Am I Your Slave?

by Tanya Washington

The FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE, also called functionalism, is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology and is profoundly described in the 1960s era and the story/movie “The Help” about black maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi. This movie delves into the system of social stratification a system in which groups of people are divided into layers according to their relative property, power, and prestige and in which some people owned other people or slavery (Henslin, p. 227).

In this scene from the movie it is apparent the role of the husband and the wife where gender is the basis for stratifying people. Women were a part of the estate their husbands owned. Hilly is still in rollers and her night gown while her husband is completely dressed and ready for work. At the exact time the maid mentions money the husband gets up and leaves indicating his non-involvement in this decision. Oddly the maid is performing the duties that Hilly, the wife, should be doing. This depicts a clear definition of the roles involved where the wife or “Southern Belle” was privileged to stay at home and tend to the house while the husband went off to work to provide for the family. He provided in such a way that he afforded his wife some assistance in the form of a maid. "Women in the first estate had no occupation, since, as in the case of their husbands, work was considered beneath their dignity." (Henslin, p. 233)

Christian values are exploited in the fact that Hilly was unapologetically resistant to helping her maid in her time of need. This scene is an ironic spin on the contrary assumption that slavery was based on racism as opposed to the factors of debt, crime, or war. Hilly would not have been a proponent of the feminist movement except for her self serving ways. "Feminism--the view that biology is not destiny, that stratification by gender is wrong and should be resisted, and that men and women should be equal--met with strong opposition" is an idea that would more than likely been strongly opposed to by morally correct Hilly. (Henslin, p. 302) Feminists were known as suffragists who struggled with these views and others when fighting for the rights of women. The maid was unable to appeal to Hilly as a woman, mother, or female in general regarding her legitimate financial situation. Hilly conducted herself as if she prescribed to the ideology know as the divine rights of kings and her authority came straight from God! (Henslin, p. 239)

There was no sense of urgency for Hilly to help due to the fact that she was already receiving the services of her maid. Hilly knew she had no other means of production to provide for her family. To exemplify deviant behavior and go against the social norm of loaning her maid monies to better the life of her children would have caused the social system to be altered. There was no capitalist gain according to her poorly based ideology.  Hilly had no problem ignoring their opposing subjective meanings and walking in her superiority. Additionally, Hilly perpetuated the belief that her maid should accept her situation of being destined to a culture of poverty which was inherently God's will for her life. Not uncommon for owners to use the Bible as a method of submission in order to control their slaves.

Another part that prescribes to the era of demeaning social order is how the maid is trained to address Hilly. She submits to her suggestions in an affirmative response despite the humiliating way Hilly speaks in response to her humble request. In this capacity her authority and power is maintained as a member of the ruling elite. (Henslin, p. 436) These power elite were not required to exemplify the same respect. This clip also insinuates the conflict perspective which "stresses that in order to understand society; we must understand the struggle between groups (race, gender, age, social class, etc.) The power groups will always try to maintain their status through manipulation, exploration, and control." The interest, values, and resources of the power group are being protected and authority maintained. In her desperation the maid steals a ring that she finds while cleaning and ends up going to jail. She is already being exploited and is left eternally powerless and unable to achieve any success for herself, her children, and in life as a result. Throughout the movie this is being depicted over and over again and the only way this and other maids are able to gain any sense of power is by sharing their stories in the writing of this book appropriately named "The Help."


References:

Crossman, Ashley "Understanding Functionalist Theory" https://www.thoughtco.com/functionalist-perspective-3026625. Accessed. 20 Mar 2017.

Henslin, James M. Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, 12th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2014.

"Sad scene from the Help" YouTube uploaded by I Choose People, 7 May 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kkgb-MOIk4

 

 

 

Chief Journalist and Editor
Tanya Washington

My major is Computer Programming and my reason for taking Sociology 101 will qualify me for university transfer units to CSUDH as well as unit requirements in order to fulfill my current duties as Student Trustee for the Associated Students Council where I represent Cypress College student needs and concerns on a district level. Because I prefer using images, pictures, colors, and maps to organize information and communicate with others, and I can easily visualize objects, plans and outcomes in my mind's eye is my learning style. I also have a good spatial sense, which gives me a good sense of direction. I can easily find my way around using maps, and rarely get lost. When I walk out of an elevator, I instinctively know which way to turn. I will never get lost with designated mapping systems and will have no fear of getting to my destination in time to meet any assigned deadline!