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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 is the Shinalator?

2. Why does Celia Foote refuse to tell her husband she has hired a maid in chapter 3?

3. Who does Skeeter ask for advice in regards to her new job in chapter 6?

4. How old was Treelore when he died?

5. How many interviews with maids does the editor suggest Skeeter include in her book?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Treelore hoping to do before his death? How did Aibileen feel about this?

2. What worries Minny about the day that Celia Foote will tell her husband that she has hired a maid? How does Johnny Foote finally find out about Minny?

3. What rules did Minny's mother tell her about working for a white woman? Which rule does Minny constantly break?

4. What does Skeeter show to Aibileen in chapter 14? Why does Aibileen later show this same thing to Minny?

5. Why does Aibileen begin telling Mae Mobley she is a smart, kind girl?

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

7. In chapter 10, Celia locks herself in the bathroom and yells at Minny when she comes to change the bedsheets. What does this and other odd behaviors say about Celia?

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

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

10. How did Minny Jackson get an interview with Celia Foote? What happens at the interview?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Skeeter's mother constantly complain about in regards to her daughter's appearance? How does this make Skeeter feel? How does this reflect on Skeeter's lack of romantic experience? At what age do most of the girls Skeeter is friends with get married? What does it say about Skeeter that she is not married? What does Skeeter want to do with her life? What obstacles are in Skeeter's way that might not have been in a more modern setting? What does it say about Skeeter that she disregards her mother's advice and pursues her desire to have a career?

Essay Topic 2

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

1) Theme

2) Structure

3) Point of View

4) Language.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Minny's home life. How does Minny's husband treat her? Why does Minny not stand up for herself to her husband as she does with the white women who employ her? Why does Leroy throw a dish at Minny's forehead? What does Minny tell Celia about this injury? Why does Leroy later lock Minny in the house and threaten to burn the house down around her? What does Minny do after this happens? What does Aibileen recommend Minny do in reaction to Leroy's behavior? Does she? How does this suggest a happy ending for Minny at the end of the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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