The Help: Final Chapters and Whole Novel

[Rachel-K]

Please use this thread to discuss the entire novel--any spoilers are welcome in this thread. Please start off with any of the following questions, or feel free to address another topic or post your own question! 

Most of us are familiar with the major events of the civil rights movement here. Did you find the stories of these women surprising? If so, what surprised you?

We get to see more than one unexpected side of Celia. What are your conclusions about her? How do Minny and Celia stand as friends? 

Would you have encouraged Skeeter to stay or go? What do you think Aibileen will do from here?

What does Skeeter learn about Constantine? Do you think Skeeter and Constantine's daughter would have liked each other? Will Skeeter be able to forgive her mother? Do you think this story belonged in the book?

Did you expect the book to remain secret?

What did you think of the Terrible Awful being included? Was this a brave or a foolhardy thing for Minny to do?

What do you think will stick with you most about The Help?

[Fozzie]

Most of us are familiar with the major events of the civil rights movement here. Did you find the stories of these women surprising? If so, what surprised you?

I didn't find the stories surprising.  That is not to say that I knew such stories myself.  However, the stories of the women in the book are told with the voices of characters that ring so true and are so believable that I expect I could meet them if I went to Jackson, that I never doubted what they said.

We get to see more than one unexpected side of Celia. What are your conclusions about her? How do Minny and Celia stand as friends? 

Minny and Celia are bonded by their hatred of Hilly and always will be.  I admired Celia's husband so much, not only for choosing his wife, but supporting her, and for his support of Minny.

Would you have encouraged Skeeter to stay or go? What do you think Aibileen will do from here?

Skeeter should have gone to New York.

I think Aibileen will be an active member of the civil rights movement.  Actually, she already is!

[Fozzie]

What does Skeeter learn about Constantine? Do you think Skeeter and Constantine's daughter would have liked each other? Will Skeeter be able to forgive her mother? Do you think this story belonged in the book?

Apparently, giving up children because they were too white and/or because their mothers couldn't care for them since they were serving a white family was a reality and belongs in the book.  The book is about the help, and hearing the help's side of the story is important. 

I don't think Skeeter will ever forgive her mother.

Did you expect the book to remain secret?

I didn't expect the book to remain a secret.

What did you think of the Terrible Awful being included? Was this a brave or a foolhardy thing for Minny to do?

I think including the Terrible Awful in the book was very clever on Minny's part (Really on Kathryn's part, of course.  How do authors think up these things?!?!). 

Minny made us put the pie story in to protect us.  Not to protect herself, but to protect me and the other maids.  She knew it would only make it worse for herself with Hilly.  But she did it anyway, for everybody else  (pg. 429).

Minny was very brave.

What do you think will stick with you most about The Help?

The voices of the women who told the story.  I have never met any women like them, in literature, or in reality, and they will live with me now.

[aprilh]

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rkubie wrote:

Please use this thread to discuss the entire novel--any spoilers are welcome in this thread. Please start off with any of the following questions, or feel free to address another topic or post your own question! 

Most of us are familiar with the major events of the civil rights movement here. Did you find the stories of these women surprising? If so, what surprised you?

It was interesting to see such a contrast between the housewives and how they treated their help. In Celia's case, she was kind and wanted Minny to be her friend. And in Hilly's case, well, heaven help whoever she hired because you never know when she'd turn on you.

We get to see more than one unexpected side of Celia. What are your conclusions about her? How do Minny and Celia stand as friends? 

Celia was my favorite of the housewives. She'll never fit in with Hilly's group of friends, but I'm glad about that because being friends with Hilly might have changed her personality. Hilly had a way of manipulating people to do what she wanted and Celia was way too nice to get wrapped up in Hilly's schemes. Celia was so kind to Minny, but Minny felt uncomfortable with her kindness because she never experienced that kind of relationship with someone she worked for. In fact, Minny seemed surprised when Celia came to her rescue when she was being attacked by the naked man outisde. My hope is Minny will let her guard down and let the two of them be frineds.

Would you have encouraged Skeeter to stay or go? What do you think Aibileen will do from here?

I was sad to see Skeeter leave for New York, but I understood her reasons for doing so. I was very proud of Aibileen and Minny for encouraging her to take the job opportunity in New York. I'm not sure what Aibileen will do, but I'm sure it will be something great.

What does Skeeter learn about Constantine? Do you think Skeeter and Constantine's daughter would have liked each other? Will Skeeter be able to forgive her mother? Do you think this story belonged in the book?

It was important for Skeeter to learn the truth about Constantine no matter how hard it was to hear. I felt even though it wasn't a good scenario at all, knowing the truth gave Skeeter the oppotunity to close that chapter in her life. As for fogiving her mother, I'm not sure she'll actually forgive her, but it seemed after her mother got sick, knowing about Constantine didn't prevent Skeeter from spending time with her mother and hoping she would get better. I'm glad the story was in the book, it made me see where Skeeter was coming from when she decided to write the book.

Did you expect the book to remain secret?

I was hoping it would for the sake of the characters, but that wouldn't have been a very interesting ending, now would it? Having who was involved with the book known to some, made the efforts of Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter more brave to me.

What did you think of the Terrible Awful being included? Was this a brave or a foolhardy thing for Minny to do?

When I read about the Terrible Awful I couldn't stop laughing! That was a great piece of imagination by the author! I'm glad Minny decided to include it in the book. It showed how much she cared for the other maids, wanting to protect them, even though she knew Hilly would come after her for revenge! Minny was more reluctant to help with the book at first, but by her including the Terrbile Awful, it showed how truly brave she was taking the brunt of the book for all of them.

What do you think will stick with you most about The Help?

This was an amazing story. I feel like I know Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter so well.  I think the thing that will stick with me most is how brave people were during this turbulent time. Thinking about it now, it would be easy to say if you were in that time period you would do the right thing and try to make all people equal. But, would that be so easy to say if the consequences were people beating you to death or shooting you? The people in the book and in real life who stood up for Civil Rights were extremely brave and I have a great respect for them.

[aprilh]

I was deeply touched on page 398, when Aibileen is at the surprise meeting at the church to congratulate her on the book. I teared up when they gave Aibileen the book signed with five hundred names from all the churches. But, I was crying outloud when I read this:

Then the Reverend hands me a box, wrapped in white paper, tied with light blue ribbon, same colors as the book. He lays his hand on it like a blessing. "This one for the white lady. You tell her we love her, like she's our own family."

It was a powerful thing, for all of them to acknowledge how grateful they were for the book having been written. And to acknowledge Skeeter as well as Aibileen was a beautiful, touching moment. Finally, Skeeter has a place where she belongs.

[Fozzie]

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aprilh wrote:

I was deeply touched on page 398, when Aibileen is at the surprise meeting at the church to congratulate her on the book. I teared up when they gave Aibileen the book signed with five hundred names from all the churches. But, I was crying outloud when I read this:

Then the Reverend hands me a box, wrapped in white paper, tied with light blue ribbon, same colors as the book. He lays his hand on it like a blessing. "This one for the white lady. You tell her we love her, like she's our own family."

It was a powerful thing, for all of them to acknowledge how grateful they were for the book having been written. And to acknowledge Skeeter as well as Aibileen was a beautiful, touching moment. Finally, Skeeter has a place where she belongs.

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Yes, I teared up too!