Questions on Kathryn Stockett's The Help
The Help: Final Essay
1. Who is Aibileen? What does she mean when she says that she has raised seventeen children? Why does Aibileen not remain with these kids until adulthood? What changes in the children that Aibileen finds hard to deal with? How could this frequent change in employment lead to trouble for Aibileen? What happened shortly before Aibileen went to work for the Leefolts? How did this tragedy come about? How has it impacted Aibileen? How did this tragedy make Aibileen more open to falling in love with Mae Mobley? How does Mrs. Leefolt treat her only child? What causes this? What does Aibileen do about it?
2. Discuss one of the following in an essay using examples or quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:
1) Theme 2) Structure 3) Point of View 4) 4) Language
3. Who hires Minny Jackson after she loses her job with Mrs. Walters? What role did Aibileen play in getting this job for Minny? Why are Aibileen and Minny afraid Hilly will learn of Minny's new job and do something to ruin it? What else is odd about this job? Why does Minny repeatedly remind her employer that she promised to tell her husband about hiring a maid? Why does the employer not want her husband to know about her hiring a maid? What is unusual about this employer's attitude toward Minny? How does Minny feel about this attitude? What does Minny attempt to teach her employer? How does that work out?
4. Discuss one of the following themes in an essay using quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:
1) Racism
2) Family
3) Social Expectations
4) Ambition versus
1. Who is Aibileen? What does she mean when she says that she has raised seventeen children? Why does Aibileen not remain with these kids until adulthood? What changes in the children that Aibileen finds hard to deal with? How could this frequent change in employment lead to trouble for Aibileen? What happened shortly before Aibileen went to work for the Leefolts? How did this tragedy come about? How has it impacted Aibileen? How did this tragedy make Aibileen more open to falling in love with Mae Mobley? How does Mrs. Leefolt treat her only child? What causes this? What does Aibileen do about it?
2. Discuss one of the following in an essay using examples or quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:
1) Theme 2) Structure 3) Point of View 4) 4) Language
3. Who hires Minny Jackson after she loses her job with Mrs. Walters? What role did Aibileen play in getting this job for Minny? Why are Aibileen and Minny afraid Hilly will learn of Minny's new job and do something to ruin it? What else is odd about this job? Why does Minny repeatedly remind her employer that she promised to tell her husband about hiring a maid? Why does the employer not want her husband to know about her hiring a maid? What is unusual about this employer's attitude toward Minny? How does Minny feel about this attitude? What does Minny attempt to teach her employer? How does that work out?
4. Discuss one of the following themes in an essay using quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:
1) Racism
2) Family
3) Social Expectations
4) Ambition versus