"The Help" entry three

After the chaotic months and months of putting together interviews, the copies of the manuscripts have been sent to the editor, Miss Stein. Miss Skeeter received a phone call from Miss Stein saying that they were going to publish the interviews into a book. Through the interviews, the maids have shared intimate details of what it has been like working for a white woman and their family. Now that the novel is being released, I am most struck by Aibileen and her feelings on the release. She is the first maid who agrees to be interviews and serves as a main contributor to receiving assistance from other maids. Although she is excited, she is also nervous for the novel to be released to the public. She has the potential to lose so much, yet she feels like she has done her part in sharing her story and opinions. I am most struck about the fact that while she constantly feels disrespected by Miss Leefolt, her relationships with the children are genuine. She feels like the mother to these children; she loves them and knows how special they are. When she reflects upon the fact that others may realize that she is one of the interviews, she may never be allowed to work for a white woman again. However, this is not what concerns her the most. Rather,  she realizes that "...After the book come out, if folks find out it was us, I probably never get to see these kids again" (390). This illustrates how much she cares for the well being of the children. She is terrified to lose them and the thought of never seeing them again causes her anguish. She wonders who will be there for the children. I find this to be very striking; Aibileen's work is much more than just doing domestic responsibilities and being a caretaker. It is not her role to develop close relationships with the children. Yet, she does which displays her capacity for love and compassion in life.