Bookclub-In-a-Box Discusses the Help, by Kathryn Stockett: The Complete Guide for Readers and Leaders

Marilyn Herbert, Rona Arato

Bookclub-in-a-Box, 2011 - Literary Criticism - 85 pages

It is 1962 in Jackson, Mississippi, and 22-year-old Skeeter has just graduated from Ole Miss. She comes home with a diploma, but no husband, in a world where her friends are all married and raising children, with the help of their black maids. At a time and place where the ideal white woman is petite with carefully groomed straight hair and even more carefully groomed manners, Skeeter is tall and outspoken, with wild and curly hair. Her mother wants Skeeter to wed; Skeeter wants to be a journalist. With the help of Aibileen and Minny, two of the town s black maids willing to share their stories for the greater good, Skeeter sets out to write a book telling the maids stories from their point of view. But in Jackson, where a black boy is blinded for accidentally using a whites only bathroom, and Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers is shot in his driveway in front of his children, this is a dangerous undertaking. They must work in secret to protect their project, their jobs, and even their lives. Every Bookclub-in-a-Box discussion guide includes complete coverage of the themes and symbols, writing style and interesting background information on the novel and the author, as well as a complementary RAG (Read-Along-Guide), a quick reference pamphlet offering interesting facts and questions to consider while reading the novel.

Contents

• READERS AND LEADERS GUIDE: 4
• INTRODUCTION: 6
• BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 13
• CHARACTERIZATION: 24
• FOCUS POINTS AND THEMES: 36
• WRITING STYLE AND STRUCTURE: 49
• SYMBOLS: 58
• LAST THOUGHTS: 65
• FROM THE NOVEL QUOTES: 74
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: 83

About the author

Marilyn Herbert, the creator of Bookclub-in-a-Box, is a teacher, librarian, speaker and writer. Bookclub-in-a-Box has over thirty published discussion guides for contemporary fiction. They are ideal for book club members, teachers, students and all readers.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Bookclub-In-a-Box Discusses the Help, by Kathryn Stockett: The Complete Guide for Readers and Leaders
• Authors: Marilyn Herbert, Rona Arato
• Publisher: Bookclub-in-a-Box, 2011
• ISBN: 1897082851, 9781897082850
• Length: 85 pages
• Subjects: Literary Criticism / Books & Reading; Literary Criticism / General