Chapter 1-2: Aibileen

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Chapter 1 - Aibileen

1. Aibileen notices something wrong about Miss Leefolt almost immediately upon coming into the Leefolt house for the first time. 

a. What does she notice, and what does it signify?

1. 

• Miss Leefolt does not love her child. 
• -> refers to Mae Mobley as “it,” (objective relationship, not an emotional relationship)

1. b. What does this foreshadow?

• -the troubles and shortcomings of Miss Leefolt’s household 
• + conflict with Miss Leefolt

2. Aibileen's background?

• black housemaid
• worked in numerous households + raised 17 white children
• good at her job
• son: Treelore who died when he was 24. 
• husband had run off some time before Treelore died. 

3. How has Aibileen changed because of her son's death?

• A “bitter seed” began to grow in Aibileen when her son died. 
• no longer “felt so accepting anymore” (depression)
• !  Aibileen’s feeling: has nothing left to lose in her life 
•            -> SO decides to work with Skeeter on the book. 

4. Aibileen's narrative/language

• 1st person 
• dialect (phonetically) (using “a” to replace “of,” etc.).
• present tense
• contractions
• colloquial and figurative language

5. Specific conflict?

• Hilly starts conflict: suggests Elizabeth should have a “coloured bathroom” built in the garage 
• Hilly’s Home Help Sanitation Initiative ( “a disease preventative measure.”)

6. Hilly's description

• Hilly: divisive and opinionated leader of her peers
  => influences others to have the same prejudices, beliefs, and values she holds. 
• - bigoted 
• - charismatic and bossy. 
• - treats her mother disrespectfully 

 

7. Contrast Hilly <-> Skeeter

Skeeter	Hilly
- tall, thin, white, frizzy hair - does not recognize racial boundaries	- chubby, well made up - leader, bully - insists on division between classes and races

Chapter 2 - Aibileen

1. Locate an allusion in the beginning of this chapter.

The maids can sit anywhere on the bus, even if white people are present, simply because of “Miss Parks.” 

2. Minny and Hilly: foils?

• Hilly and Minny: similar role within their community of friends => strong women who should not be crossed. 
• opponents

3. Mr Leefolt's attitude towards restroom

• against the extra bathroom
•  unnecessary expense
  (Mae Mobley will not be able to go to college because her mother does not want “to use the same bathroom as the maid.”)
•  He feels this decision was directly influenced by Hilly. 

4.  Aibileen is angry in response to Elizabeth Leefolt’s care for Mae Mobley.

• Mae Mobley’s diaper was not changed after a night in bed.
• =>  severe diaper rash
• => Miss Leefolt’s thoughtlessness and lack of care for her child upsets Aibileen. 

5. Why does Minny lose her job with Miss Walters?

• Hilly has decided to put her mother into a nursing home -> no housemaid needed anymore. 
• Hilly offers to take Minny as her own maid, but Minny refuses. 
•  Hilly then spreads a lie about Minny, saying she was stealing.
• => No one wants to hire Minny

6. Situational irony

• Situational irony relies on contradiction. 
• => The men, who are black, are building a restroom for the black maid, yet they have to use the bushes.

7. What occurs between Minny and Hilly?

• (Hilly has spread rumors that Minny was stealing)
• Minny feels like spitting in Hilly’s face, but does “worse,” and refuses to explain anything further “about that pie” to Aibileen.

8. How did Aibileen begin to become a writer?

• 7th grade: forced to quit school. 
• Her teacher: Aibileen was the smartest one in the class
• + the only way to keep sharp was to read and write every day. 
• => Aibileen has written down her prayers at night (instead of saying them out loud)

9. Aibileen’s rattling teapot has symbolic value.

• symbol for broken calm, broken behavior patterns (always kept quiet, now will be speaking her mind)

10. Celia

• an outcast -> married Hilly's ex-boyfriend
• Aibileen talks to Celia and recommends Minny as a maid, when she calls the Leefolts.

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