The Help

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. This book is extremely popular, and it was made into an equally popular film that won numerous awards. What knowledge did you have of this story before reading this book, and how did it affect your reading experience?

2. Compare this novel to others that explore the issues facing Black women in mid-century America, like Brown Girl, Brownstones or The Darkest Child. How do these novels, both written by Black women about Black women, differ from The Help?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. As Skeeter grows more aware of the plight Black women face in her society, she speaks up for their sake and is ostracized by white people in town. In your own life, how do you navigate standing up for what’s right when it might receive backlash from your community?

2. This novel deals heavily with the racism faced by Black women in the South in the 1960s. Were any parts of this novel particularly difficult to read? Why or why not?

3. Aibileen’s

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