The storyline opens in August of 1962 with Aibileen describing the birth of Mae Mobley Leefolt just two years earlier. Aibileen is an older black maid who's raising her 17th white child. With racism thriving in the sizzling 60's Aiblileen is surrounded by racism and prejudice in the deep south of Mississippi. Although Aiblileen has shown nothing but respect and love for the children that she's raised, she is often looked down upon by the people that employ her.
With her son recently killed, Aibileen treats her newly born "white child" as her own. However, The Leefolt's (her employers) don't necessarily like that, especially miss Leefolt. Whenever Aibileen leaves Mae Mobley just cries and cries awaiting her true caretaker to come back. Miss Leefolt doesn't do anything about her and just lets her cry, but get's mad when Aibileen comes to help, as Aiblileen's other employers had done.
Every week Miss Leefolt throws a huge tea party with all the neighborhood ladies and they talk about just about everything they know nothing about. Just about every time they have a party one of the discussions ends up being about black people but Aibileen just holds her head high and keeps moving, just doing what she has to do to get through the day.
I originally chose this book at random but so far it's turned out to be pretty enjoyable. It reminds me of To Kill A Mockingbird but told through the eyes of Calpurnia. I have a feeling that as the story progresses, Mae Mobley will turn into a Scout-like Character and i'll be able to read about her growing up. Well, atleast i hope that happens.
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