Aibileen Clark: A Character Analysis

In the town of Jackson Mississippi, Aibileen Clark is working as the help under a woman named Elizabeth Leefolt. Elizabeth is a woman who cares about gossip, superiority, and social standing within the white community. Due to Elizabeth’s hobbies and unhappiness with herself, Aibileen is forced to raise her child as her own. Aibileen had recently lost her child due to a lumbering accident which causes her to grow closer to Ms. Leefolt’s daughter, Mae Mobley. Hilly Holbrook is later introduced into the second chapter as a woman of social standing that oversees the “The Junior League”, which allows white women to come together and share their prejudice beliefs with each other. Elizabeth leefolt is also a member of this group as well as most of

the white women within the area. During a meeting of this group, Skeeter, or Eugenia Phelan decides to join a dinner with the women in attempts to make friends. Skeeter soon realized that after the women suggested the help should have separate bathrooms due to their race, the gathering was not for her. Minny Jackson is later fired for using the guest bathroom and has difficulty finding a job after Hilly Holbrook ruins her name with accusations of stealing furniture and silver. In desperate need for a job, Minny interviews under Celia Foote and is offered a job immediately. Celia Foote comes from a place of poverty and does not have any experience with the help, and because of that she treats Minny like any other guest and tries to make her feel at home. Celia inherited her money from her husband, Johnny Foote, which was the previous husband of Hilly Holbrook, Minny’s last employer. Celia shows signs of wanting a child by sadly roaming through an empty nursery room in her plantation house. Minny gains sympathy for Celia after learning about her past, but limits her attachment because becoming emotionally involved with an employer is against the rules.
Aibileen is forced to use a separate restroom as like her best friend, Minny, was forced to do.
Skeeter reveals to Aibileen that she is conflicted as to why Constantine, her previous maid that raised her, left without notice despite the strong connection that they shared. Aibileen sympathizes with her from her love of maids but cannot help her on the situation. Hilly Holbrook attempts to set up a blind date with Skeeter and succeeds, although despite the effort to make her conform to societal pressures, Skeeter dislikes the date and does not want to settle for less. Skeeter is later motivated to write a story on the perspective from the help and asks Aibileen to write a narrative from her perspective. Although Aibileen denies the offer at first, she later helps Skeeter because she wants to make change to the world.
Aibileen fears for her life along with the people she is close to due to KKK members killing people of color and those who favor civil rights. After Skeeter enters Aibileen’s narrative, she is called back with news of the reporters wanting 25 more maid’s perspectives before it can be a credible story. Aibileen speaks privately with members of her church, and although many refuse the offer to write about their perspectives as the help, Minny and a woman named Yule May come forward apprehensively.
Celia Foote continues to prove that she is uneducated about how society treats the help and sits with Minny when she eats, addressing her as a friend. Minny is confused and angered by this and accuses Celia of drinking too much alcohol. As Minny returned the next day she discovered Celia locked within a bathroom, refusing to open the door. Minny can tell that something is very wrong and breaks off the door hinge, discovering that Celia has had another miscarriage and the “alcohol” she was drinking was a drug that helps prevent miscarriages. Yule May later writes to Skeeter about how she stole an expensive ring from Hilly Holbrook, and is confronted by Hilly about her crime soon after Yule requested a 75$ loan to pay off her son’s tuition. As a result, Yule was sent to the prison and writes to Skeeter from prison that she refuses to help with the book. After the help’s recognition of Yule May’s case, many are terrified for their safety, yet come to Skeeter revealing their stories and experiences as the help and colored women.
Aibileen is informed by Mr.

Leefolt that she is forbidden to speak to Skeeter because they think it is a negative influence on her. Skeeter takes control of the “Home Health Sanitation Initiative” created by Hilly and claims that all who wish to discard their unwanted toilets to the address of Hilly Holbrook’s home. Hilly is infuriated by this and forces the league to shun her, as well as the man that she was talking to. Minny continues to face the problem of her husband beating her and attempts to hide it from Celia, but Celia is aware of what being beaten is like. Celia offers to call the police but Minny refuses because nothing would be

done.
While the struggle of Skeeter’s mother in her later stages of cancer is testing Skeeter, another burden of news is revealed that President Kennedy has been assassinated, as well as Elaine Stein claiming that Skeeter has until the end of the year to complete her story otherwise it will not be published.

Aibileen reveals to Skeeter that Constantine gave birth to a white baby and decided to visit her in her adult years, which played a part in why she left their family. Constantine was old and weak because of her age, which wasn’t unnoticed by the women Constantine was serving. One woman raised up and refused to be treated by a slow colored woman and pressured Skeeter’s mother in firing her. After Constantine was fired, she attempted to make her way to her child that was adopted many years ago. Unfortunately Constantine died three weeks after she was fired and never had a chance to see

her.
Six months later, “The Help” is published and advertised in the local book stores as well as on the television. Aibileen is fearful as to how Hilly Holbrook will react to the book. After time has passed, Aibileen hears wind that Hilly has threatened to expose every single maid involved in the making of the book. Minny and Aibileen believe they had heard a scream all away across Jackson when Hilly discovered that Minny baked a chocolate pie for Hilly enlaced with feces. Hilly encourages all of the league’s members that they should fire their maids. Skeeter receives a visit from Hilly with threats of revealing every maid involved, but is silenced when Skeeter threatens to expose the chocolate pie victim was her. Aibileen is forced to leave Mae Mobley and her job which saddens her deeply, but accepts that a new chapter of her life is coming.