Discussing THE HELP by Katheryn Stockett
1. Who was your favorite character? Why?
2. What do you think motivated Hilly? On one hand she’s so unpleasant to Aibileen and her own help, as well as to Skeeter once she realizes she can’t control her. But she’s a wonderful mother. Do you think you can be a good mother but at the same time a deeply flawed person?
3. Like Hilly, Skeeter’s mother is a prime example of someone deeply flawed yet somewhat sympathetic. She seems to care for Skeeter – and she also seems to have very real feelings for Constantine. Yet the ultimatum she gives to Constantine is untenable. And most of her interaction with Skeeter is critical. Do you think Skeeter’s mother is a sympathetic or unsympathetic character? Why?
4. How much of a person’s character do you think is shaped by the times in which they live?
5. Did it bother you that Skeeter is willing to overlook so many of Stuart’s faults so that she can get married, and it’s not until he literally gets up and walks away that the engagement falls apart?
6. Do you think Minny was justified in her distrust of white people?
7. Do you think that had Aibileen stayed working for Miss Elizabeth, that Mae Mobley would have grown up to be racist like her mother? Do you think racism is inherent, or taught?
8. From the perspective of a 21st century reader, the hair shellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of “beauty” changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what’s the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?
9. The author manages to paint Aibileen with a quiet grace and an aura of wisdom about her. How do you think she does this?
10. Do you think there are still vestiges of racism in relationships where people of color work for people who are white? Have you heard stories of someone who put away their valuable jewelry before their nanny comes – so they trust this person to look after their child, but not their diamond rings?
11. What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?
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3 comments:
Question #4 really caught my eye. As an ESL tutor, I so often see folks from another culture who do things just as well (if not better!) than things I have learned in my own culture and generation. I most definitely feel that we are greatly effected by the time in which we live. Personally, I strive to remember that and gain greater perspective on the choices I have and the opinions I form on others.
I see Skeeter as a flawed personality. She measures her self-worth by the opinions of her Mother. She wants her Mother's approval, but sadly, never really gets it. Her Mother is guided by what she feels southern society expects of her, and she wants Skeeter to do the same and not make waves. Allof the "help" were so brave to contribute to the writing of the book! It was dangerous for them to even speak to Skeeter. I feel that Skeeter has not fully evolved at the end of the book, but getting out of Jackson and getting on with her life, as she wants to live it, is certainly a start. There's a big world out there and she will be a part of it!
I agree completely about Skeeter. She is a wonderful person who did have more in life to learn and has yet to reach her potential. I don't know if she fully realized what The Help was putting at risk as she was writing their stories. Maybe once she lived a little more and her life experiences matured her, that she might get what they layed on the line. In saying that, she was much wiser than most of her friends and the locals. She is proof that we are our environment, atleast to a degree.
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