The Help by Kathryn Stockett follows the lives of three women - Aibileen, Minny, and Miss Skeeter - in the American South in the 1960s. Aibileen and Minny are black maids, while Miss Skeeter is a white woman who wants to write a book telling the stories of maids from their point of view. They decide to work together on the book despite the risks if they are caught, as racial tensions are high. The book is eventually published to their relief.

1. Overview for The Help by
Kathryn Stockett
Trevor Atkeson

2. Exposition Aibileen
Aibileen:
• Black maid in the American South
• Always does what she's told, very cautious
• Maid for Miss Elizabeth, Aibileen does not like her
but loves her daughter, May
• Wisest in the group, always asked for advice
• Oldest, son died in a car crash

3. Exposition Minny
Minny:
• Talks back to people, Fiery temper
• Maid for Miss Celia
• Has a husband and six children
• Enemy’s with Miss Hilly
• Loses every job she can find, running out of money

4. Exposition Miss Skeeter
Skeeter:
• Skeeter is a nickname
• Has a controlling mother
• Has lost all her friends
• Wants to write a book about what its like to be a maid
in the South
• Pulls everybody together

5. Rising Action
 The all decide to work with Miss Skeeter on the book
 Everybody is very nervous, if they are caught they will
be killed
 Start telling their stories
 Get other maids to help
 Publishers in the North agree to publish it but the
deadline is near
 Miss Hilly is causing trouble

6. Climax
 When Miss Skeeter sends in the story on the day of the
deadline but does not know if they read it or not
 They do not know if it will be published or not
 The book is published
 Life continues on
 The day of the Benefit
 Miss Hilly is embarrassed in front of everybody, she get
very mad

7. Falling Action
 Miss Hilly tries to get all the maids to loose their jobs
 Not of the employers that are Miss Hilly’s friends fire
their maids
 Miss Hilly does not get back at them

8. Resolution
 Miss Skeeter goes off to be a writer in New York, she
completes her life long dream
 Aibileen retires after May grows up
 Minny continues working, she finally leaves her husband
who is abusing her

9. Conflict
 There is constant conflict between white and black
people all over the country
 There is conflict between Miss Hilly and the maids
 Miss Hilly experiences conflict with Miss Skeeter and her
mother Miss Walters
 Miss Skeeter experiences conflict with her mother and
her boyfriend Stuart

10. Theme
 The theme of this book is captured in the passage: “We
are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not
nearly as much as I’d thought.” This tells us that people
should be treated equally and they are not actually very
different. They are only separated by the boundaries
that they put up themselves, both physical and mental.
If these boundaries are torn down, people will be
treated equally and be given the same opportunities.