The Help Flashcards

Aibileen

-maid for Elizabeth leefolt-"mother" for Mae mobley-black-treelore, he son, died-best friend is ninny-in her 50s-writes prayers in prayer book, seems to work-1st to help skeeter write book-gets fired (hilly/Elizabeth)-will write ms Myrna-depressed-suicidal (rope under bed)-depression- no color- bitter seed-kind and nurturing-impacted wisdom on Mae-moves employers a lot

Minny

-5 children- gets pregnant-talks back to employers-abusive husband (Leroy)-worked for miss Walters before she was put in a nursing home-hilly wanted minny to work for her but declines bc she didn't want to take Yule mays job-hilly says she stole-works for Celia foote-adhere to societies lines-tells Celia she's not supposed to eat lunch with her-stands up and leaves Leroy

Skeeter

- went to college to be an editor- rejected bc of no experience -writes Myrna column-mother is very critical of her-not prejudice -editor of league newspaper -stands up to hilly-tall, frizzy hair, skinny, feels awkward bc she feels unattractive - called "skeeter" bc her bro said she looked like a mosquito-decides to write in helps perspective (dangerous)-father isn't prejudice-goes to NY to pursue writing career-Stuart breaks up with her

Characteristics of minny

-Strong, yet weak (dependent on rules of society)-bold -close minded-contentious-selfless-judge mental-loyal

Characteristics of aibileen

-open minded-progressive-nurturing-humble-reserved-loyal-articulate-creative

Characteristics of skeeter

-unique-intelligent-naive -secretive -isolated-brave-divergent-impartial

Stuart

-skeeter BF-horrible past relationship (cheated on)-didn't take her back to protect political career-secretive-closes himself off-successful-likes skeeter bc she's different-proposes to skeeter but takes it back-coward-attractive

Hilly

-skeeters best friend -president of league-controlling-racist-manipulative-vindictive-supports husbands political career-interested in how things appear-gets fatter- stress eater-loves her kids

Charlotte

-cancer-proper-judgemental on appearances and gives skeeter a hard time-ultimately loves skeeter (supports her breakup w Stuart)-very strong- fights cancer-says good help is like true love. You only get it once in a lifetime-feels bad about constantine

Carlton Jr

-looks like skeeter but handsome-law student-engaged-everything skeeter isn't

Carlton

-not racist-supports his help-stands up for them at senators house-hard worker-rational

Constantine

-phelans old help-good relationship w skeeter-tells skeeter she has a choice -white father-appeared as white daughter (lullabelle)-gives lullabelle up for adoption and regrets it-brings daughter back in life-daughter pretends she's white and crashes ms p meeting- daughter spits in charlottes face- Charlotte tells Constantine to distant herself from daughter, she doesn't and Charlotte fires her-Charlotte tells daughter truth about why she was put up for adoption -goes to Chicago and does a weak later-lulla sends check back w obituary

Celia

-from sugarditch(poor area)-gardens to pretty up the ugly-dolls herself up- alienates herself -tight, provacative clothing-compared to Marilyn Monroe-miscarriages-minny thought she was drinking-lying around to keep baby-bad cook-feels inferior bc of upbringing and can't fill role as wife-naive- thinks Johnny will leave her + the league-not prejudice-bonds over naked man

Leroy

-abusive husband of minny-drinker-hardworker but depends on minny to make money -does some nice things- buys okra for minny-loves job and blames minny for getting him fired- minny leaves him

Mrs Walters

-Hillys mom-put into old home-bad hearing-loves minnys cooking-responsible for hilly winning pie at benefit (does it on purpose)-thought pie incident at benefit was funny- gets back at hilly-hilly thought Celia knew about pie

Johnny

-celias husband-dated hilly-successful business man-loves Celia-seeks help from minny to see what's wrong-when he finds out minny saved Celia, he says she will always have a job there

Mae mobley

-chubby-neglected by mother-loves aibileen-similar to skeeter- feels insecure due to their mothers-similar relationship between skeeter + const. and Aib + Mae-Aib taught her to not to be racist-protects Aibileen when he dad sees her playing about rosa parks- blames it on teacher miss Taylor-aibileen thinks Mae will not be prejudice

Elizabeth

-not nurturing-follows hilly-skinny and bony- follows peronality (hard and cold)-imitates her relationship with mother towards Mae-treats her son better than Mae-mother and sister are rich-jealous of sister bc she lives in LA with great help-appearances matter- sews-sewing is her comfort-covers things up-clueless (doesn't realize books about her)-husband, Raleigh disagrees on bathroom too much money

Yule may

-Hillys maid-educated-twin sons-only has enough money for one to go to college- steals ruby from hilly-asked hilly for loan- she says no-hilly gets her sent to jail-church helps her son go to college-attractive- perfect hair- mirrors personality

Treelore

-Aibileens son-died in his 20s-killed at work-loved to write- connection to aibileen writing in prayer book and column

Pascagoula

-new maid for phelans-not same relationship as Constantine-first job as maid-Yule mays cousin-does a fine job but isn't Constantine

Elaine stein

-publishes help-gives skeeter job in NYC-good person

Symbolism of heat

-represents tension/conflict in novel-associated with conflicts-boiling over- ubiquitous -"truth washes over me like hot water"

Mimosa tree

-freezes during ice storm-Celia cuts it down after benefit (rain)-Johnny came home early one day to cut it but talks to minny about Celia-some branches dead, some alive-Celia hates tree bc it's ugly-Celia stares at it*represents celias acceptance of herself-leads to her isolation-realizes league will never accept her

The lines

-Leroy gets fired-at first minny believes there are lines between people-aibileen says there are no lines-hilly causes lines-minny says Celia doesn't see the lines-boundaries-connects to "choice", different backgrounds (Celia and hilly) -lines exist in your mind

Air conditioning (cold weather)

-skeeters family gets it when mom is sick- doctor tells them to-mom says they don't need it- got along without it for all these years (breaks down)-if u turn it to 3 it blows power out-connects to Stuart breakup- wants to feel relief/nothing-blows out again*represents change (technology)-older generation doesn't accept it, younger people want change too fast and causes pain

L-shaped crack

-unintentional detail in book-Elizabeth doesn't realize it is her dining room table, hilly does-hilly tells Elizabeth to fire aibileen-Elizabeth covers it bc she's obsessed w perfection *symbolizes division-E doesn't recognize cuz she doesn't want to see division in her life- hilly points out divisions

Pie/ home sanitation initiative

-minny gave a poo pie and gave to hilly-purposely puts it in help (insurance policy)-blacks and whites can't share bathrooms bc African "diseases"- yet ate poo from african and lived-skeeter puts toilets on hilly long (hsi)-represents strength and protection for other characters except for herself-vulnerable bc of this (minny)-takes negative thing and turns it positive