The help-week 1

Q1 How does Minny find her job at Miss Celia’s house?

It was her friend Aibileen who answered the phone call when Celia called Elizabeth for advice on hiring a maid. Aibileen wanted to help Minny find a new job since she was fired by Hilly. So she told a lie to Celia that it was Elizabeth who recommended Minny to her and hoped Celia to keep it a secret. Then Minny's address was given to Celia.

Q2 Why does Skeeter show up at Aibileen’s house?

Skeeter wants to interview Aibileen for her book about how the help work for white family from a brand-new perspective.

Q3 Why does Skeeter approach Aibileen for an interview and how does Aibileen react to the request?

She wants to impress Elaine Stein by her ideas so she has to go to Aibileen for interview. She hope Aibileen can help her with her article and in return she gives money to Aibileen. But Aibileen stiffens back into her cautious pose, rejecting Skeeter's request.

Language points

这篇小说我关注到的点多的是在于很多植物名称上，发现文章中很多植物名称之前都没有见过，这里留列出一些来。

turnip 白萝卜

azalea 杜鹃花，这个单词之前见过，澳洲的rapper Iggy Azelea的姓，之前没有注意过，原来是杜鹃花，怎么突然感觉这个名字就比较接地气的呢哈哈。

mimosa 含羞草

okra 秋葵

sassafras 黄樟

licorice 甘草

cranberry 蔓越橘

另外还看到几个比较有意思的表达

baby blues 产后抑郁

I say and my toes starting wriggling in my shoes. 看着都紧张，感觉袜子都要抓烂了

My chin drops down to my chest. 我们好像会说：下per都要掉到地上了。

sass-mouthing 顶嘴

It made me cross-eyed. 对对眼，好可爱

It was just jabber. 随便说说罢了

I set my eyes on the ceiling. 看着天花板发呆

My heart is thumping like a cat in a clothes dryer. 猫不会被绞死吗哈哈哈可怕

On one's turf  在我地盘这儿你都的听我的，真的霸气

If chocolate was a sound, it would've been Constantine's voice singing. If singing was a color, it would've been the color of that chocolate. 这句话是目前这本书里看到最浪漫的一句了。可见Skeeter对Constantine的感情又多深了。

Her forehead's all wrinkled up between the eyes.

以上，其实这本书里有很多情节描写和任务内心的描写，很细致。几乎每一笔都在加重整本书的基调，黑人们的憋屈，白人家庭的理所应当，当然还有Mae和Aibileen，Skeeter和Constantine这样温情的故事。印象最深的是：我们把白人宝宝养大，之后他们又变成我们的老板。看过之后却是很心酸。