The Help Characters

Elaine Stein is the confident New York City book agent who inspires Skeeter to write her book about the maids. Elaine’s high-power career in New York lets Skeeter see that there are opportunities open to women other than becoming a wife, mother, and homemaker.

Celia’s kindhearted husband who deeply loves his wife, Johnny grew up in a wealthy Southern family. Johnny is the former boyfriend of Miss Hilly, but broke up with her so that he could start dating Celia. Because of his love for his childhood maid, he treats Minny with respect.

Aibileen’s son whose death causes the “bitter seed” to develop inside of her. Before his accidental death, Treelore was writing a book about working for white bosses in Mississippi, a project that motivates Aibileen to tell her own stories to Skeeter.

A real historical figure, the NAACP civil rights activist who was shot and killed by a white pro-segregationist outside his home in Jackson.

– To teach Mae Mobley about civil rights and Martin Luther King, Jr., Aibileen tells her a story about the alien “Martian” Luther King who was discriminated against because he had green skin.

Treelore’s childhood friend who loses his eyesight after a group of white men beat him for using the white’s only bathroom.

Robert Brown’s kind grandmother.

– A quiet woman, Pascagoula is the current maid at Skeeter’s home.

The maid who accuses Skeeter of profiting from the other maids’ stories.

A white women who treats her maid with kindness. Lou Anne tells Skeeter that it was a good thing that she wrote the book.

A segregationist senator, an alcoholic, and father to Stuart Whitworth Jr.

Stuart Jr.’s mother and lover of all things related to the Civil War and the Confederate States of America.

Minny’s abusive husband who beats her just for the pleasure of it. Minny leaves him at the end of the novel.

Elizabeth Leefolt’s second child, whom Mae Mobley tries to teach the fundamentals of tolerance.

The fictional maid from Gone with the Wind. Minny thinks the character is a bad portrayal of a black woman because she is too timid and seems to enjoy slavery.

The main character in Gone with the Wind whose family owns the slave Mammy.

– The original author of the housekeeping column who has a mental breakdown.

Stuart’s former fiancée who sleeps with a civil rights activist and then goes to live in California. She calls Stuart a “whore” for his father and for the state of Mississippi.

Elizabeth Leefolt’s husband who is mostly absent throughout the novel.

– Hilly’s husband who is running for a position in local government.

The stern doctor who helps Celia recover from the miscarriage and tells Minny that Celia is lazy.

Skeeter’s mostly silent father who expresses distain for the violent racism of the South.

Skeeter’s brother who gives her the nickname “skeeter” because she looked like a mosquito as a baby.

– The famous Confederate Army general who slept in a bed at Stuart Whitworth’s house during the war.

Hilly’s first child. Aibileen is surprised how Hilly, a normally heartless woman, treats her daughter with attention and care.

Hilly’s second child, whom she also treats with love.