The Character Analysis of Skeeter Phelan
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Skeeter thinks that it is a brave idea. She decides to write the compilation of interviews with African Americans maids who work for white families in a book
form. She plans to gather information from several maids working for white families in Jackson, Mississippi, and they are all going to tell the truth whether it
is good or bad. She tells Aibileen about it and she wants to make a book based on this idea. At first Aibileen is
very excited with Skeeter‘s idea. When Skeeter says that the book will be about what it is like to work for a white family, Aibileen
shows a little doubt. The writer analyzes Skeeter‘s brave characteristic from
another c haracter‘s thought Murphy, 1972, p.162. Aibileen‘s thought about
Skeeter when Skeeter decides to write the book about the African American maids is the proof.
I look around. We out here in the wide open. Don‘t she know how dangerous this could be, talking about this while the whole world can see
us? ―Exactly what kind a stories you think you gone hear?‖ ―What you get paid, how they treat you, the bathrooms, the babies, all the
things you‘ve seen, good and bad.‖ She looks excited, like this is some kind a game. For a second, I think I might be more mad than I am tired.
―Miss Skeeter,‖ I whisper, ―do that sound kind a dangerous to you? ―p.105.
Skeeter‘s decision in writing Help is risky and dangerous. She will not only put herself in danger, but also everyone who will be involved in the writing process of
the book. Skeeter is a determined person. Her reactions on some hard situations
during the writing process shows the characteristic. According to Murphy 1972, p.168, the character‘s reaction on some situations in the story is the clue the
author gives to the reader. The writer concludes that she is a determined person from her effort to finish the book no matter what the obstacles are. It is not easy
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for Skeeter to convince Aibileen to help her, because Aibileen is scared that the employer will be angry if they find out that the story is about them.
―Minny got her some stories. Sho nuff.‖ ―Aibileen,‖ I say. ―Thank you. Oh, thank you.‖
―Yes ma‘am.‖ ―I just... I have to ask you. What changed your mind?‖
Aibileen doesn‘t even pause. ―Miss Hilly,‖ she says. I go quiet, thinking of Hilly‘s bathroom plan and accusing the maid of
stealing and her talk of diseases. The name comes out flat, bitter as a bad pecan p. 125.
However, she is determined to do it. She works really hard when she gets a chance to write Help.
I work for fifteen hours straight on Louvenia‘s interview. On Thursday night, I go to the League meeting. I‘m dying to get out of the house, antsy
from nerves, jittery about the deadline. The Christmas tree is starting to smell too rich, the spiced orange sickly decadent p. 356.
It is a big opportunity for her career because the book will be published by Harper and Row in New York City. She has strong will to write it. During the writing
process she meets a lot of obstacles. Yet, it did not stop her from continuing the project. The first problem happens when she asks Aibileen to be the first
informant of her book. Aibileen says no because she thinks that it is too dangerous. After Aibileen agrees to help, the first interview goes bad because
Aibileen is very nervous. ―I‘m sorry. I tought I was... ready to talk.‖ I nod, not sure what to do.
―I just... I know you already told that lady in New York I‘s gone do this but...‖ She closes her eyes. ―I‘m sorry. I don‘t think I can. I think I need to
lay down.‖..................I look over at my notebook on the white leather seat. Besides where she grew up, I‘ve gotten a total of twelve words. And four
of them are yes ma’am and no ma’am p. 149.
Every single interview is a challenge for both Skeeter and Aibileen. They have to
w ork at night and Skeeter will come to Aibileen‘s house secretly without making
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anyone suspicious. In order to keep it secret, Skeeter has to lie to all people around her, including her own mother.
Another problem appears when Skeeter makes Hilly suspicious because Hilly accidentally found a list of Jim Crow Laws in her satchel which is
accidentally left at Hilly‘s house. It is a miracle that Hilly does not read the interview papers. This incident makes Skeeter realizes that she has to keep
distance with her friends in Junior League if she does not want to get caught. To be away from her best friends is not an easy thing for Skeeter because they are the
only friends she has in the town. She is not ready to be casted out, but she is willing to take the risk for the sake of safety. In the early January, Skeeter
proposed by Stuart. As his soon-to-be fiancée, she wants to be honest so she decides to tell Stuart first about the project she has been working. She tells all of
the stories right away the minute after Stuart proposed her in the car. When Skeeter tells him the truth, she feels relieved because it is all crystal clear. Stuart
is shocked because he thinks that Skeeter has been working on stories about Jesus. He takes back his proposal. Skeeter lost her friends and her boyfriend but she
takes this as the consequences. Another problem appears when the publisher, Elaine Stein from New
York, calls Skeeter to tell her that she likes Skeeter‘s story and perhaps will publish it, but she wants more interviews. Elaine Stein wants Skeeter to have
dozens of interviews and finish it as soon as possible. Although Skeeter worries that she will not make it on time or even will not be able to find more maids, she
does not stop. She gets a lot of sympathy from the other maids and those who
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brave are willing to help her. Yet, it is not enough for Elaine Stein. Skeeter calls the publisher a week after Thanksgiving week to let Elaine Stein knows that the
story soon will be finished. ―It‘s almost finished. We just have two more interviews to complete and I
was wondering if I should send it directly to your attention or to your secretary.‖ ―Oh no, January is not acceptable.‖ ........... ―The last editor‘s
meeting of the year is on December twenty-first, ‖ Missus Stein continues.
―If you want a chance at getting this read, I‘ve got to have it in my hands by then. Otherwise it goes in The Pile. You don‘t want to be in The Pile,
Miss Phelan. ‖ p.350
Skeeter is shocked by Stein‘s statement. As if it is not shocking enough, Stein
continues with another statement, ―And the negro woman who raised you, I‘m assuming she‘s still there?‖
―No, she‘s gone.‖ ―Mmm. Too bad. Do you know what happened to her? It‘s just occured to
me, you‘ll need a section about your own maid.‖ I close my eyes, fighting
frustration. ―I don‘t....know, honestly.‖ ―Well, find out and definitely get that in. It‘ll add something personal to
all this.‖ ―Yes ma‘am.‖ I say, even though I have no idea how I‘ll finish two maids
in time, much less write stories about Constantine. Just the thought of writing about ther makes me wish, deeply, that she was here now p. 351.
She wants Skeeter to add something personal in the end of the book. It means that Skeeter has to write about a maid who raised her.
No one around Skeeter tells her why Constantine left. When Skeeter comes to Aibileen‘s house for the first time asking on housekeeping stuff for Miss
Myrna column, she asks Aibileen whether Aibileen knows Constantine. Aibileen answers that Constantine used to be in the same church with her. Skeeter says that
Constantine ―didn‘t leave an address. I just—I can‘t believe she quit like that
p.82 ‖. Then a little part of the truth comes out of Aibileen‘s mouth. She believes
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that Constantine did not quit, but she was fired by Skeeter‘s mother. So far, that is
all of the fact Aibileen can tell Skeeter. Skeeter comes home in anger with her mother.
I‘m shaking, I‘m so mad. I pound my way up the stairs. I sit at my typewriter, stunned that my mother could cast off someone who‘d done
her the biggest favor of her life, raise her children, teach me kindness and self-respect p. 83.
Even though Skeeter knows she cannot write about her own maid, the maid who
raised her, she does not give up the stories. She likes to work in detail when it comes to the point of the story. She knows about how Constantine works in her
house, but she does not know the life story of Constantine. She wants to write the real story of her. The paragraph below shows Skeeter‘s determination to find out
what happen with Constantine. She asks Aibileen for the second time so that she can write the truth.
It‘s a crisp December night and a fine rain is just starting to fall. Head down, I hurry along the street. My conversation this afternoon with Missus
Stein is still racing through my head. I‘ve been trying to prioritize everything left to do. But the hardest part is, I have to ask Aibileen, again,
about what happened to Constantine. I cannot do a just job on
Constantine‘s story if I don‘t know what‘s happened to her. It defeats the point of the book, to put in only part of the story. It wouldn‘t be telling the
truth p. 355.
In January, the book is finally published. Skeeter makes it happen because she holds her willingness strongly. She believes that what she writes will matter and
because of her strong determination, she finishes it even though she meets a lot of obstacles.
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