Discrimination is “the unfair or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things”. On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks was ordered to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger and refused. This act of opposition defied all normality for the average black woman. The treatment of a black woman compared to the treatment of a white woman of that age was completely discriminatory. Rosa Park's strength in influencing justice against racial segregation slowly influenced justice against all discrimination. “The Help,” a 2009 novel written by American author Kathryn Stockett, is a story of African-American maids working for white families in Jackson, Mississippi, set in the early 1960s. “The Help” depicts these women as Rosa Parks-like individuals who want to affect change and equality. Through “The Help,” the reader can relate the thoughts and opinions of the characters to our society today, particularly around race, class, and gender. Racial discrimination is a belief within oneself. No matter how long we fight against it, it will always remain present in our society. Too often people are quick to judge others based on physical appearance. People often base their judgments on the unknown; whether it's fear, curiosity, or unfamiliarity. The quote in the novel: “A bill requiring every white house to have a separate bathroom for colored help. I have also informed the surgeon general of Mississippi to see if he will approve the idea,” Hilly Holbrook, the “villain” of the novel, wants to legalize such discriminatory actions to separate blacks from whites. In another quote, he states that “everyone knows that they are carriers of diseases different from ours.” Holbrook re......middle of paper.....” Skeeter observes the discriminatory actions of employers in his town. Even today, gender, race and national origin can give rise to discriminatory business practices. Fortunately, today, in first world countries, there are laws to protect equality rights. Today, blacks are respected in society much differently than in the past. In “The Help,” we see a shift in focus between the average African American’s life today versus what it was like for him to live in the 1960s. “The Help” teaches readers the importance of understanding and learning from our history. The novel is a snapshot of the cultural, racial, and economic distinctions between blacks and whites during a particularly tumultuous time in American history. “The Help” encourages readers to examine personal biases and strive to advance global equality.