Reaction to the Ending- Vanessa

          When I first chose to read the Help, I chose it only because it was mostly chosen by the other people. So, I had no idea about what this book was about. When I started to read, it caught my attention right away. The characters all made the story interesting. I loved the helps. They were the characters the book had focused most on and Skeeter. It was fun reading about the process of Skeeter helping the maids so that they could publish the about the hard life that they were living. The book Help that they have created after couple of months was able to make small changes in the society. People were interested in buying the book and people were able to refuse the demands that Miss Hilly would make such as telling them to fire their maids. I liked the fact that the book ended as a happy ending. It was sad when Aibleen had to leave Mae Mobley however, I was happy that Aibleen was able to live a new life. Having an actual job and starting her career even at her age. This book was capable of showing hope and love and has a sense of what has happened in those earlier days. I loved the book. I think it was one of the best books that I have read. 

My Reaction to the Ending

My reaction to the ending of the story was that it ended too quickly! I really liked this book, but i wanted to know more information. what happens now that Skeeter is off to New York? How will the lives of all the maids be different? I really liked this book as a whole though. I think the author, Kathryn Stockett, did an excellent job in writing this book. She included so many different elements to the story-sadness, bitterness, happiness, joy, loss, etc. It was great to be reading from everyone's point of view too. I thoroughly enjoyed reading like Aibileen in her southern accent; it made me feel like I was part of the book and really added to the story. I would recommend this book to anyone, and I can't wait until I see the movie to compare the two!

Shoulda Coulda Woulda

I really wish that Skeeter had told her future Husband that she was writing the book. I get that she was probably afraid of his reaction, but it is no way to build a relationship. Lying only get's you so far and I wish he had been warned ahead of time. It is almost as if Skeeter didn't care about where the relationship was going. I also wish that Celia introduced Minny to her husband earlier, because I think that the reason she had a fourth miscarriage was due to the fact that she had a lot of stress on her because her husband had yet ot find out about Minny (or so she though). In all, there's not much i would change about the book.

My Character

Betty is in her mid 20's and has been working for a tenant in Goose Creek, South Carolina since she was 15. She grew up without a family and was sent to this tenant by her great aunt before she passed away. At the age of 20 Betty went outside to find a small child sitting on her tenant's front stoop and brought her in because the child was shivering and shaking due to the cold night. the tenant didn't know the child, but allowed Betty to keep her and take care of her, as long as she helped out when she was old enough. One day Betty saw an ad in the newspaper about work in the city of Charleston. She was getting tired of working for the same tenant, so off she went into the city to work for a family as their maid. When she arrived in Charleston and to the mansion where the family lived, she could tell it would be a project working for them. they had the dysfunctional look about them that Betty couldn't wait to figure out. This is where her journey as "the Help" begins.

ENDING

I enjoyed the ending of the book, though wish it continued. I wish it told more of the time when the kids had gorwn up. How Mae Mobley treated Aibleen if she saw her, where everyone is in their life, etc. I just grew to hate and hate Ms. Hilly,and by the end of the book I wanted to punch her so much. I grew more and more affectionate of Ms. Cecilia though. I loved how she wrote "for two-slice Hilly" at the bottom of the check. I was so mad at Stuart for taking back his propasal just because of what Ms. Skeeter's been writitng about, but it was semi-okay with me because I didn't want them back together in the first place. At first I hated Ms. Skeeter's mom, but towards the end, I saw from her prospective. Then, when she knew she had cancer, I felt bad. I wasn't starting to like, but I didn't dislike her anymore. I couldn't believe Minny was pregnant, AGAIN, and still working. I always loved Jhonny (Celia's husband) and adore him even more towards the end. He's just so loving. At first I was really nervous that Hilly would be able to prove that the maids were Minny snd Aibeleen, but of course it was no surprise that she never did, or else everyone would know it was her that ate poop. When Hilly said she's send Aibeleen to jail for stealing silver (when she really didn't) it was no surprise she called off the threat when Aibeleen said she'd write to people it was her to ate poop. That was a really smart idea they put that chapter in. I was very sad at the ending though, with Aibeleen leaving, I like how it started and ended with her. She was my favorite. Overall, the ending was very heartfelt, and I loved the added little twists.

Reaction to the Ending

I really enjoyed the ending to this book. I liked the fact that Miss Skeeter finally had the opportunity to pursue her dream of being a writer. It really represented that in the long run, dedication and hard work will eventually pay off. One thing I wish the author had spoken a little more about was Celia's pregnancies. I had hoped that the author would resolve Celia's problems with pregnancy, however there was no definitive answer in the end. Aside from that, I absolutely loved reading this book. It always kept me on the edge of my seat and from time to time I couldn't set it down. Though it took me a while to read, I am definitely glad I had the opportunity to read it and I look forward to seeing the movie soon. :)

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda

If I could have changed one thing in the plot it would have been that Miss Leefolt would have stuck up for Miss Skeeter as opposed to going along with whatever Miss Hilly said. If Miss Leefolt had been a true friend to Miss Skeeter then she would have had no problem standing up for her, but instead she let Miss Hilly decide who was "acceptable" to be associated with. A perfect example of how Miss Leefolt had failed to be a good friend was when Miss Hilly completely ostracized Miss Skeeter when she read what she had found in her bag. Miss Leefolt could have helped Miss Skeeter's situation by calming Miss Hilly down and reassuring her that what she read was not a big deal; instead she only hyped it up more causing more friction between the two of them. If Miss Leefolt had thought for herself, rather than let Miss Hilly do the thinking and speaking for her, the story's outcome may be completely different.

Reaction to the Ending- Laura

I was overall content with the way the book ended. I like that the author ended it on a somewhat high note. The book gave the impression that Aibileen has the opportunity to start a new life. Miss Skeeter moves out of her small town to pursue her writing career. I wish the author would have resolved Celia's pregnancy issues, but I got the assumption that since Minny has been her maid, her health has gotten better. I found the book to be overall an amazing read. It kept me laughing at some points, and crying at others (and it takes a lot for me to cry over a book) I thought the characters were very well written, and I was able to easily envision the story. I did not know how I would like the book after seeing the movie, but i am really glad i read the book. It was as good, if not better than the movie was. I give the book 5 stars! :)

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda- Laura

When i was reading The Help, there were some things that I wish would have worked out differently than they did. I wish Cecilia would be able to have children with her husband, and not have her pregnancies end up the way they do. I wish that Stuart wouldn't have ended his engagement with Skeeter just because of the book that she wrote. He loved her before he found out what she was working on, so it should not of made a difference in their relationship when he found out. I think they should've gotten married. Another thing I had hoped would work out differently was Aibileen and getting let go from Miss Mobley's house. I didn't want poor little Mae Mobley to be stuck with just that awful family of hers. I also wish that Miss Skeeter's mother hadn't been the reason that Constantine left. She broke her heart, and Miss Skeeter had no idea the damage that her mother had done to her livelong companion.

Character for Scrapbook- Laura

Name: Tia Kennedy
Age: 24
Status: Single
Bio: Tia grew up on the Caldwell's estate. Her mother was the families maid for many years, until she retired, and it was time for Tia to take her position. She comes off quiet and soft spoken to most people, but in reality is secretly plotting the social downfall of the Caldwells. She complies with the family only so they will continue to treat and accommodate her mother. She detests the families arrogant and cavalier outlook on life. Tia knows the families entire past, the secrets and scandals that they keep behind the stately stature of their Georgian home. The Caldwells are in for a treat when they see what Tia has in store for them.

Made Up Character

Margerie

Facts about her:
1. She had twin daughters but one suffered from numerous disabilities and died when she was only 4 years old causing the other twin to grow up alone and a bit depressed
2. Very quiet after her daughters death and keeps to herself but deep down inside past the depression, she dreams of a world were people are treated equally, a place where separate bathrooms for coloreds did not exist
3. Very loyal and sacraficial to her close friends and family and she would do anything for them
4. is very thin for an african american maid in mississippi because she always makes sure her daughter has something to eat
5. Although she doesn't admit it to herself, she is very nosy when it comes to the white women's business because she knows she has to keep up with those things these days because it could mean her job or someone else's

Ideas for the Final Project

In addition to the scrapbook idea, I think as a group we could all act out a really funny or entertaining skit about a specific scene in the book.  We could all dress up and make up our own lines and meet together to plan and execute it all.  Another good idea might be to create a simulation of life during that time with creative materials.  We could all use like one big shoe box as maybe Ms. Leefolt's house and create the characters inside the house.  For example, we could have the house showing how everything looks secondhand and how Aibileen takes care of Mae Mobley and how she wants her mother's attention.  Also, if we have time, we could get really detailed and show the colored bathroom or show Mrs. Hilly and Mrs. Skeeter in the dining room trying to get her mothers attention.  Just a thought or suggestion.

Final Project Notes

Name: Macy Clark

• Born in Louisville, Mississippi in 1923



• Put up for adoption at 6 weeks old



• Adopted by another colored family in Jackson, Mississippi



• Got her first job as a help in 1939, working for the Lewis family living in a rich, white neighborhood living in the town nearby



• Got married and had a child in the year 1943

VANESSA

MY character for the final project/ scrapbook would be...
- Natasha
- She is only 27 years old.
- She has a mother who is very ill.
- She had a brother but he died right after he was born.
- doesn't have a father.
- She used to live in Chicago with her mom but has moved to Missisipi in order to work and earn money for her mother's cure.

Margret Clementine (character for final project)

-37 years old
-loves to swim
-has no family
-husband died 6 years ago

-favorite age of a child she has to take care of: 3-10 years old
-born in, phillidelphelia
-lives now in, alabama

Shoulda Coulda Woulda....

I really wish that poor Ceclia didn't have another miscarriage. It brought Minny and Ceclia closer together, but it's just depressing. The poor girl had 3 miscarrigaes earlier, and feels that if she told her husband, he would leave her cause he wants a family. I wish Ceclia would stop keeping secrets. He was fine with a maid, he'll be fine if he finds out the truth. She can't help it that it happens. She has been careful, and it's just not her time. He'll be fine with it, they'll just keep trying. Ceclia thinks she has to have a baby and do the housework and be a good cook to be the perfect wife, but what she doens't realize is her husband is the best and loves her for her. I really wish Ceclia would come clean and keep her head up.

Predictions- Laura

I have a few predictions that I think will happen in the story. Even though it may seem like it, I do not think that Mrs. Cecilia’s husband is abusive, he comes off very nice and sweet to me. I think the reason that there was a ‘rust’ stain on the carpet was because she had a miscarriage, and the ‘rust’ is actually a blood stain. I think Cecilia has had more than one miscarriage, going off the description of three empty baby rooms in her house. I think she is pregnant right now with another child, and that is the reason for her always being tired. I think she will have another miscarriage though. It seems that she is not able to have children, and I think this will concern her because her husband gives the impression that he wants to start a family. I also think that Miss Hilly will deserve what she has coming to her…

                                                                                                                                                                 

If I were in their shoes- Laura

If I were a black maid living in Mississippi in the early 1960’s, I would feel completely mistreated. I would not like having someone treat me horribly and value me lesser as a person just for the reason I had a different skin color. I cannot imagine, waking up every morning and having to deal with the things that these maids did. Even though I come off passive to most people, when I want to, I can speak my mind. If I strongly do not agree on how a situation is being handled, I will most definitely speak up. In the 1960’s though, I do not know if I would have the courage to speak up. I would think too much would be on the line. I would not want to lose my job. If I had children, I would want to be able to provide for them. That is not possibility if you were fired because of an altercation with someone in the white household.  I think I would try to get a better life for myself, probably move from the south to where I could have a better job that came with more respect.

Project Ideas- Laura

Final Project ideas:

-We make a scrapbook of what the actual book 'The Help' published in the story would've been like. Each page could tell stories of the maid's funny and scandalous stories working for white families. We could each do a page for a maid/character, and decorate it with photos and such.

-We could interview someone who worked as a maid for a white family and tell her experience and what it was like living in that time period. We could then write a paper on her life story. (I think this idea would take too much time, because the project is due next week...but just throwing out the idea :D )

-We could act out a scene from the book, and dress up like characters by bringing in costumes and props.

Favorite Character- Laura

My favorite character in the Help would have to be Minny. Minny works secretly for Mrs. Cecilia as her maid. Minny is not afraid to speak her mind in situations that to most people would consider uncomfortable  She is a caring mother, and works very hard to provide the most possible for her children. She carries the burden of having an abusive husband, though she hardly ever shows much fear of him. I find Minny to be the comic relief of the story. Her character adds a certain tone that lightens the book, making the reader laugh throughout the story. Her character shows that everyone, no matter their skin color, should be treated equally fair.

Coulda Shoulda Woulda

If i were to pick one thing out of the plot of The Help that would change the entire course of the book, it would have to be when Minny gave Ms. Hilly that "special" cake. This change would be the most plot-altering because had Minny not made her that cake, she would not have to be afraid of Ms. Hilly throughout the entire book. Because Ms. Hilly made up the rumor that Minny stole from her mother, she thought she was doing Minny a favor in offering her a job. If Minny could have taken the offer, or stayed out of their business, she would have been free. When she fed her the poo-filled cake, it gave her a reason to make Minny's life as miserable as it could get. Whenever Minny saw Ms. Hilly for the rest of the book (up to chapter 29, at least), she was always afraid that she would lose another job. At the Benefit, when Celia was accused of buying the auctioned-off cake of Minny's, Ms. Hilly almost destroyed Celia for no reason at all. Everyone was aware that Ms. Hilly was in charge around there, so anyone who messed with her knew that they were in for some drama. Minny would not have had to deal with Ms. Hilly anymore if she had not done the "Terrible, Awful".

Project Ideas

One idea that I our group thought about doing was a scrapbook. I think there are a few ways that we could go about this project; everyone could choose a character and do a whole page representing their personality, the character's likes and dislikes, and some memorable quotes that they said. Another method would be that everyone could do one page representing their thoughts on the book, their favorite characters, quotes, and ideas they thought were interesting in the story. Regardless of which method we choose, once we all complete our separate pages, we would put all of them together and then decorate the cover.

Predictions

Some predictions I have for the book are that after Miss Skeeter publishes her story about the help, Aibileen and Minny's name will somehow get out. I think that after this happens they will both get fired from their jobs and Miss Skeeter will help them find new work. Another prediction that I have is that Celia Foote is pregnant. I believe this because she is always in bed and seems to be tired all the time. One thing I predict about Celia is that she had three miscarriages; that is why she never gets out of the house and seems depressed; and the three rooms that look like they once were meant for children in her house were meant for the babies she miscarried. My last prediction is that Minny will stand up against Miss Hilly the next time she says something racist.

If I Were in Their Shoes

If I was a black maid during that time period, it would be a completely different life compared to the one I have now. I am sure that if I lived in that time, I would often feel very frustrated. Not only because people were judging me based on the color of my skin, but the fact that they had so little respect for us. However, throughout all of this hatred towards my race, I would try not to let it get to me. Instead of hurting them because they hurt me, I would try to make a change for everyone by voicing my opinions and thoughts. In my opinion, I believe it is far more honorable to go to jail for taking a stand rather than going there because I had used violence against others. If I were in Aibileen's position, I would have spoken up more rather than staying quiet and agreeing to what other people said. One prominent example in the story was when a separate bathroom was being built for her. Instead of speaking up about how unfair it was, she stayed quiet about the matter. If I were in this situation, I would have definitely said something about that. Though it is not usually in my character to be outspoken, for an issue as significant as racism I would make sure I had my voice heard.

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda

The part where I had read up to was when Aibleen tells more details about her life and what she has gone through and what it was to be like as the help. Aibleen fianlly gets Minny to talk and she participates. Later on, Minny persuades some other maids and they get about 14 maids to get to interview about their life. Also , there was a scene where Miss Foote had had her miscarrying happen in the bathroom while Johnny wasnt there and the doctor had to come but he wasn't a huge help to them. I wish that since Hilly has been tackling Skeeter with questions about that work she was doing, I hope that Miss Hilly would eventually end up getting her punishment by mistreating her maid. I wish it to be a happy ending and have Miss Foote become more comfortable and relaxed with her life and the stories that the helps tell could actually affect the community and bring change.

Final Project Ideas

-we make a scarpbook of the characters. Everyone (or in pairs) has a character that they right a little bio for, descritption, and what they liked about them on one page. Then decorate it.
-we watch the movie and compare the book to the movie in an essay
-we write a short creative writitng assignment pretending to be one of the characters. It can be during the book or after it, but it has to be a scene we never read and is made up (ex. minny talking to a church friend)
-we dress up as the characters and take pictures

Project Ideas

1. The main project idea that the group talked about was to make a scrapbook for the entire book. This means we all make seperate sections of the scrapbook for different characters in the book. For example, if one of us has chosen Aibileen, we can show her relationship with her employer, Mrs. Leefolt, and her daughter, Mae Mobley. That person can also include a short biography of Aibileen's life as a child as well as how she feels about secretely working with Ms. Skeeter. We can use pictures (if needed) from Google. If everyone picks at least one character to write about, I think that this would be a great project idea.

2. Another idea I have is to put on a short play of what we think would happen next: after the story ended. We could each dress up as the character that we like the most and we can add an extra chapter by performing it. It would be about 5 minutes long. It is something that we could all do together instead of doing things seperately and putting them together in the end.

If I Were A Maid

If I were a maid living in the deep country of Mississippi, things would be very different.  Unlike Aibileen, I wouldn't stay quiet at all. I would do all that I could to make Mrs. Leefolt realize what she's missing in her own daughter.  I also would speak up about the building of an entirely separate bathroom for colored people, not rudely the way that Minny does, but in a respectful manner.  The ignorance that black people carry diseases completely different from white people would not be tolerated.  In the world that I live in now, I would get significantly more offended by the things that people say from that time period.  I would also realize the importance of education and do all that I could to break away from "the help business" and try to create a better life for myself and my family. 

My Favorite Character

My favorite character from the book so far would have to be Aibileen. I like her character the best because she seems like a strong, compassionate woman. Throughout the story, she always puts others before herself and is looking out for her friends. She always treats others the way that she would want to be treated, even if those people have treated her unjustly. Another quality Aibileen has that I admire is the fact that she has such a strong faith. In a time when racism was so prominent, it could have been very easy for Aibileen to be upset with God and turn away from him. However, this only proved to make her faith stronger and she continued to pray for the well-being of her people. Lastly, I like reading Aibileen's point of view because I love the way she speaks. I think it makes the story so much more interesting to read the way she actually speaks, as opposed to the correct grammar that a majority of stories are written in.

How would we feel...

If I was in the position of any character in the book, for example Ms. Skeeter, I would have totally different views. If I were Ms. Skeeter, I wouldn't quite know what to think. She always knew that the color of your skin mattered. But she had Constantine, so she was not just taught to turn her nose up at people with darker colored skin. Now, she is becoming friends with one, and she is breaking down her wall of uncomfortability between talking to black people or not. I would be so scared if I were her, I'd be enetering a whole new world, that was always taught to be scarier than mine. I would also be really nervous to start out on this writing adventure when woman are not looked at as writers at the time. I would also feel so excited to do it, to be a first one. I would despise my mother. In the book, Ms. Streeter still listens and respects her mother. I would be out of that house faster than you could say 'you don't have enough money to pay the rent'. I really do not like that woman. If I were in Ms. Streeter's shoes, I would be a mix of emotions.

How I would feel in the Help's Position

If I was forced to work for people as my only source of work, and for spoiled rich people at that, I would go to jail. I have always been one to speak out and cause conflict, and I believe that if I was in the same position as these women, I wouldn't be free for very long (or lack there of). I wouldn't be able to take someone bossing me around in such a degrading way all the time, and it would be extremely hard for me to bite my tongue and just go along with it. Of course, if I had grown up with that as my life, then maybe my feelings would be different, but it is just such a hard thing to imagine being involved in. I can't comprehend how hard it must have been for those women to be talked down to and be forced to be treated like aliens.

Mallory <3

Predictions

In the book, there are many things that leave me wondering. One of them , is why Ms. Celia is always laying down. I predict she is pregnant. One day, she was out of it, and was curled up in hr bed instead of primped up and reading her magazine. She told Minny (her maid) to head out early, and then yelled at her for the first time when Minny didn't immediatley. I believe she had another miscarriage, because after that day she is finally moving around. Ms. Celia also always goes upstairs, where there is nothing but un-filled baby's rooms. I predict she is preparing for her baby, and plans on having many more. Ms. Leefolt is due with another child, and I predict she won't care for this one even more than she doesn't care for Mae Mobley. One last prediction is that Ms. Celia is scared to tell her husband about Minny (even though he already found out)because she's afraid if he finds out she can't do any house work like a house wife should, he'll leave her and go back to his old girlfriend, and after all she's come from, she can't go back to being money-less.There are so many other events that can lead to minor predictions as well.

How i Would Feel in "The Help's" Position

Because I am so used to the easy ways of 21st Century life, I do not know
how I would survive being in the maids' shoes in 1962 in Mississippi.
Segregation plays such a huge role that i did not even fully understand until
reading this book. While reading it, i could not have imagined going through
what the help has gone through. One thing that stuck out to me the most was that
most of the white ladies with maids do not treat them with any respect. White
and black people cannot share the same bathroom, let alone live under the same
conditions and go to to the same public places. Even though the only difference
is the color of their skin, they cannot stand being with people of the other
race. If i was ever a maid, i would probably be just like Minny. When she feels
it is neccessary, she talks back to her employers and speaks her mind. I would
not be the kind of maid to sit back and take all of the unneccessary criticism
from the people i work for. Not only would i try to speak my mind, i would also
try to work with people like Skeeter who wants to overrule the ridiculous rules
in society. I am extremely grateful that this was before my time, and that
segregation is not NEARLY as bad as it was about 50 years ago. It simply was not
fair to treat anyone like the help was treated.

What will happen next?? (nobody knowz..)

I predict that Cecilia's husband is going to be abusive, and that's why she doesn't want to tell him about the maid- also the reason there is a blood stain in the bedroom. I think that once she does tell him, he is going to do something really bad to her. I also think that the rooms in the house where Cecilia always goes, are her children's bedrooms who have died. I think that she is afraid to leave the house for that reason, because people know about it and will judge her. As far as Aibileen's character is concerned, I bet she is going to rebel against the person she works for. All the bitterness since her son's death is going to erupt i think. There has been some foreshadowing that eluded to the idea because she always says how she has to bite her tongue to keep from speaking out, which she never had to do before her sons death.

Mallory<3

Predictions

As we continue to read The Help, I am curious to see what will happen next. I
have just read through chapter 20, right up to where Skeeter and Stuart decide
to take a break for a while. I predict that they will get back together when
they are both ready to learn more about each other. I do not think that Skeeter
will like anyone like she liked him. I also think that Celia Foote, who recently
had her 4th miscariage, will try again to have a baby eventually. I also think
that her husband will find out about the last miscariage and become angry with
her, even though it is not neccessarily her fault. Another prediction of mine is
that Skeeter will continue to find maids with enthusiasm for the book
interviews. I am confident that the book will end up being published and
publically known, as long as they try their best to keep the whole thing a
secret. I have a strong belief in the fact that the secret of the book will not
be spilt before they send it in to be published. I am anxious and very curious
to see what the rest of the book brings.

Favorite Character

In The Help, my favorite character would have to be Aibileen. I really enjoy
reading the book in her perspective, as if i was from Tennessee. Not only is she
a wonderful maid for Mrs. Leefolt, she is also a great friend to colored and
white people. Aibileen's best quality, however, is her motherly instincts. I
LOVE how she takes care of Mae Mobley, Mrs. Leefolts daughter, like one of her
own. She reassures Mae Mobley that she is an important girl even though her
mother treats her like she is always doing wrong. Aibileen is a headstrong woman
who has a strong opinion but can express it in a kind way. She always listens to
what she is told and never talks back. She also helps Ms. Skeeter even though
she is putting her life in jeopardy, which means she is a very selfless person.

First Impressions of the Book- Laura

I was really excited when I heard I had the opportunity to read the Help. I had seen the movie in theaters weeks before we got the assignment. I absolutely loved the movie (I thought it was the best movie I had seen in years), so I thought the book must be as good as or even better than the movie. I somewhat regret seeing the movie before reading the book. When I first started to read the book, it was almost exact to the movie. I got small details that were not in the movie, but my overall knowledge of the story took away my first impressions of the book. I think it is very well written, and I absolutely love the book so far. I love how the author gives the reader different characters perspectives. This will be an enjoyable read for me.

First Impressions

As I began reading The Help, many first impressions of the book began to cloud my mind. Once I started reading and Aibileen began as the narrator, I thought that the book would mainly revolve around her as the maid for Mrs. Leefolt, as the main care-taker of Mae Mobley, and as the closest friend to Minny.  I was more than surprised when I flipped the page(clicked the next page button on the kindle) to find out that the narrator changes to another main character in the book to get their perspective. This is a small factor that really made me appreciate the book even more because I think that is something very unique and rare in most books now-a-days.  Also, it became increasingly harder to put the book down once you found out about Mrs. Celia Foote and all of her strange ways when it came to her leaving the house and having three empty baby rooms and being afraid of her husband knowing that she is getting a maid (Minny).  One more thing that I can really enjoy about the book is that at certain intervals, there are these really funny parts that I can relate to and I just find myself cracking up sometimes when I am reading the book.  Overall, it is a fun read right now but I can feel suspense creeping into it every time I read.

Favorite Character And Why

Like most other people that have reached around this point in the book would say, my favorite character so far is Aibileen. I think that its mostly because she's the most practical person in the book right now considering that most of the white women are still fairly racist when it comes to the segregation of bathrooms and Minny has a bad mouth that could sometimes get her in deep trouble.  Although she is tough and is a good cook, Aibileen seems to have a heart of gold and she cares day in and day out for little Mae Mobley as if she is her mother.  When Mae Mobley had snatched the phone out of her mother's hand and she hit Aibileen in the ear, Aibileen was actually happy that it was her that Mae Mobley hit and not her mother considering the things that Mrs. Leefolt would do to Mae Mobley. That was such a motherly and sacrificial way for Aibileen to think because I know that if it were me, I probably would have gotten mad at Mae Mobley.  I also can deeply appreciate the kind friend inside of Aibileen as well. She called up every possible person when Minny needed a job and even promised to support her herself before she would allow Minny to work for Mrs. Hilly. Again the sense of sacrifice comes out in Aibileen and also her strong loyalty to Minny despite her smart mouth.  You also can't help but to feel bad for Aibileen because she lost her son and her ex husband walked out on her and her son for some other younger woman.  This makes see how strong Aibileen is because everyday she works hard and takes care of others in spite of that.

Predictions

As the book subtly hints of little suspicions in the book, I can't help but form predictions based off of them.  So far, I predict that Mrs. Celia Foote lays around inside all the time and hardly leaves that house because the things outside remind her too much of things that she wants to forget, such as having kids or even something in her childhood. Since she has three empty baby bedrooms, I think that something must have gone wrong when she got pregnant three times and its really hard for her to let go of that so she keeps them in her house and she stays in the house because its a safe environment where there wont be anything to upset her for the most part.  Then, once we find out about the blood stain on the bathroom floor, I predict that the cause of that is something related to her husband. I feel that they might have gotten into a fight and Mrs. Foote began bleeding and she couldn't (or didn't know how) to get the stain out of the carpet.  Also, I feel that she tries so hard to please her husband with the cooking and cleaning because she wants him to think that she is useful for something since she probably can't seem to get pregnant and maybe that upsets her husband.  For Mrs. Skeeter, I feel that she will soon rebel against her mother and decide to never get married and just be happy the way she is.  I predict and hope that she will grow older and never become a bank teller and just be content as a writer. For Aibileen, i think that soon she will realize what it is that Mrs. Skeeter was asking her about and start to really change the way that white people treat her and all other maids for that matter.

First Impressions

The Help is honestly one of the best books I have ever read. I have read up to
chapter 8, and I always want to continue. I enjoy reading it as if I was from
Mississippi, just like the author writes it. The way the author wrote it really
sets the mood and makes you feel like you are there. One thing I found
interesting about the book so far is how the maids always raise the employers’
children like they are their own. When I think of a maid, I usually do not think
of someone who gets to know their clients (especially their children) on a
personal level. I love it when Aibileen, one of the main maids, takes care of
the daughter of her client, Mae Mobley, like she is her own daughter. The book
has also taught me a lot about how it was like to live in Mississippi in 1962. I
am excited to see what the rest of the book brings as we continue to read it.

F@v3 Ch@r@ct3r

My favorite character is Cecilia. I have many reasons for liking her as a character but the main reason is because she wasn't brought up like all the other characters. She was raised with little to nothing and now she has been blessed with having a lot of money and a nice house, but she hasn't lost sense of who she really is. I like that she chose Minny as her maid, because I think that Minny brings a sense of realism into Cecilia's life. I am very VERY curious to find out what the blood stain in Cecilia's room is and why she has three empty children's rooms in her house. I think that Minny is just as curious, and the her curiosity will lead to the discovery of what happened. I also find it peculiar that Cecilia doesn't want to tell her husband about Minny. To say the least, Cecilia is my favorite and I am excited to read more about her.

Mallory (:

First Impressions of The Help

Some of my first impressions of The Help is how little respect the help were given back in the 60's. Not only were they not respected by a majority of the people they worked for, but they were paid under minimum wage for all of the work they did daily. While reading the book, I could not fathom the idea of having to work for such long hours without a decent pay. I also couldn't imagine having to use a different bathroom or go to a different grocery store just because of my skin color. One thing I definitely could imagine is how frustrated I would feel if I were in their situation. One interesting thing that I found while reading is it seems like most of the help have a strong faith. I believe it is this faith that helps them with their daily struggles. Other than reading about how horribly treated they were, the plot is captivating. I like the fact that the author wrote the book how the actual characters would talk because it makes me feel like I am actually there in the story listening to them. Overall, this book has been great and I can't wait to keep reading it! :)

First Impression of the Book

I really like the book so far. I find it very interesting and I like the way the book is written. As you read it is told like someone talking, which I think is a great change from the normal way books are written. I like that after every paragraph it seems as though it is a cliffhanger. You never know what is going to happen and it is very unpredictable. Even though Laura gave away a big part of the book for me, I still find enjoyment in trying to figure out the characters lives and their secrets and how they're going to react next. I am very eager to continue reading and seeing if my predictions come true, or if i am way off the mark.

<3 Mallory

My Favorite Character

My favorite charcter is Aibileen. I love listening to her perspective. I don't really like Ms. Skeeter's prespective at all. Maybe it's because I listen to non-deep southern voices every day, and mostly read proper grammer books. I really enjoy listening to her southern talk and can just hear her voice. She is such a kind character, and I love how she's so good with kids. I even love how pudgy she is, it just adds to he rpersonality. She is definetley the sweetest, and most expirenced. She is more of Mae Mobley's mom than Ms. Leefolt is. She is quiet and does what she's told, and yet I love how she decides to go quietley along with Ms. Skeeter's plan. Ms. Aibileen is definetley my favorite character.

being in their positions

We are always better off at understanding other people's shoes in order to see things in their perspective and understand them. If I was in Skeeter's position I would not have the courage to start the column by writing about the helps' lives. Also, in those days women mostly got married while they were are college and drop out of school. But, Skeeter was not the ordinary type. She was focused more in her life and was willing to make changes in her society. If I was Skeeter I would have sticked to being realistic and live the life that every other people were living. It was more of admiring her courage rather than understanding her actions.

Predictions

Based upon the story that we have read(IU read up to 12), Celia did not want to tell her husband Johnny about Minny. The first prediction that our group came up with was Johnny being abusive and that being the reason why Celia was being so scared about telling him. However, when Johnny came back to the house and saw Minny, he was complimenting Minny about the food that she was making and how it got better. From this scene, we had a turning point in our predictions. Now we predict that Celia had lost her children because she had three empty baby rooms at her house. Also, we think that she has gone through miscarrying the baby because there was a scene where Minny found blood stains on the floor. The other prediction that we have come up with was about the interviewing part where Skeeter was interviewing Aibleen. It's not a specific prediction but we felt that there was going to be problems when they publish the column with the interviewed stories in it based on the helps' perspectives. The book keeps the readers from losing interest because the readers always want to keep reading and see what happens and why it happens.

Favorite Character and why?

My favorite character was Constantine. Constantine's character reminds me of Aibleen. They both are very caring. They express more love to the child then the child's parent. Such as Ms. Walter was not the kind of mother that would be proud of her daughter, Skeeter. She always wasn't satisfied with Skeeter. She was have complaints about Skeeter's appearance and how she wouldn't get married. However, Constantine would tell Skeeter great sayings and it had influenced Skeeter to see things the way she wanted to see; to have her own perspective. Constantine also had an interesting background. Her father was white and mother was black. She also had a daughter and she was white. It was illegal for her to raise a white child so she had to send her daughter away. The background that she was made from and how she took care of Skeeter when she was little was interesting and that is why I chose her as my favorite character.

First Blog Post; What we found most interesting in our group discussions

We read up to chapter five in the book The Help, and what most people found most interesting was the rust stain Minny finds in Ms. Ceclia's house. I actually did not look into that. It states that she shudders after she finds it, but I figured she was just demonstrating how disgusted she was, as she had stated before. What I found interesting was Ms. Ceclia stating that 'kids are the only reason to live'. I personally disagree with the statement, but found it funny that she stated it, yet sat around all day. If you sit around all day, why would you want to take care of kids, for it's a lot of work. As we all stated our favorite characters, mine is Aibeleen, and as some people stated in our discussion, they did not like the fact that it was written in her point of view, which is southern, so it made it hard to understand. I was one of the poeple that enjoyed it, for it made me feel like I actually knew the woman. I feel bad for Ms. Leeflot's child. The poor girl thinks she did something wrong by going to the bathroom, when really her mother just didn't want to change her. Another thing, that her mom calls her 'it' in the beginning of the book, is just sad. I am really enjoying the book so far, and am at the suspenseful part where Ms. Cecilia's husband comes home, and Minny is at the house, which is a problem for the husband does not know Ms. Cecilia hired a maid. These next couple chapters are going to be good.

First impressions about The Help

I think The Help is one of the best books I have read. I have only read the first four chapters but I am already thrilled to read the next chapter. Chapter 4 ended with Minny hiding at Miss Foote's house because she worked secretly for Miss Foote at her home and kept it a secret to Mister Johnny. The main characters in the book all have different characteristics. There is Miss Skeeter, Hilly, Leefolt-The help: Ailbileen, Minny as the maid. The chapters in the book are written in different characters perspectives. I think that is a more affective and interesting way of telling the story to the readers. The question that comes up in Chapter 1 is when Miss Skeeter asks Ailbileen, it was a question about making changes in their society. This question shows that there will be changes occruing in the reading as we read more into it.

The Help discussion at Good Reads