Chapter 7 + 8

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Chapter 7: Aibileen

1. Explain Aibileen’s simile and metaphor regarding Mae Mobley and identify the context: “She like one a them baby chickens that get confused and follow the ducks around instead.” 

• -> Mae Mobley identifies with Aibileen more than with Elizabeth
• -> prefers eating her lunch with Aibileen (not done)

2. Aibileen's plan for Mae Mobley

•  Elizabeth treats the child as a burden and chastises her more often than she praises her. 
• => worried about her negative self-image: Aibileen decides on a daily routine of praise and compliments.

3. potty training

• in the restroom in the garage: Aibileen shows Mae Mobley how to use the toilet. (not done!)
• -> children need to be shown how the process works, and

Elizabeth will not let Mae Mobley into the restroom with her. 

4. Elizabeth hits Mae Mobley

• The "bitter seed" grows
•  + Aibileen feels guilty about the incident, blaming herself

5. special date

• Treelore died on November 8th. 
• every year, this date depresses Aibileen.
• tries to visit her son’s grave each year, but cannot make the trip this time (too busy)

6. Treelore's friend Robert

• Robert, a caring young man who mows lawns for a living, is beaten for using the wrong restroom.
• => chased down by two white men and beaten with a tire iron -> hospitalized and permanently blinded

7. suggestion Skeeter

• - book project: secret interview with Aibileen (collection).
• - dangerous project: fear of being fired from her job 
• - anecdotes of black people attacked and beaten for conduct 
• => well-defined racial lines in Southern society

8. mysteries so far

• What will happen with Minny, Celia, and Johnny?

  • What has happened to Constantine?

  • What does Skeeter want Aibileen’s help with?

  • What conflict over race will occur between Skeeter and Hilly?

9. Aibileen's reactions

• Aibileen: dangerous to take part in the project
• - knows other maids have seen them talking + worried about their reactions.

Chapter 8: Skeeter

1. Explain Skeeter’s book project idea as she discusses it with Elaine Stein.

• Skeeter wants to interview a series of maids in Jackson, asking questions about their experiences working for white families
  
• - secret + anonymous (dangerous!) 

2. two challenges

• The project poses a significant danger for any maid participating. (racial violence) (Martin Luther King, Jr., the Civil Rights issue,... is front-page news)
• +books of interviews do not sell

3. Skeeter offers Aibileen something

•  tries to give Aibileen 35 dollars; Aibileen doesn't accept
•  Skeeter: mixed motives: show appreciation + buying Aibileen's  participation 

4. Aibileen's response to Hilly

• Hilly wants everyone to be excited about the separate bathroom, including Aibileen
• Purpose: keeping the black help from spreading disease to Caucasian families (rude!)

5. succesful idea Skeeter's mom

• -> Shinalator: straighten a person’s hair.
• => Skeeter’s normally frizzy hair is successfully straightened (symbolism)