The Help

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-13

Chapters 14-18

Chapters 19-22

Chapters 23-26

Chapters 27-29

Chapters 30-34

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Chapters 7-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 7 Summary: “Aibileen”

With Aibileen’s separate bathroom at Miss Leefolt’s house complete, Aibileen has to go outside in the cold to get to the bathroom. Aibileen is working on potty training Mae Mobley, but it’s proving to be a challenge since Miss Leefolt won’t set the example and show Mae Mobley how to go. One day when Miss Leefolt is gone, Aibileen tries to get Mae Mobley to go in the toilet when Mae Mobley points at Aibileen and says, “You go” (93). This creates a pickle. She knows she can’t go in Miss Leefolt’s guest bathroom, so she takes Mae Mobley to her bathroom in the carport and goes quickly, but before Aibileen can stop her, Mae Mobley climbs up on the toilet and goes too. Later, in front of Miss Leefolt, Mae Mobley runs to Aibileen’s bathroom. Horrified, Miss Leefolt spanks Mae Mobley hard across her bare legs, saying she could get a disease from Aibileen’s bathroom.

Aibileen goes home hurting that day. She hurts for Mae Mobley who got spanked without doing anything wrong, and who has a long road of her mother’s scorn ahead of her. She’s also hurt that Miss Leefolt teaches Mae Mobley that Aibileen is diseased. All Aibileen can do is tell Mae Mobley every day that she is smart and kind, and show her that “dirty ain’t a color, disease ain’t the Negro side a town” (96).

Skeeter continues to come and ask the Miss Myrna questions and Aibileen feels herself opening up a little at a time about small things in her life. Today, Skeeter mentions Treelore’s idea of writing about being a Black man in Mississippi, but before she can say more, Miss Leefolt comes in.

November 8, the anniversary of Treelore’s death, comes around, but it’s just another day of work in Miss Leefolt’s eyes. She doesn’t know the pain Aibileen is feeling all day. A few weeks later while shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, Aibileen learns that Robert, the young man who does landscaping for Miss Leefolt’s house and has taken care of Aibileen’s yard since Treelore died, got beat with a tire iron for using a white bathroom. His grandmother, Louvenia, raised him, and is a friend of Aibileen’s.

When Aibileen gets home that afternoon, Miss Skeeter is sitting on Aibileen’s front step with her white Cadillac parked in front of the house. People are staring as they walk by, and Aibileen knows everyone will be calling her tonight to ask about Skeeter’s presence. Skeeter tells her she has an idea for a book: She wants to interview Aibileen about what it’s like to work for a white family. Aibileen’s first reaction is fear. They shouldn’t be talking about this in the open, but Skeeter doesn’t understand the danger. Aibileen refuses to entertain Skeeter’s idea, saying, “I do this with you, I might as well burn my own house down” (103). Although Skeeter doesn’t understand the risk of speaking out, Aibileen does; she’s seen it firsthand time and again in her community.

Chapter 8 Summary: “Miss Skeeter”

As Skeeter drives away from Aibileen’s house, she thinks of when she used to visit the Black part of town with Constantine as a little girl. She thought it would be the same, with people waving and smiling at her like they did when she was young, but instead, people stare, watching her pass with “narrow eyes” (104). She tries to think of a way to convince Aibileen to agree to being interviewed. Skeeter drops by Elizabeth’s house throughout the week, hoping to catch Aibileen at a time when they can talk, but Elizabeth is always there, sometimes even Hilly too. Skeeter hears Hilly bring up the separate bathroom again in front of Aibileen and Skeeter can’t blame Aibileen for not wanting to talk.

The previous week, Skeeter got a call from Elaine Stein. She’s interested in Skeeter’s idea of interviewing housekeepers, but she doubts it could actually happen because of the danger Black people face for speaking out, especially in Mississippi. Skeeter lies and says she already has a maid who agreed to talk. Miss Stein tells Skeeter to move forward with the interview and send it to her when she’s finished; she’ll let Skeeter know “if it’s worth pursuing” (107).

Skeeter’s mother bought a special machine for Skeeter’s unruly hair called the Magic Soft & Silky Shinalator. Skeeter avoids her mother’s pleas to try it, but finally gives in. As her mother carries the machine over, Skeeter notices how thin and frail her mother looks. The hair transformation process takes two hours, but actually works; Skeeter’s hair is smooth and beautiful. As Skeeter looks in the mirror, she thinks of her upcoming blind date with Stuart, and feels a glimmer of hope.

Chapter 9 Summary

Skeeter’s date with Stuart is tonight. With her freshly Shinalatored hair and a new black dress, she dares to feel a pang of hope. Skeeter hasn’t told her mother about the date; she doesn’t want to listen to her mother’s questions and disappointment if it doesn’t work out. The plan is for Skeeter to get ready at Hilly’s house, so her mother doesn’t see her leave the house in fancy clothes. However, when it comes time for her to leave, one delay after another keeps her from getting out the door, and eventually, she’s forced to drive her Daddy’s old truck with a trailer hitched to the back. Skeeter is a mess when she gets to Hilly’s, and Stuart is already there. Hilly whisks her away and helps Skeeter apply makeup and brush out her hair. By the time Skeeter slips into her new dress, she looks great.

Stuart is already a few drinks in when they head to the restaurant, where he orders more drinks, one after the other. He hardly talks to Skeeter, and the little conversation he does make is rude. Seeing his drunken state, Skeeter stops caring about him and speaks her mind in response to his ill-mannered questions. She spends the night at Hilly’s and makes William take Stuart home.

A few days later, Skeeter gets a call from Aibileen at home, and ducks into the pantry quickly so her mother won’t hear them talking. Despite the danger, Aibileen wants to be interviewed about what it’s like to work for white families in Jackson. When Skeeter asks her what changed her mind, Aibileen simply answers, “Miss Hilly” (122).

Chapters 7-9 Analysis

As Aibileen spends her days taking care of Mae Mobley and works on potty training her, Stockett highlights the irony of the relationship between Black maids and the white children they raise. Mae Mobley clearly prefers Aibileen to her own mother, and this only serves to drive a deeper wedge between Miss Leefolt and her daughter. However, Aibileen knows that every white child has a moment when their perspective changes: “when they start to think that colored folks ain’t as good as whites” (96). In an attempt to keep this moment from coming too soon for Mae Mobley, Aibileen decides to start telling her every day that she is kind and smart. Instead of simply accepting that Mae Mobley will one day be like her mother, Aibileen decides to try and do something about it. She has raised several white children, but Mae Mobley is different, and so is Aibileen. She isn’t as accepting as she once was.

Another part of the plot that shows how Aibileen is less accepting of the racism in Jackson is the separate bathroom motif. Mae Mobley gets unfairly spanked for using Aibileen’s bathroom, all because Miss Leefolt thinks Mae Mobley will catch diseases there. This sparks anger inside Aibileen and pushes her to think about Skeeter’s question about changing things. However, what finally motivates Aibileen to agree to being interviewed is Miss Hilly. Hilly uses her position as the community’s queen bee to manipulate everyone, including the help. Even though months passed since Aibileen’s separate bathroom was built, Hilly still brings it up at every opportunity, and essentially forces Aibileen to thank her for helping bring it about. This last straw drives Aibileen to take the risk and talk to Skeeter. Ironically, Hilly’s actions contributed to the making of the book that later becomes her downfall.

Meanwhile, Stockett develops the relationship between Aibileen and Skeeter, yet reveals Skeeter’s naiveté about the gravity of her proposition of interviewing maids. Skeeter is certainly kinder to Aibileen than the other society ladies, and Aibileen finds herself telling Skeeter things she wouldn’t normally say to a white person. This shows that the women are slowly building trust with one another. However, Skeeter’s ignorance is revealed when she goes to visit Aibileen’s house. She shows up uninvited and without calling, and unintentionally attracts the eyes of everyone in the neighborhood when she parks her white Cadillac in front of Aibileen’s house. Skeeter clearly doesn’t understand the danger of what she has proposed; even just being seen talking to Aibileen is a huge risk. Stockett shows the lack of understanding that exists between white women and Black women; Skeeter has never before considered the risks that the Black women of Jackson face every single day. Although Skeeter’s intentions are good, she lacks understanding. She has not stopped to educate herself or consider things from Aibileen’s point of view.