The Help Chapters 16-19

Minny finally figures out why Miss Celia is so secretive. What has Celia been doing all this time?

Minny believes that Miss Celia is drinking. She sees her emptying bottles in the empty room upstairs.

As it turns out, Lou Anne is not like the other women. What sets her apart in Skeeter's opinion?

She is kind to her maid. She brought her food when her grandson had been beaten and she was unable to work. She also gave her pay on her time off. She doesn't talk badly about other maids. She is genuinely a good person.

What good luck does Aibileen have after the prayer meeting?

Yule May says she might agree to helping with the book.

Why is Jessup so upset at the prayer meeting? Do you think his anger is justified? Explain

He is mad that no plan is being executed for the justice of colored people. He's mad that Medgar Evers was shot, and that nothing is being done for their justice. He is outraged that they can do nothing but pray.

t's very interesting to note all the things that are new in the 1960's that we take for granted today. What are three things that you have noticed are "new" to the characters in the book?

Bottle tops that you can take off with one hand, A.C., spaceships, and zipcodes.

So far, we have heard many depressing and sad stories from the maids. How is Eula's different?

Her white people that she takes care of are good to her. She is good to them. They love each other despite their color.

Although Yule May does admit that she stole a ring from Hilly, what are two details that show how unfair this whole situation was?

Hilly didn't like the ring and lied about it's value, and the sentence for Yule May's sentence was elongated because Hilly knew the judge's wife.

Miss Celia doesn't want her husband find out about what happened today. It appears that Minny would like to help her keep it a secret, although Dr. Tate doesn't agree. What do you think? Should Mr. Johnny know or not? Be sure to explain your answer.

I think she could keep this miscarriage a secret, but I definitely think that she should tell Mr. Johnny about the rest. He has a right to know. This would also make her confront her self-worth issue.

Previously, Minny had never given a reason as to why she agreed to tell Skeeter her stories. Why did Minny decide to do it after all?

She decided she wanted things to be better in the world for when her children were grown.

Minny had previously thought that Miss Celia had been drinking whiskey. What had Miss Celia really been drinking, and why?

She had been drinking "catch tonic", so she could prevent herself from having another miscarriage.

What does Aibileen help Minny understand about Minny's job?

She helps her understand that her job really isn't that bad at all. Aibileen points out that just because she is a drunk, that Miss Celia is good to Minny.

What is happening to Miss Celia on the day that Minny goes to apologize?

She is having a miscarriage. She stays in the bathroom and she is bleeding profusely.

Miss Celia is an interesting character. She is a blonde "bimbo," none of the ladies like her, and she seems like an airhead. Give two examples from the book that might cause a reader to give Celia sympathy anyway.

She isn't able to have babies, and she thinks the only way she will be worth Mr. Johnny's love is by being able to do so. She also can't get any of the ladies in town to just be nice to her. She wants some company, but none of them like her at all.

So far, Pascagoula has been a very minor character in the book, but finally has a real conversation with Skeeter in this chapter. What important new pieces of information do we learn from Pascagoula?

She says that Yule May is going to help with the book; however, later she gives Skeeter a letter from Yule May and Skeeter is informed that she is in the penitentiary for a crime she committed against Hilly.

What is Skeeter's reason for turning down Stuart's offer to take her with him to Biloxi?

She would have to lie to her mother. Stuart doesn't like lying so he tells her to stay.