A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE HELP BY KATHRYN STOCKETT

BY JEANNE M. MCGLINN TEACHER’S GUIDE TEACHER’S

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TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...... 3 ABOUT THE AUTHOR ...... 3 OVERVIEW OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ...... 4 BEFORE READING ...... 5 THEMES ...... 6 DURING READING ...... 6 AFTER READING ACTIVITIES ...... 9 USING OTHER RESOURCES ...... 12 ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THIS GUIDE ...... 13 FREE TEACHER’S GUIDES ...... 15

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INTRODUCTION

Told through the point of view of three dif- ence in their everyday lives, a close relation- ferent women living in Jackson, Mississippi, ship develops between Skeeter, Aibileen, and e Help chronicles events from late summer Minny. e three women come to confront of 1962 through 1964. Skeeter Phelan, who and resist the intimidation experienced daily has just graduated from Ole Miss, returns by the black maids. Woven throughout the home to the family plantation, ambitious to stories are the key events of these seminal become a writer. Taking the advice of a New years of the civil rights movement. York editor to hone her skills, Skeeter begins Dealing as it does with the social issues of the to write a column for the local newspaper time, e Help may be controversial for stu- while searching for a topic that she truly cares dents. It is through the agency of Skeeter about. Missing her beloved childhood family Phelan, a white woman, that the black maids maid and confronted by the overt racism of get to tell their stories and as such it continues her friend Hilly Holbrook’s campaign to the tradition of novels like To Kill a Mocking- require a separate bathroom for the black bird. ere is the issue of language; all the help, Skeeter proposes to write about the lives maids use a version of black dialect created by of the black maids in Jackson. Knowing she the author, although their southern white will need to interview black maids to tell their employers mainly use Standard English. Also, stories but without realizing the danger of the focus on domestic injustices faced by the what she is asking, Skeeter approaches Aibi- maids in the novel may come across as avoiding leen, the maid of one of her close friends. the real brutality faced by blacks during this With an increasing sense of bitterness at the time period in Mississippi. Teachers can help injustice of her situation, Aibileen agrees to students confront these issues by posing some help, and later recruits Minny and eventually of the questions provided in this guide. After other maids. As they work on this project to they have read the novel, students will have tell their true stories, including stories of the opportunities to evaluate the impact of the prejudice and injustice that the maids experi- novel through suggested follow-up activities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Have students share their reactions to the Jackson, Mississippi, the setting of this, her essay or interview in a dialogue journal, first novel. In a brief essay at the end of the addressing these questions: What experiences novel, “Too Little, Too Late,” Stockett led the author to write this novel? What does describes her own relationship with a black the author state is the reason that she has maid, Demetrie, who at 28 came to work for written this book? Based on this statement of Stockett’s family and helped to raise her. purpose what do you think this novel will Stockett also describes her conflict about reveal about being a black maid in Missis- trying to write the stories of black women. sippi? After students have written their Ask students to read a section of Stockett’s responses, ask them to exchange journals to essay on pp. 529-530. Also, Time Entertain- read and react to the comments of another ment offers an interview with Stockett about student. When journals are returned, ask writing the novel at http://www.time.com/ students to write a response to their peers’ time/arts/article/0,8599,1937562,00.html. comments. Follow up with a class discussion to see if students have common expectations and how they react to these ideas.

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OVERVIEW OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

1. For an overview of the Civil Rights Contemporary References: Movement, ask students to check out the John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy brief histories provided at the following Onassis (p. 7, p. 231, p. 403), Rosa Parks web sites: (p. 15, 79), James Meredith and Ole Miss http://www.infoplease.com/spot/ (p. 97), Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man civilrightstimeline1.html#events-1960 (p. 99), Martin Luther King and the offers a timeline of events. Students can March on Washington (p. 185, p. 245, focus on the early sixties, the time covered p. 347), Medgar Evers (p. 191, p. 228), in the novel. Jim Crow Laws (p. 202), Governor Ross http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhis- Barnett (p. 212, p.218), KKK (p. 228), tory/civilrights-55-65/index.html gives NAACP (p. 228), the Space Age (p. 230), an overview of events from the Mont- Birmingham bombing (p. 347) gomery Bus Boycott to the march on Music: Stevie Wonder (p. 25) and Motown Selma. ere is also a section specifically Music, Blues (p. 25-26), Patsy Cline (p. 63), on the events occurring in Mississippi Bessie Smith (p. 78), the Beatles (“Love during the Freedom Summer, including Me Do,” p. 208), Bob Dylan (p. 415). the death of Medgar Evers. 4. e teacher should carefully assess the Following their review of events, ask stu- maturity and critical thinking skills of stu- dents to write a letter to another student, dents before engaging in this activity which describing some of the key events of the graphically displays the violence under civil rights era and their reactions. en which blacks lived during the Jim Crow era have students deliver the letter and have in the United States. Before viewing the the recipient write a brief response after photo of a lynching available at the following reading the letter. site, http://hunniebrown.wordpress.com/ 2. Show students sections of episode 5 from lynching-in-america/ ask students to brain- Eyes on the Prize: “Mississippi: Is is storm what they know about conditions America 1962-1964: http://www.youtube. for blacks in the period following WWII. com/watch?v=zr6QDGpihaE&feature= Teachers may wish to address the follow- related ing topics to help students add to their Ask students to make a concept map about background knowledge: Where did most the conditions for blacks living in Missis- blacks live? What was the Second Great sippi in the sixties after viewing the film. Migration that occurred between 1940- 1970? Why did blacks move to the North 3. In addition to the background of the civil in such numbers? What kinds of work rights movement, the novel is filled with were typical for blacks in the South? Why? references to contemporary events. What were the Jim Crow laws? How did Assign students in pairs to research on the this affect the daily lives of blacks, espe- web one of the topics listed below, col- cially in the South? What violence or lecting a series of images that best reflect threat of violence affected blacks? What the subject. en two pairs can join was the black response? How did blacks together to combine their images to make resist the violence of racism? a 30-second video slide show with music and text. Have students go to http:// After looking at the photo, ask students to animoto.com/, click on the Get Started respond in journal format to what they have link and then follow the prompts. viewed. If some students find it too difficult Encourage students to select music from to respond, you may instead ask them to the time period to go with their slides. add details to their earlier brainstorm.

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5. Provide students with copies of Bob Dylan’s Dylan wrote this song about the assassi- song “Only a Pawn in eir Game” avail- nation of Medgar Evers. It was released in able at http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ 1964 on Dylan’s e Times ey Are bobdylan/onlyapawnintheirgame.html a-Changin’ album and he sang the song at or have students watch Dylan’s perfor- the 1963 March on Washington. Discuss mance on YouTube http://www.youtube. with students: What is Dylan’s point of com/watch?v=McbSrw4GnRI view about Evers’ killer? What ways of thinking reinforce racism?

BEFORE READING

1. Characters in the novel are well aware of trouble because you desperately need the “rules” governing black/white interac- job to pay your bills, and work opportu- tions and the “lines” that divide the races nities are very scarce in your community. in the South of the sixties. Ask students Ask students to write about how they to consider if they are aware of “lines” would feel and what they would do if that divide students today by construct- confronted by this situation. After stu- ing a personal sociogram, a visual diagram dents have written their journals, ask of their social relationships. Who do they them to share with one another. en as interact with the most? Who would they a class, discuss is “separate but equal” a like to interact with? just policy? What is the result of this After students have constructed their policy? What is the impact on individuals diagrams, ask them to free write about who are subject to this policy? their relationships, using the following 3. Ask students to rate their response to the questions: Why are they so close to cer- following Anticipation Guide statements, tain individuals; what prevents them strongly agree, agree somewhat, disagree from interacting with certain persons? somewhat, strongly disagree. What factors create barriers between people? Do “lines” really exist between a. People who hire other people to work people, or are they just made up? en for them should maintain a profes- discuss these questions as a whole group sional distance from the worker. to identify the factors that cause the b. Being a personal servant or maid is a “lines” that exist among their peers and respectable calling. the reasons for these “lines.” c. ere are certain rules that people 2. Legislators of the South were quick to should learn and follow when dealing point out that the laws of segregation with people of a different social or were based on the principle of “separate economic class than their own. but equal.” Ask students to consider this concept by journaling about the follow- d. People of different races are so differ- ing problem situation: ent from each other that they should stick with their own kind socially. You are working in a fast food restaurant and you feel that your supervisor is preju- e. Telling or writing stories can be a way diced against you. He gangs up with two of personal expression and freedom. of the other employees and tells you that f. Telling or writing stories can be a way the staff bathroom is now off limits to of changing society. you and that you must use the public en ask students to write about the restroom which is across the building and statement that they reacted to most frequently crowded. You don’t want any strongly. Discuss as a class: What state-

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ments did you agree with most strongly? Students can come back to the Anticipation Why? What statements did you disagree Guide after finishing the novel and go with strongly? Why? through a similar process to discuss whether their ideas have changed and why.

THEMES

Students may explore the following themes Introduce students to this list of themes and while reading the novel: make sure that they understand what each • Impact of racism on those who are preju- theme means. Ask students to note particular diced as well as the victims of prejudice themes in their reading journals or on post-it notes as they read the novel. After students • Social pressures/conformity have read several chapters, ask them to review • Coming of age their journal or post-it notes to identify what • Searching for truth through writing/the they consider the main theme of this particu- power of the written word lar section of the novel. List the theme(s) on a large chart and brainstorm the author’s pos- • Growth of a writer/finding one’s voice sible meanings. Ask students: What is hap- • Power relationships among people pening? Why is it important or significant? • Man’s inhumanity towards man What does it mean? What is the author • Ambiguity of love/hate relationships saying about this theme?

DURING READING

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND 2. How does “the colored part a town” READER RESPONSE QUOTES (p.15) differ from the rest of Jackson, Mississippi? What are some of the forces You can use the following questions to engage that contribute to the segregation that students in thinking about the characters, the arises in cities? plot, and the themes of the novel. Discussion 3. Minny hints to Aibileen that she has questions generally build on students’ literal gotten even with Hilly for claiming that recall of the plot to build up inferences about Minny is a thief. Why would such slander what these events mean. As they discuss the be especially harmful to someone work- questions, encourage students to go back to the ing as a maid? text to identify and analyze key passages that add to their understanding of the overall mean- 4. What deepens Aibileen’s bitterness toward ing of the novel. Selected quotes from the novel white society? can be used for open-ended reader response 5. What is it about Miss Celia’s background writing. Students can use the quotes provided that makes her different from the other by the teacher or choose their own quotes as club women, and why do you think she they read, explaining the meaning of the quote wants to be accepted by them so badly? and its significance in reading journals. 6. What do the rules for working for a white lady that Minny learned from her mother Chapters 1-6: Searching for an Idea say about the relations between maids and their white employers? 1. Aibileen says: “But it weren’t too long before I seen something in me had changed. 7. What are some of the rules that Skeeter A bitter seed was planted inside a me” (p. gets from her mother, and what do these 3). What was the cause of her bitterness? say about the kind of behavior considered

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proper for young white women of the time? wich for Johnny Foote? Do you think Why do you think Skeeter and her mother this depiction is authentic to a black have different attitudes about these rules? maid’s experience? Why or why not? 8. In what ways has Constantine helped 6. How are the Jim Crow Laws that Skeeter Skeeter to grow up? How has Constantine discovers in the library similar to Hilly’s taught Skeeter kindness and self respect? bathroom plan? 9. How has Aibileen helped Skeeter get the 7. Does the vindictiveness of white women idea for her book? for violations of racial lines differ from the violence of white men? How and to what Reader Response Quotes degree are they the same or different? “All these houses they’re building without 8. Why was prayer considered by some in maid’s quarters? It’s just plain dangerous. the black community to be counterpro- Everybody knows they carry different kinds ductive to the civil rights struggle? of diseases than we do” (p. 10). 9. What are some of the ways that Minny “‘Do you ever wish you could…change shows that she cares about Miss Celia, things?’ she asks. And I can’t help myself. I even though she complains about her? look at her head-on. Cause that’s one a the stupidest questions I ever heard” (p. 12). 10. In reference to the book to which she is contributing her story, Minny says, “I say what I know she want to hear: ‘I use “…’it’s a sorry fact that it’s a white my colored bathroom from now on. And woman doing this’” (p. 255). What are then I go on and Clorox the white bathroom some of the issues raised by the fact that again real good’” (p. 34). a white woman is the editor and a con- ‘“Good morning, Minny! It’s real good to see tributor to a book about the experiences you,”’ she says, and I bristle, hearing a white of black maids? lady being so friendly” (p. 48). 11. How does the existence of racial hatred “Mother wouldn’t want me to know this, and violence in her world affect Skeeter? that Constantine’s father was white, that he’d 12. Gretchen accuses Skeeter of being apologized to her for the way things were. It “’Another white lady trying to make a was something I wasn’t supposed to know. I dollar off of colored people’” (p. 304). Is felt like Constantine had given me a gift” (p. 78). this what Skeeter is trying to do? If not, what is motivating her to collect and Chapters 7-28: Writing the Stories publish the maids’ stories? Is it personal ambition or something more worthy? 1. How does Aibileen try to counteract the negative effects of Elizabeth’s criticism 13. How has Skeeter’s life become duplici- and coldness to Mae Mobley? tous? Is society only to blame for her dilemma, or could she have been more 2. How does Aibileen see racial prejudice being forthright once she realized the injustice passed down from parents to children? experienced by the maids? 3. Why does Aibileen say thank you to 14. Skeeter asks her boyfriend Stuart if the Hilly for the outside toilet when she feels civil rights activist that Stuart’s ex-girl- so demeaned by it? friend cheated with was “colored.” She 4. Why does the opportunity to tell the feels that, even to her, “that would be truth about working for white people horrific, disastrous” (p. 321). What do weigh so heavily on Minny? these feelings reveal about Skeeter, even as she realizes the racism of her society? 5. Why does Minny feel the satisfaction that she does in preparing a BLT sand-

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15. Does Skeeter serve Hilly right when she Reader Response Quotes causes old toilets to be dumped on Hilly’s “ ey raise a white child and then twenty lawn? Why do you think this action is years later the child becomes the employer. appropriate or inappropriate? It’s that irony, that we love them and they 16. Although Minny is very strong in some love us, yet….We don’t even allow them to ways, she submits to physical abuse from use the toilet in the house” (p. 123). her husband. What are possible reasons “I come home that morning, after I been why she takes this abuse and does not fired, and stood outside my house with my stand up to him? new work shoes on. e shoes my mama paid 17. What does the incident with the prowler a month’s worth a light bill for. I guess that’s who harasses Minny and Celia reveal about when I understood what shame was and the the personalities of these two women? color of it too” (p. 175-176). 18. When Minny complains to Aibileen that “‘Separate but equal,’ Miss Hilly say back to Celia her white employer does not see the Miss Leefolt. ‘ at’s what Governor Ross lines that separate different classes and Barnett says is right, and you can’t argue with races of people, Aibileen tells her that she the government’” (p. 218). is “’talking about something that don’t “ ings ain’t never gone change in this town, exist’” (p. 367). How does Minny subse- Aibileen. We living in hell, we trapped. Our quently apply Aibileen’s words in her kids is trapped” (p. 230). dealings with Celia? “Y’all think prayer’s going to keep white 19. e print in Chapter 25 “ e Benefit” is people from killing us?” (p. 246). bordered by vertical lines on both sides. What is different about the narration of “She stops crying and I don’t have any good this chapter that sets it off from the rest things left to say. For a minute, we’re just two of the novel? people wondering why things are the way they are” (p. 276). 20. What is ironic about the proceeds from the Benefit going to the “Poor Starving “ ey’d killed Carl Roberts for speaking out, Children of Africa” (p. 377)? for talking. I think about how easy I thought it would be, three months ago, to get a dozen 21. Why is it that Celia’s appearance makes maids to talk to me….How stupid I’d been” such an impact on the guests at the Benefit? (p. 282). 22. Why does Minny risk her job and explain “ ere is undisguised hate for white women, to Celia the story behind Hilly and the there is inexplicable love” (p. 303). chocolate pie? Is Minny justified in doing the “terrible awful” thing to get even with “But the dichotomy of love and disdain Hilly for lying about her? How does this act living side-by-side is what surprises me. Most reflect the power relations between the two are invited to attend the white children’s people? How does it compare to Skeeter’s weddings, but only if they’re in their uni- having the toilets sent to Hilly’s lawn? forms” (p. 304). 23. What does Celia’s chopping down the “Now I know what I did wasn’t Christian. mimosa tree outside her kitchen window But what kind a person send her own mama signify? to the home to take up with strangers? ey’s something bout doing wrong to that woman 24. Aibileen tells Skeeter that if they are found that makes it just seem right” (p. 397). out to be the authors of the book, they would be beaten with baseball bats. Is this “A lot of colored womens got to give they chil- fear extreme? What evidence of white vio- dren up, Miss Skeeter. Send they kids off cause lence to blacks do you find in the novel? they have to tend to a white family” (p. 421).

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Chapters 28-34: Aftermath Reader Response Quotes “‘ ey say it’s like true love, good help. You 1. How does Skeeter’s mother plan to con- only get one in a lifetime’” (p. 437). tinue controlling Skeeter even after her death? What does this show about her? “Minny doesn’t look worried about book sales. She looks worried about what will 2. Why does Stuart withdraw his proposal happen when the women of Jackson read of marriage to Skeeter? Why is he unable what we’ve written about them” (p. 455). to appreciate what Skeeter has done? “Point is, we got to watch what get up in 3. How does Skeeter look and dress differ- these kids’ heads. Ever week, she still get her ently as the events of the novel unfold? Aibileen lesson, her secret story” (p. 460). What does this suggest about changes in the way she thinks? “ en the Reverend hands me a box, wrapped in white paper, tied with light blue 4. What is the significance of so many ribbon, same colors as the book. He lays his people signing the book that Reverend hand on it as a blessing. ‘ is one, this is for Johnson gives to Aibileen? the white lady. You tell her we love her, like 5. Why is Skeeter so eager to get out of she’s our own family”’ (pp. 467-468). Mississippi? “So I lean my hand on the sideboard because 6. After realizing the desperation felt by the baby’s getting heavy on me. And I wonder Lou Anne, Skeeter reflects that the point how it is that I have so much when she of the book was: “For women to realize, doesn’t have any. He’s crying. She’s crying. We are just two people. Not that much sepa- We are three fools in the dining room crying” rates us. Not nearly as much as I’d thought” (p. 476). (p. 492). In what way is this theme “How can I love a man who beats me raw? revealed in the book edited by Skeeter? Why do I love a fool drinker? One time I 7. How is Aibileen’s teaching Mae Mobley asked him, ‘Why? Why are you hitting me?’ not to be prejudiced shown in Mae He leaned down and looked me right in the Mobley’s actions? face. ‘If I didn’t hit you, Minny, who knows 8. How has Aibileen changed through the what you become”’ (p. 485). events in the novel and the publication of “I think about Yule May setting in jail. Cause the book? Miss Hilly, she in her own jail, but with a 9. How does the publication of the book lifelong term” (p. 522). lead to Minny’s freeing herself from her abusive husband? AFTER READING ACTIVITIES

Discussion activities, thematic explorations, starts by writing prayers in her journal (p. and creative exercises after reading the novel 26, p. 175) and then writes down her are designed to get students to re-read and story in her words to share with Skeeter think critically about their initial reactions. when they start the first interviews (pp. Some of these activities can be done with a 174-179). Imagine that Aibileen writes partner or in a small reading circle. Again about one of the significant scenes in the teachers should choose the activities that best novel, such as: Mae Mobley using the meet their goals for students. black bathroom (pp. 110-111); the night 1. Aibileen, like Skeeter, finds her voice as a Medgar Evers is assassinated (pp. 226- writer during the events of the novel. She 231); the special church meeting at which she is celebrated by the black community

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(pp. 466-468); or the day that she is Have students share the list of ideas they accused of stealing and she leaves her job compiled while reading the reviews and as a maid for Miss Leefolt (pp. 516-522). discuss their reactions to the views Have students reread one of the scenes expressed by the writers. en ask them and then write the brief journal entry to write their own review of the novel that Aibileen might have written in her describing what they found personally prayer-notebook. interesting and worthy of note and what they found controversial in the novel. 2. Various critics have reviewed and com- mented on the novel. Students can do 3. Ask students to consider the main focus research at the following web sites, jot- of the novel. Is Stockett telling the maids’ ting down key ideas as they read: stories or is she telling the story of a white woman coming of age in the South or • is web site has links to a range of both? Ask students to journal write their opinions on the novel: http://www. response to this question and then engage huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/05/ in a classroom discussion about their the-help-kathryn-stockett_n_ overall understanding of the novel. 346016.html 4. e novel illustrates the power of story to • is statement from the Association tell the truth and to change the way of Black Women Historians about people think. Review the times that the depiction of Black women in e Aibileen tells Mae Mobley a “secret Help addresses the dialect the author story,” for example, pp. 234-235, 348- created for the black women: http:// 350, 460. What is Aibileen’s goal in tell- www.abwh.org/images/pdf/ ing these stories? Why do they have to be eHelp-Statement.pdf “secret”? What is the effect of the stories • is review suggests that e Help is on Mae Mobley? the “new” To Kill a Mockingbird: Ask students to think about the maids’ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ stories. Why is it important that they tell jesse-kornbluth/is-the-help-more- these stories? What do they hope to than-a-s_b_333448.html accomplish? Are the students aware of • is New York Times review identifies any stories that need to be told today? some of the potential controversy Make a list of these stories with the class. surrounding the novel but also recog- As a creative exercise, ask students to take nizes its accomplishments: http:// one of the topics they have identified and www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/ write a simple and short story, using books/19masl.html Aibileen’s stories as a model. Share these stories in small groups. • e Help is praised for its artistry and depiction of the time period: http:// 5. Have students redesign the book cover www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics for e Help. First have them analyze the /article/Book-Review- e-Help-by- current book cover’s design. How is it laid Kathryn-Stockett-2266684.php out? What does it communicate? What does the illustration of the three birds • e Washington Post reviewer praises suggest? en have them identify a cen- Stockett’s ability to create African tral theme of the novel and design a book American vernacular: http://www. cover that illustrates and communicates washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ that theme, for example the theme of the article/2009/03/31/AR2009033103552 impact of racism on those who are preju- .html diced as well as the victims of prejudice.

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6. Ask students to outline the coming of age • e Jim Crow Museum of Racist of Skeeter by gathering quotes that show Memorabilia at Ferris State University: the three stages of this process: 1. Inexpe- http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/ rience, innocence, or lack of knowledge; • “ e Stereotype of the ‘Mammy’” 2. Confrontations or trials that affect one’s http://www.youtube.com/ views; and 3. Growth, new maturity, and watch?v=3ybT1xIYgPk an enlarged concept of right and wrong. Students can organize their quotes in a • “Time to Move Beyond the ‘Mammy’ graphic organizer on a large sheet of Stereotype”: http://www.npr.org/ poster paper and then share with the class templates/story/story. why they choose the various quotes to php?storyId=5437127 reflect Skeeter’s coming of age. en ask students to argue whether 7. Students can re-envision the novel by Stockett’s depiction of the black maids choosing a dramatic scene and retelling it evokes the Mammy figure or does it pres- with their point of view. For example, a ent the lives of these women in an origi- student might choose the meeting nal way? Ask students to draw examples between Celia and Hilly at the Benefit. from the novel to support their position. How might the scene develop and con- 10. Ask students to explore how e Help clude differently? Have the students depicts the violence of racism. First have rewrite the scene they have chosen and them watch several scenes from the film, share in small groups. Students’ work can Mississippi Burning, available on You- be posted on a bulletin board or pub- Tube. is film released in 1988 was lished in a class booklet for all to share. directed by Alan Parker and stars Willem 8. What is the impact of racism on those Dafoe and Gene Hackman as two FBI who believe in this ideology? Ask stu- agents. e film is loosely based on the dents to identify passages in the novel FBI investigation into the deaths of three that show how the employers are affected civil rights workers in Mississippi in by their attitudes to their maids. Discuss 1964. with students or ask them to write an In this scene the two FBI agents discuss the essay in which they discuss the following sources of racist attitudes: http://www. questions: What are the assumptions youtube.com/watch?v=UlzaBi_QxPw about blacks that control the behavior of the white employers? What are the “rules” Students can also investigate the Missis- that the white employers follow? What is sippi Burning case of the summer of the impact of their assumptions and 1964 at these sites: http://crime.about. behaviors on their lives? com/od/history/p/ms_burn.htm and http://www.core-online.org/History/ 9. Some critics have suggested that African mississippi_burning.htm American maids or servants depicted in novels and films resurrect the Mammy fig- en have students identify passages in ure—a mythical stereotype of black women e Help which describe racist attitudes who were compelled, either by slavery or and their accompanying violence. Dis- segregation, to serve white families. cuss: What is the main type of violence depicted in e Help? Ask students to research the Mammy figure at several web sites, such as

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USING OTHER RESOURCES

THE FILM small groups the choices they made to represent the action in the scene. e film of e Help was released in 2011. 3. If you decide to view the whole film with e screenplay was written by Tate Taylor the class, you can ask students to keep a who also directed the film, based on Stock- list of significant changes they see ett’s novel. Trailers from the film are available between the novel and the film. You at several web sites, like the following: http:// might choose to stop the film at several www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_ajv_6pUnI points, to discuss what the students have and http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/461233/ noted. Look especially at the scene in the e-Help/trailers film where the Footes serve Minny 1. Select several key scenes from the film to dinner or Skeeter’s confrontation with view with students. First ask students to her mother. Discuss: Do the changes reread the section of the novel in which from the novel improve the story? Why the scene occurs. Ask students to visual- or why not? What is the screen writer’s ize the action through a quick sketch or purpose in making changes to the novel? journal writing. en view the scene 4. After viewing the film, ask students to together. Discuss the choices made by the write a review. Christopher P. Jacobs in director. Where did they agree with the an essay available online, explains that director’s visualization of the scene? readers want more than a simple opinion What might they do differently and why? in a film review: http://und.edu/instruct/ Do any of the changes substantially affect cjacobs/PaperGuidelines3.htm the ideas of the novel? Readers want to know about the film- 2. A storyboard shows the action of a story maker’s intentions and how well they scene by scene. For more information on succeeded in making those intentions story boards, you can direct students to clear to viewers. this web site: http://accad.osu.edu/ Students can look at samples of film womenandtech/Storyboard%20 reviews of e Help at several sites before Resource/ writing their own review of the film: Ask students to choose a key scene from http://movies.nytimes.com/ the novel and prepare a series of sketches movie/461233/ e-Help/overview and of the action during this scene. Students http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/ can display their storyboards and share in oct/27/the-help-film-review.

RELATED BOOKS

1. Ida E. Jones, from the Association of Ask students to select one of these Black Women Historians, offers a list of resources to read and review, concentrat- resources that can provide insight into ing on the depiction of life in the South the lives of black people combating sys- during the twentieth century and particu- tematic racism. e list of fiction and larly the era of the civil rights movement. nonfiction works is available at http:// Students could turn their information www.abwh.org/images/pdf/TheHelp- into a creative format: a newscast, an Statement.pdf interview, a creative dramatization.

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2. As a research project for advanced students, descriptions of literature circle roles can ask them to select one of the following be found in Harvey Daniels’ Literature novels written by black authors which Circles: Voice and Choice in the Student- depict the lives of African Americans: Centered Classroom, 2nd edition, Sten- • Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison house, 2002.) During their discussions, ask students to identify and collect key • Black Boy, Richard Wright passages that portray the lives of blacks, • eir Eyes Were Watching God, especially their encounters with whites Zora Neale Hurston and the “rules” that are applied to their daily lives. At the completion of the lit- • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, erature circle, ask each group to create an Maya Angelou oral presentation on their findings. en Organize students into literature circles discuss as a whole class the realities of with set roles for each student, such as black lives as depicted in these novels and discussion director, quote collector, illus- as compared to e Help. trator, travel tracer, connector (Detailed

ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THIS GUIDE

JEANNE M. McGLINN, Professor in the She has written and edited a series of guides Department of Education at the University of to classical and contemporary works of litera- North Carolina at Asheville, teaches Chil- ture published by Penguin. She also writes dren’s and Adolescent Literature and directs extensively in the field of adolescent literature, the field experiences of 9-12 English licensure including a critical book on the historical fic- candidates. She is the editor of the Language tion of adolescent writer Ann Rinaldi for Experience Forum Journal for the Language Scarecrow Press Young Adult Writers series. Experience Special Interest Group of IRA.

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NOTES

DR Stockett Help TG 100912b.indd 14 10/24/12 5:14 PM A Teacher’s Guide to The Help by Kathryn Stockett 15 FREE TEACHER’ S GUIDES

A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF AND OTHER PLAYS A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO SIR GAWAIN AND BY OSCAR WILDE THE GREEN KNIGHT EMMA THE HELP BY JANE AUSTEN BY KATHRYN STOCKETT

BY LISE KLOEPPEL BY TEACHER’S GUIDE KELLI McCALL SELF TEACHER’S GUIDE

BY KELLI McCALL SELF CGLINN

BY JEANNE M. M

TEACHER’S GUIDE TEACHER’S GUIDE

A full list of Teacher’s Guides and Teacher’s Guides for the Signet Classic Shakespeare Series is available on Penguin’s website at: us.penguingroup.com/tguides TEACHER’S GUIDES Adventures of The Fountainhead My Ántonia Redwall Huckleberry Finn Frankenstein A Narrative of the Life The Scarlet Letter Animal Farm The Grapes of Wrath of Frederick Douglass, The Scarlet Pimpernel An American Slave Anthem Great Expectations The Secret Life of Bees Nectar in a Sieve I Atlas Shrugged Heart of Darkness Silas Marner 1984 I The Awakening I The Help I Sir Gawain and The Odyssey Beowulf I The Importance the Green Knight The Call of the Wild of Being Earnest Of Mice and Men Sophocles: Cannery Row and Other Plays One Day in the Life The Complete Plays of Ivan Denisovich I Chekhov’s Major Plays Incidents in the A Streetcar Named Desire Life of a Slave Girl The Pact City of God A Tale of Two Cities Jane Eyre The Pearl The Country of the Pointed A Thousand Splendid Suns Firs and Other Stories A Journey to the Center Persuasion The Time Machine of the Earth The Crucible I The Phantom Treasure Island The Jungle of the Opera Dear Zoe Two Years Before the Mast The Kite Runner Poems by Robert Frost Death of a Salesman Up from Slavery Listening is an Act of Love Pride and Prejudice Doctor Faustus The Wal-Mart Effect Looking Backward The Prince and the Pauper Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Washington Square Lysistrata Pygmalion A Doll’s House We the Living Main Street Ragged Dick Dubliners The Women of The Mousetrap A Raisin in the Sun I Emma Brewster Place and Other Plays The Red Pony Ethan Frome Wuthering Heights TEACHER’S GUIDES FOR THE SIGNET CLASSIC SHAKESPEARE SERIES Antony and Cleopatra Julius Caesar A Midsummer Richard III As You Like It King Lear Night’s Dream Romeo and Juliet Hamlet Macbeth The Merchant of Venice The Taming of the Shrew Henry IV Part I Measure for Measure Much Ado About Nothing The Tempest Henry V Othello Twelfth Night

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