The Help Character Analysis.docx

The Help Katheryn Stockett Character Analysis

Vaishali Kaverimanian Mr. S. Taylor February-March 2019

Minny Circumstances 1) “I ain’t telling. I ain’t telling nobody about that pie. But I give her what she deserve!” (Stockett 25) Minny was ashamed about that pie but she did not regret it. She made sure that the way Miss Leefolt treated her was not right and she couldn’t take it anymore. This is circumstance because it shows the situation she is in and the way she feels about it. She refused to tell Miss Skeeter about what she did because she knew that everyone who read it, would know that she did it and that it was told by her. 2) “I ain’t never gone get no work again, Leroy gone kill me…” (Stockett 25) Minny said this because she decided to let her feelings take over, so she decides to give Miss Leefolt a nasty chocolate pie for her. After the word got out, she got fired and news spread out. She was scared if Leroy found out, she and her children would get physically abused. This shows circumstance because it shows her history of getting fired and the abuse she and her kids are in with her husband. 3) “I don’t know how to cook no chocolate pie’ I never lie. Never. Never again after Miss Hilly.” (Stockett 146) Here Minny is talking about what she did in the past which got her fired. Although she knows how to bake it, she doesn’t want to because of what she did in her past with her last job. This is circumstance because she is explaining why she refused to bake a chocolate pie after what she did to Miss Hilly.

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4) “I just lost another damn job.” (Stockett 265) Minny said this when she lost her 11th job she had. This shows that in those days, white people had the power to immediately fire someone for something they didn’t do. They don’t look at both sides of the story and just jump to conclusions. This is circumstance because it shows her background stories and why she might have gotten fired again. This is circumstance because this was not the first time, she has gotten herself fired and she is telling the status of her financial status.

Behavior

1) “Why do you even care about this? You white.” (Stockett 191) Minny said this to Miss Skeeter after Minny agreed to be in her book. Miss Skeeter and Minny met at Aibileen’s house to write the book and when Miss Skeeter asked Minny about some personal questions, Minny did not like it one bit. This is behavior because she already had an opinion about Skeeter because of her skin color. She thought that everyone that is white, acts the same. But she failed to understand that Skeeter is different. This is behavior because this was her reaction to Miss Skeeter interviewing her and asking her questions about colored rights. 2) “Shot him right in front of his children, Aibileen.” (Stockett 229) This was when a colored man got shot in front of his house and family by a white man. This truly affected Minny because she has children as well and the shooting happened only a couple blocks away from her. This show behavior because the way she told Aibileen it sounded like she was really scared for the colored. 3) “Say it, lady. Say what you thinking about me and your silver” (Stockett 40) This was she Aibileen got Minny another job for her by pretending to be miss Leefolt and recommend her. This shows behavior because she was expecting her new employer to say something about the missing silver from her previous job.

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4) “Because you don’t even give me the courtesy a telling your husband I’m working here. Because you in this house twenty-four hours a day and driving me insane.” (Stockett 264) This was when Minny was upset at Miss Celia and told her everything that came in her mind. After she told her, Miss Celia tried to explain to Minny but Minny refused to listen. She told Miss Celia that she saw bottles on her bed. Miss Celia told Minny if she told her husband, she would fire Minny. That was when Minny didn’t care and she got fired. The next day Minny regretted saying that so she decided to go back to Miss Celia’s house and see Miss Celia in the washroom. This show behavior because show has enough with all the secrets and sneaking she had to keep just so Miss Celia’s husband won’t find out. Miss Celia didn’t want her husband thinking that she couldn’t take care of a child.

State of Mind

1) “I ain’t done nothing but fed that old woman good food and look after her.” (Stockett 25) This is state of mind because it is her thoughts and feelings. She took care of her and respected her. After what she did, her reputation was ruined and as a result of that, she got fired and couldn’t find another job. Miss Leefolt told everyone about what Minny did just for using a non-colored washroom. This shows state of mind because that was how she felt about taking care of her and looking out for her even though Minny had to hide her job from her employers’ husband.

2) “Get it over with, lady, so I can tell Leroy we got to move all the way to the North Pole next to Santy Claus where nobody’s heard Hilly’s lies about me.” (Stockett 41) Minny was not aware at this time that Aibileen had pretended to get her a job. So, when she went to visit her new job, she was expecting that Miss Celia would have heard about made up lies about Minny. This is state of mind because she was expecting something to be told but it never was.

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3) “Standing on that white lady’s back porch, I tell myself, Tuck it in, Minny. Tuck in whatever might fly out of my mouth and tuck in my behind too. Look like a maid who does what she’s told.” (Stockett 36) This shows that colored maids had no say on what they wear, say, or do. The white people and males told them what to do and controlled most of their freedom. This was state of mind because this was her inside thoughts and feelings that she usually couldn’t control. So, she forcefully told herself to keep it together and not lose her cool.

4) “Don’t you go sassing this white lady like you done the other. Sassed her all the way to the nursing home.” (Stockett 37) This explains Minny’s character which is that Minny repeatedly kept getting fired by her past jobs because she couldn’t control herself sassing white ladies. She took feelings and threw them at her jobs which got her fired. This is again state of mind because this was her inside thoughts and history of what she did to the other non-colored ladies.

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Miss Skeeter Circumstances

1) “Please, I thought, please don’t say ‘Thank You’.” (Stockett 129) This was when Miss Hilly followed her friends advise and built Aibileen her own bathroom in the garage. When her friends were over including Skeeter, Hilly asked Aibileen how it feels to have her own bathroom. And Skeeter was so against it that she didn’t want Aibileen to answer. This was circumstance because Skeeter couldn’t say what she wanted to say so she was just wishing that Aibileen wouldn’t say what Skeeter thought she would say. 2) “Number One: don’t make her feel like she has to serve me.” (Stockett 265) Miss Skeeter wanted to allow Aibileen to feel comfortable, so she doesn’t feel like she needs to serve her. This shows that Miss Skeeter wants to really know how Aibileen feels without having pressure. She understands that writing this book can put Aibileen, herself, and the other maids in deep trouble and even more hate. She really does want to make a change. This was circumstance because Skeeter was new to writing a book about the colored, so she wanted to make herself adapt to the new surrounding and thoroughly understand what the colored maids are going through. 3) “All my life I’d being told what to believe about politics, coloreds, being a girl” (Stockett 74) This is circumstance because that was how she was raised to believe. She hated being told what to do, which is what make the character, Skeeter, be so interesting. Her character is more independent, strong and bold. This sentence she said made her character clearer. 4) “If mother headed to the back porch while I was behind the tree, Constantine would rush out and bang her broom handle on the iron stair rail.” (Stockett 75) This was after Constantine got fired by Skeeters’ mom when Skeeter was in college. Skeeter didn’t know she Constantine left, which made her devastated. She was so upset because Constantine practically raised her all her life. She was heartbroken to come back and find her gone. Later in the book, Constantine dies, and Skeeter gets flashbacks of the memories she had with Constantine. This shows circumstance because this was Skeeters’ childhood memories and her background.

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Behavior

1) “Do you ever wish you could… change things.” (Stockett 12) When Miss Skeeter said this to Aibileen, I think she was taking about Treelore’s death and her working status. She wanted to know how her son’s death has affected her work and life. This was circumstance because Skeeter was interviewing Aibileen and wanted to know more about Aibileen’s background to use in her book. 2) “You deserve some of mothers time too. I’m not taking more than my fair share.” (Stockett 133) Skeeter’s mother was diagnosed cancer and Skeeter didn’t know for 2-3 months. When Skeeter found out, she was devastated and wanted to spend her mother’s last days with her. But she realized that her brother should spend some time with her too. This is behavior because Skeeter was taking care and spending a lot of time with her sick mom that when her brother came home to visit, Skeeter felt bad that her brother never spent some time with his mom in her sick/soon to be final stages. 3) “I’m sorry, but were you dropped on your head as an infant.” (Stockett 139) This was when she was on a double date with Stuart and felt like Stuart didn’t notice her at all. This is behavior because she felt that her date, Stuart was irrational and selfish about himself that he didn’t even notice her. 4) “Well, I’ve never met anybody with such a drinking problem.” (Stockett 139) This was when Skeeter and Stuart were on their first official date and Skeeter didn’t like the way he talked. This is behavior because Skeeter was telling the way she felt about him and the first impression Stuart was leaving on her, on their first date. 5) “Aibileen, you don’t have to call me ‘ma’am.” Not here.” (Stockett 169) Skeeter wanted to make Aibileen as open as possible with her. This is behavior because Skeeter wanted to make herself open as possible to Aibileen so that she can trust her and her Skeeter the truth.

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State of Mind

1) “I told you, I didn’t meet anyone I wanted to marry.” (Stockett 65) On this page, she is taking to her mother when she still doesn’t know that her mother is sick. Her mother keeps bothering her about finding someone she likes before her sickness gets worse. Although, Miss Skeeter repeated tells her no. In this story, she is an independent and strong character, even through her heartbreak with Stuart. This is state of mind because Skeeter already had her mind made up about Stuart. Which again proves her character is strong and independent.

2) “But I remember how secondhand I’d felt that night, how ridiculously fixed up I’d gotten for him.” (Stockett 196-197) This is was when Skeeter got caught all up in her feeling about Stuart that she couldn’t help herself. She then regretted the way she felt about him and realized that he was not the person for her. This is state of mind because this was her made up feeling about Stuart based on his first impression.

3) “Aibileen, don’t you think it would be interesting if we could show a little of the husbands’ perspective?” (Stockett 215) This was when Miss Skeeter was interviewing Aibileen and Skeeter asked her if they could show some perspective of the husbands’ side. Aibileen quickly rejected that idea because she knew that in the colored community, the wife does what she is told by the husband. No argument. Which clearly shows that women have no rights or the freedom to talk about what they get to do. This is state of mind because this was Aibileens’ feelings about her husband knowing about what she is doing behind his back.

4) “Just typing up some notes from the Bible study. Just writing down all the things I love about Jesus.” (Stockett 180) This was when Skeeter was writing the book and she didn’t want her mom to find out about what she is doing, so she lied to her.

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Aibileen Circumstances

1) “That evening, it’s raining hard outside. I pull out a jar a Ida Peek’s cabbage and tomato, eat my last slice a leftover cornbread. Then I set down to look over my finances cause two things done happen: the bus gone up to fifteen cents a ride and my rent gone up to twenty-nine dollars a month. I work for Miss Leefolt eight to four, six days a week except Saturdays. I get paid forty- three dollars every Friday, which come to $172 a month. That means after I pay the light bill, the water bill, the gas bill, and the telephone bill, I got thirteen dollars and fifty cents a week left for my groceries, my clothes, getting my hair done and tithing to the church. Not to mention the cost to mail these bills done gone up to a nickel. And my work shoes is so thin, they look like they starving to death. New pair cost seven dollars though, which means I’m on be eating cabbage and tomato till I turn into Br’er Rabbit. Thank the Lord for Ida Peek, else I be eating nothing.” (Stockett 19) This shows that in the older days, it was so hard to earn money. People had to spend their earning wisely and had to manage to still get money for their needs. Not like today, we have our parents who manage to give us whatever we need and want. Back then, even kids had to work to earn money not only for themselves but their families as well. This is circumstance because this shows how much she has to work just to get food on the table. This shows her background and challenge that she has to face through financially.

2) “Lady, you didn’t raise your child at all.” (Stockett 111) Aibileen was the one who truly took care of Mae Mobley Leefolt since she was born. Miss Leefolt acted like she took care of her in front of her friends just for good name and when they leave, Aibileen takes care of her. Aibileen potty trained Mae Mobley and Miss Leefolt didn’t even seem to care. Just to keep up good reputation, she acts like a good mother. This is circumstance because she had to face a situation where she had to take care of a white girl while her mother never cared for the child and her wellbeing.

3) “But while the nightmare’s happening, the burning, or the cutting, or the beating, you realize something you known all your life: the white lady don’t ever forget.” (Stockett 221)

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Here, Aibileen was talking about what happens when the Help gets fired from their job as maids. She said, after you get fired, you get a ‘NOTICE OF EVICTION’, then take away your properties if you have any others (cars), and/or going to jail for not paying parking ticket and etc. This is circumstance because this was a situation all colored people had to face back then, the white ruled and took over the colored just because of their skin color.

4) “Half this stuff don’t have nothing to do with colored rights. Ain’t but day-to-day business.” (Stockett 195) Back then, there were rights for the colored, and rights for the white. This shows how racist the community was against colored people and how little they meant to the government especially after working so hard everyday while the white barely worked. This is circumstance because this was the kind of situation the colored people were put in without any say. They were all judged to be the same based on their race, skin color and backgrounds.

5) I could get in a lot a trouble telling her these little stories, especially with Mister Leefolt. But Mae Mobley know there our “secret stories.” (Stockett 350) Aibileen was telling Mae Mobley true stories about the colored people in a childish way so that she will understand what was going on in the world. Aibileen knew what she was doing could get her in big trouble, but she still kept going thinking that she can change the way Mae Mobley thought of the colored. This is circumstance because this was a challenge Aibileen was placed in, she had to tell Mae Mobley what was going on in the world and make sure that she doesn’t tell anyone about them or else Aibileen could get in deep trouble.

Behavior 1) “They all got excuses. But really, they just to scared.” (Stockett 187) This was when Miss Skeeter was writing her book and wanted more perspectives. She needed more maid who were willing to tell her their stories about being the colored help working for white people. But, no one was willing to jeopardize their and their families lives just to right a book. This is behavior because it shows the colored helps’ emotions and reactions.

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2) “What am I doing? I must be crazy, giving the sworn secrets a the colored race to a white lady.” (Stockett 255) This is behavior because Aibileen was giving away the most important secrets away to someone she just met who happened to be white. She didn’t feel comfortable telling them to someone she didn’t trust.

3) “But it weren’t too long before I seen something in me had changed. A bitter seed was planted inside a me. And I just didn’t feel so accepting anymore.” (Stockett 3) This was after Aibileens’ son, Treelore died. Aibileen was so emotional and devastated that she wasn’t herself anymore. This is behavior because her whole personality changes and she decided to close herself in and just feel grief.

4) “Miss Leefolt don’t pay but ninety-five cent an hour, less than I’ve been paid in years. But after Treelore died, I took what I could. Landlord wasn’t gone wait much longer. And even though it’s small, Miss Leefolt done the house up nice as she can. She pretty good with the sewing machine. Anything she can’t by new of, she just get her some blue material and sew it a cover” (Stockett 4) This is behavior because it shows how hard the colored had to work and how much Aibileen was going through at that time. She had to live on even when her only biological son was gone.

State of Mind 1) “What do you like best about being a maid and what do you like least.” (Stockett 169) This was when Miss Skeeter questioned her about her job that Aibileen felt so upset because it reminded her for her son. 2) “I never told nobody that before. Not even Minny. Find I can get my point across a lot better writing em down.” (Stockett 175)

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Aibileen used to say her prayers every day until she realized that her prayers are more likely to come real if she writes them down. So that is how she improved her writing skills. This is state of mind because Aibileen chose to write her prayers because she believe they would happen if she does, which they do come true.

3) “I been in some tense situations, but to have Minny on one side a my living room and Miss Skeeter on the other, and the topic at hand be what it feel like being Negro and working for a white woman. Law, it’s a wonder they hadn’t been a injury.” (Stockett 214) This is state of mind because Aibileen was motivated to write this book so that other people in the world won’t have to go through the same thing that the Help in this town are going through. Miss Skeeter asked Minny a question that was personal to her so Minny argued with her and Aibileen standing in the middle confused. 4) “After while, my mind done drifted to where I wish it wouldn’t. I reckon I know pretty well what would happen if the white ladies found out we were writing about them, telling the truth a what they really like. Woman, ain’t like men. A woman ain’t gone beat you with a stick. Miss Hilly wouldn’t pull no pistol on me. Mystery fold miss Lee for wouldn’t come burned my house down. No, White woman like to keep their hands clean. They got a shiny little set a tools they use, Sharp as a witches’ fingernails, tidy and laid out me, like the picks on dentist tray. They gone take they time with em.” (Stockett 221) This is state of mind because this was what Aibileen’s thoughts and what she was feeling if people she worked for found out she was writing and telling stories about them. She was worried for her own safety.

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