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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What are Yule May, Hilly Holbrook's maid, and her husband saving up for as she tells Aibileen in chapter 16?

2. Where does Hilly Holbrook invite Mrs. Leefolt and Mae Mobley to go in chapter 15?

3. How much younger than Aibileen is Minny Jackson?

4. Why have nearly half a dozen maids refused to work for Celia Foote, as revealed in chapter 3?

5. What does Skeeter's mother nag her about in chapter 5?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Aibileen ask of Skeeter during their sixth session together working on Skeeter's book?

2. What does Aibileen write in her small notebook? How did she get into this habit?

3. Who is Skeeter Phelan? How does she know Hilly Holbrook? What did Hilly threaten to do in the beginning of chapter 5 to Skeeter?

4. What letter does Skeeter receive in chapter 6 that inspires her to begin searching for a writing job and to find unique topics to write about?

5. Who is killed blocks from Aibileen's home? What is the aftermath of this death?

6. What does Celia spend most of her days doing? What is the result?

7. What are the interviews like between Skeeter and Minny? Who does Minny refuse to allow Skeeter to place in her book?

8. What does Miss Celia do that Minny finds odd? Why does Minny have trouble teaching Miss Celia to cook?

9. Why does Skeeter try to pay money to Aibileen in chapter 8? How does Aibileen react?

10. What does Hilly Holbrook ask Aibileen that she feels she must answer honestly for Mae Mobley's sake? Why does Hilly ask this question of Aibileen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who is Skeeter Phelan? How does Skeeter become acquainted with Aibileen? What does Skeeter ask Aibileen to do for her? How does this cause Skeeter to come up with an idea for a nonfiction book? Why does Skeeter ask Aibileen to help with this book? What does Aibileen do to help Skeeter? How does Skeeter feel about the writing of this book and Aibileen's role in it? Why is this so important to Skeeter? Why does Skeeter not get married and have children like her friends? Why does Skeeter not marry Stuart? What clues should have led Skeeter to realize Stuart would not have been supportive of her choice to write this book?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following themes in an essay using quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:

1) Racism

2) Family

3) Social Expectations

4) Ambition versus Fear.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Minny think Celia is crazy? What does Celia spend her days doing? How is this different from the behavior of the other women Minny has worked for? Why does Celia escape into the second floor of her home several times a day? What does Minny think she is doing up there? What is Celia really doing up there? What is the cause of Celia's odd behaviors? Why do none of the women in Jackson accept Celia into their social circle? What does Celia believe the problem is? How does she go about fixing it? What happens? What story does Minny tell Celia that appears to help her understand the women of Jackson better?

(see the answer keys)

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