and was falsely accused of theft by Hilly, resulting in no new employer daring to hire her. After learning about Hilly’s predicament, Celia decided to hire her and provide her with support.

Their bond defies Schmitt’s friend/enemy binary, instead embodying Derrida’s community without community—a solidarity rooted in mutual vulnerability, not sameness. Tara McPherson argues Southern racial logic renders Black and White experiences mutually invisible (McPherson 2003, p. 7). Minny and Celia’s relationship disrupts this “lenticular” gaze, forging intimacy across racial and class lines.

Their bond critiques Derrida’s primary friendship by rejecting homogeneity. Celia’s kitchen becomes a liminal space where racial hierarchies dissolve—“Because you’re colored? Or because you don’t … want to be friends with me?” (Stockett 2009, p. 229). Celia and Minny’s fraternity is not based on commonality or similarity but on openness and acceptance of the “other”. Through the story between the white lady and the Black maid, the novel shows the openness and tolerance of the community. Their interactions break down traditional community boundaries, allowing people of different races to live together in a community without community standards.

4.4. Deep Community

The construction of a trans-racial community, as depicted in Kathryn Stockett’s novel, The Help, offers a profound insight into the intricacies of human relationships and the potential for unity amidst division. Drawing inspiration from Raymond Williams’ concept of the “deep community”, the narrative underscores the importance of deep communication and shared emotional structures in fostering a community transcending racial barriers.

Williams argues in The Long Revolution that true communication is only possible within a “deep community” (Williams 1961, p. 65), where members share similar emotional frameworks and experiences. This foundational understanding is crucial when examining the dynamics within the fictional town of Jackson, Mississippi, where Black maids and white women, despite societal constraints, begin to forge connections that challenge the status quo. The emotional structure that binds them together is evident in their shared struggles and aspirations, transcending the artificial divisions imposed by racial segregation and discriminatory laws.

Yule May’s story serves as a vivid embodiment of the deep community concept. As a relatively cultured maid in the Black community, Yule May is acutely aware of the importance of education for her son’s future. Determined to break the cycle of poverty and discrimination, she scrimps and saves to raise the tuition for her son’s university education. However, when she falls short by USD 75, she is forced to borrow money from her employer, Hilly. When Hilly refuses (“It’s kinder to let them learn to work things out theyselves”) (Stockett 2009, p. 257), Yule May, in a moment of desperation, steals Hilly’s ring—an act that leads to her incarceration. The quote about Hilly’s refusal to help Yule May is a powerful example of systemic racism and the failure of empathy.

In the face of Yule May’s plight, the Black community rallies together to support her. The churches come together to fund her son’s education and to pay for legal representation to ensure her parole (Stockett 2009, p. 257). Black women, who initially were hesitant to collaborate with Skeeter on a book about their lives, ultimately come forward to share their stories (Stockett 2009, pp. 259–60). This collective effort demonstrates the power of unity and mutual assistance within the deep community. Through shared emotional structures and experiences, the community forms a supportive network that not only provides emotional sustenance but also takes concrete actions to address the injustices faced by its members.

Yule May’s experience acts as a catalyst for the collaboration between Black maids and Skeeter. Together, they document the stories of Black maids, culminating in the publication of The Help. In Derrida’s view, friendship is a transformative ethical relationship that requires an ongoing commitment to justice and equality (Derrida 2005, p. 190). The deep community in The Help embodies this commitment, as Black maids and white individuals collaborate to document their stories, amplify their voices, and resist the injustices they face. This collaborative effort not only fosters a sense of belonging and solidarity but also challenges the dominant power structures that perpetuate racial discrimination.

The chocolate pie incident in the novel marks a significant turning point, where the traditional power dynamics between masters and servants are reversed. Under white cultural hegemony, the history and narratives of Black people have been distorted to suit the needs of white rulers. Black maids, often reduced to mere servants, are seldom given a voice. However, as their self-awareness grows, they increasingly dare to express their thoughts and feelings.

Aibileen, a character who initially defers to white ladies as a maid, eventually finds the courage to confront Hilly. When faced with Hilly’s false accusations and threats, Aibileen does not back down. Instead, she bravely interrupted Hilly’s speech and said, “I know something about you and don’t you forget that” … “and from what I hear, there’s a lot a time to a lot a letters in jail. Time to write to every person in Jackson the truth about you” (Stockett 2009, p. 450). This bold move, though accompanied by a trembling voice and a sense of apprehension, signifies a significant shift in the power dynamics between Black and white women.

Aibileen’s courage is recognized and applauded by her community. Pastor Johnson, representing the church, acknowledges the importance of her actions and the support of the community. The church members, unable to publicly sign the book due to fear of retribution, sign their names for Aibileen (Stockett 2009, p. 404), symbolizing their solidarity and support.

When Aibileen entered the church as usual, everyone in the room applauded her because she did something that everyone wanted to say but didn’t dare to say or do, and it was she who took the first step. As Pastor Johnson says, “Aibileen, this is an important time for you and our church” (Stockett 2009, p. 404). “We know you couldn’t put your name in it, so we all signed our own for you.” (Stockett 2009, p. 404)

At the moment, Aibileen worried about Skeeter, “I know ain’t anybody in town gone sign a book for her and tell her she brave. Ain’t nobody gone tell her they look after her.” Pastor Johnson handed Aibileen a box wrapped in white paper, tied with a light blue ribbon. “This one, this is for the white lady. You tell her, we love her, like she’s our own family” (Stockett 2009, p. 405). This moment complicates Derrida’s notion of friendship, as it involves both genuine affection and a strategic alliance against oppression; this moment also reflects the possibility of a “deep community” that transcends racial boundaries.

Most importantly, through the publication of The Help, Skeeter amplifies the voices of Black maids, giving them a platform to assert their rights and resist the injustices they face. The entire town of Jackson, and by extension, American society, is forced to confront the realities of racial discrimination and the courage of Black maids.

In this trans-racial community depicted in The Help, both Black maids and white individuals, represented by Skeeter, actively play their roles and influence others to maintain and promote the vitality of the community. This collaborative effort leads to the construction of a trans-racial community where deep communication, shared experiences, and emotional structures foster a sense of belonging and solidarity. This sense of belonging is not based on assimilation or the erasure of cultural differences but on mutual respect and recognition. In this deep community, hospitality is not just a matter of welcoming guests but a transformative ethical relationship that challenges power structures and fosters a more just and equitable society.

5. Conclusions

Kathryn Stockett’s The Help offers a profound exploration of the possibilities and challenges of building a trans-racial community in the racially segregated American South of the 1960s. Through the lens of Jacques Derrida’s “Politics of Friendship”, this study has examined the transformation from hostile, racially divided communities to a nascent trans-racial community grounded in mutual respect, solidarity, and unconditional love. The novel illustrates how the white community, entrenched in racial superiority and exclusivity, perpetuates systemic oppression, while the Black community, bound by shared suffering and resilience, fosters a deep sense of solidarity and mutual aid. However, Stockett’s vision extends beyond these antagonistic binaries, envisioning a trans-racial community that transcends racial, cultural, and class boundaries.

The white community, as depicted in the novel, is characterized by its hostility and exclusivity, rooted in the ideology of racial superiority and the enforcement of Jim Crow laws. Figures like Hilly Holbrook embody this hostility, actively perpetuating segregation and discrimination. Yet, within this community, there are signs of dissent and awakening, exemplified by Skeeter’s growing awareness of racial injustice and her decision to challenge the status quo. Skeeter’s journey from complicity to activism reflects Derrida’s critique of traditional notions of friendship and community, which are often based on homogeneity and exclusion. Her relationship with Aibileen and Minny represents a radical departure from these norms, embodying Derrida’s concept of unconditional love and hospitality, which demand openness to the “other” without assimilation or domination.

The Black community, in contrast, is portrayed as a space of solidarity and mutual assistance, where shared experiences of oppression foster a deep emotional connection and collective resistance. Aibileen and Minny’s friendship exemplifies this solidarity, as they support each other through personal and systemic challenges. Their collaboration with Skeeter to document their stories in The Help marks a pivotal moment in the novel, as it challenges the white community’s hegemony and asserts the agency of Black women. This act of storytelling is not merely a personal endeavor but a political act that disrupts the dominant narrative and creates space for marginalized voices.

The formation of a trans-racial community in The Help is rooted in Derrida’s concepts of “may be” and “community without community”. The “may be” opens up the possibility of a future where racial boundaries are transcended, and the “other” is no longer seen as an enemy but as a potential friend and partner. Skeeter’s relationship with Aibileen and Minny embodies this possibility as they move beyond the constraints of race and class to form a bond based on mutual respect and shared goals. Similarly, Celia Foote and Minny’s friendship illustrates the potential for a “community without community”, where individuals from different racial and social backgrounds come together in a spirit of openness and acceptance.

Raymond Williams’ concept of the “deep community” further enriches our understanding of the trans-racial community in The Help. The deep emotional connections and shared experiences between the characters enable meaningful communication and understanding, breaking down the barriers imposed by segregation and discrimination. Yule May’s story demonstrates how the Black community rallies together in the face of injustice, providing both emotional and practical support. This deep community serves as a key factor in the establishment of a trans-racial community, where individuals from different ethnic backgrounds forge profound connections despite the pervasive segregation and discriminatory laws of the time.

Ultimately, The Help envisions a trans-racial community not defined by homogeneity or exclusion but by diversity, inclusivity, and mutual respect. Through the relationships between Skeeter, Aibileen, Minny, and other characters, the novel challenges traditional notions of community and friendship, offering a model for building connections across racial and cultural divides. While the novel acknowledges the enduring challenges of racism and inequality, it also highlights the transformative power of empathy, solidarity, and unconditional love.

In conclusion, The Help is not merely a story about racial oppression and resistance but a hopeful exploration of the potential for trans-racial community building. Through its nuanced portrayal of friendship, solidarity, and mutual aid, the novel challenges readers to envision a world where racial differences are celebrated rather than feared and where genuine connection and understanding can flourish. As Derrida reminds us, the possibility of such a community lies in our willingness to embrace the “other” with openness, respect, and unconditional love.