We Meet Aibileen, A Black Maid In Jackson

Pages 1-55

In the beginning of the book we meet Aibileen, a black maid in Jackson, Mississippi. She works for Mrs. Elizabeth Leefolt (“Miss” Leefolt), a scrawny twenty-three-year-old lady who has just had a baby girl named Mae Mobley. We see that Mae Mobley is a cranky baby for her mother, though Aibileen has no trouble at all with the child. This is due to the fact that Miss Leefolt is not an engaged mother; she is ill-equipped and disinterested in raising her own child, despite the fact that she tends to shows signs of jealousy when her daughter prefers the Aibileen.

Page 55-105

In this section we meet Aibileen’s friend named Minny. We learn that she works for a woman named Miss Walter, the mother of Miss Hilly. Miss Hilly is a good friend

She 's been working with Celia for nine months now (since August 1962) and she doesn 't know if Celia is lazy and crazy or has some physical problem. Today, for example, Celia is in bed and won 't get up. Minny is frustrated. She wants to work hard and get Celia on track. Celia still doesn 't know that Johnny knows about Minny. Plus, Celia keeps hounding the society ladies to come over and play bridge. Johnny 's trying to arrange it with Hilly and Will. Minny lives in dread of that happening. Hilly will get her fired. So far, none of those ladies will return Celia 's calls. In June it 's 104 degrees. Minny 's making caramel frosting. When Celia learns Minny can 't afford an AC, she says she wishes she could buy one. Minny is about to say she wasn 't asking for money, but then notices her caramel has burned. Minny and Aibileen talk about civil rights. Such things as being able to eat in the same places, and use the same bathrooms as white people don 't matter that much to them. Minny thinks, "What I care about is, if in ten years, a white lady will call my girls dirty and accuse them of stealing

Page 384-439

Skeeter learns that Charlotte has been so sick because she has stomach cancer and only months to live. Early in January, Skeeter calls Elaine Stein 's office and learns the manuscript was received. They will let Skeeter know what Miss Stein decides. Stuart and Skeeter have started dating again. He 's says he knows the rumors that Skeeter is "some kind of crazy liberal" (28.101) aren 't true. On Saturday night, Stuart asks Skeeter to marry him. She says yes, but needs to tell him a secret. He promises he won 't tell. She tells him as much as she can about the book without implicating any of the women in it. Stuart says, "This is what you 've been writing about for the past twelve months? Not… Jesus Christ?" (28.139). He doesn 't understand why this is important to Skeeter. He doesn 't see any problems with the current system in Mississippi. He takes back his proposal, but promises to keep her secret. She believes him. At home, she tells Charlotte about the proposal. She already knows, since Stuart asked for permission last week. Charlotte says she has something to tell her husband and Skeeter. She says, "I have decided not to die. […] I have made my decision and that 's that" (28.183-185). Well, then. On Friday, January 18, 1964, Skeeter tells Aibileen and Minny that she heard from Miss Stein, and Harper and Row is going to