Summary Aibileen is told to return the silver Elizabeth Leefolt borrowed from Hilly, but finds herself suddenly accused of stealing it. Hilly comes over to coach her friend through firing Aibileen and pressing charges for thievery, but Elizabeth cannot do it. Aibileen threatens Hilly that if she sends her to […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 34 – AibileenSummary and Analysis Chapter 33 – Skeeter
Summary Skeeter, too, thinks she heard a scream in the middle of the night. She worries that the book is a mistake and that the price to pay is too high. She wants to leave Mississippi and has sent her resume, with Elaine Stein as a reference, to 15 publishers […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 33 – SkeeterSummary and Analysis Chapter 32 – Minny
Summary Minny is waiting for Hilly to read the chapter pertaining to her and believes that she hears a scream all the way across town when Hilly gets to the part in the book relating the chocolate pie incident. Aibileen and Minny begin to see the fallout from the book […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 32 – MinnySummary and Analysis Chapter 31 – Aibileen
Summary Aibileen is waiting for Elizabeth and Hilly to read the book. She is nervous every day about the possible fallout. She overhears Hilly threaten to find out, reveal, and punish every single maid involved. Analysis Miss Taylor continues to convey her racism against black people. She punishes Mae Mobley […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 31 – AibileenSummary and Analysis Chapter 30 – Minny
Summary Minny is on edge waiting to hear what will happen when Hilly eventually reads about herself in the book. Minny busies herself with household chores, but is surprised to find Johnny home one morning when she arrives for work. Celia tells Johnny about the babies and the miscarriages, and […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 30 – MinnySummary and Analysis Chapter 29 – Aibileen
Summary Six months have passed, and Aibileen assumes that when the book is published her days with Mae Mobley and L’il Man—Mae Mobley’s one-year-old baby brother, Ross—will be over. Aibileen cherishes her minutes with them now and tells them subversive stories of black people whenever she can. Elizabeth now requires […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 29 – AibileenSummary and Analysis Chapters 27-28 – Skeeter
Summary President Kennedy has just been assassinated, and Skeeter’s mother is succumbing to cancer. Skeeter calls Elaine Stein and learns that the book has to be finished by the end of the year or it will not be considered for publication. Stein also tells Skeeter that she must include a […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapters 27-28 – SkeeterSummary and Analysis Chapter 26 – Minny
Summary At work on Monday, Celia refuses to get out of bed. She is too humiliated to move. Hilly has sent her a note banning her from future League events and demanding that she donate 200 dollars to the League for all the trouble she caused. Minny brings her food […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 26 – MinnySummary and Analysis Chapter 25 – The Benefit
Summary Celia and Johnny arrive late to the Benefit and their entrance makes a stir. Aibileen and Minny are in the kitchen serving, and the maids talk about Skeeter’s involvement with the book. Aibileen swears them all to secrecy and keeps her eyes on the events of the Benefit. Hilly […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 25 – The BenefitSummary and Analysis Chapter 24 – Minny
Summary Minny is worried that Aibileen will take the fall for getting her the job with Miss Celia, but Minny ends up being blamed for everything, including lying about the recommendation. Miss Celia values her too much to care, though, and ignores all the horrible things Hilly and her friends […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 24 – Minny