In 1963 Jackson, Mississippi, Aibileen Clark is a black maid who raises the children of Elizabeth Leefolt, a white woman suffering from postpartum depression, who refuses to acknowledge her daughter Mae Mobley other than by disciplining her. Aibileen's best friend is Minny Jackson, an outspoken black maid who works for Hilly Holbrook's senile mother, Mrs. Walters. While Minny may have an outspoken attitude, she has won favor with her great cooking skills. Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is a young white woman returning home after graduating from the University of Mississippi[2] to find that her mother Charlotte has fired her childhood nanny and maid Constantine.Much to her mother's chagrin, Skeeter aspires to have a successful writing career. After spending time with Aibileen, forward-thinking Skeeter becomes increasingly disgusted with the attitudes and poor treatment of her white socialite friends towards their "help" (they even begin campaigning to require the maids to only use the restroom in dingy, shabby, and non-air conditioned outhouses in the extreme heat and exposed to the elements, with Hilly saying "[Blacks] carry different diseases.") and decides to write about the experiences of their housekeepers. The maids are reluctant to cooperate, afraid of retribution from their employers and the Anti-Civil Rights movement, but Aibileen eventually agrees, becoming emotionally attached to the project as it allows her to find closure on the death of her son four years previously. Minny also cooperates after Hilly fires her for using the guest-bathroom and refusing to go out in tornado weather to use the help's toilet, and later makes false claims that Minny had been fired for stealing, making it nearly impossible for her to get new employment.Minny eventually finds work with working-class Celia Foote, who is married to wealthy socialite (and former beau of Hilly) Johnny Foote. Celia is starved for friendship due to Hilly's efforts to ensure she remains a social pariah. Celia informs Minny that she's pregnant and befriends her over cooking lessons, while hiding the fact that she has hired a maid from Johnny. The relationship between Celia and Minny deepens further after Celia miscarries.Skeeter submits the draft book to Harper &amp; Row. Her editor, Elaine Stein, advises her that more maids' stories need to be included. Following the brutal arrest of Yule May, Hilly's replacement maid, more maids decide to offer their insight to Skeeter.Following the assassinations of Medgar Evers and then of President Kennedy, Aibileen, and Minny worry that some maids and families will be recognized in the book. Minny, as a form of insurance, reveals her "Terrible Awful" story. In a fit of pique over being fired and having her reputation damaged by Hilly's lies, Minny baked her own excrement into a chocolate pie for Hilly. Hilly ate two slices before Minny told her what was in it, as she prevented Mrs. Walters from having a slice. Minny predicts its inclusion will keep the other maids safe from retribution, as Hilly will wield her social influence to convince everyone that the story did not take place in Jackson to protect her own reputation.With the book almost finished, Skeeter confronts her mother about Constantine. Charlotte reveals that during a lunch with the local chapter of the Daughters of America, Constantine's daughter Rachel arrived and embarrassed Charlotte by disobeying her order to enter through the kitchen. In order to save face, Charlotte fired Constantine and ordered her and Rachel to leave immediately. Afterward, Rachel took Constantine home with her to Chicago. Charlotte had every intention of bringing Constantine back, but by the time she sent her son to bring her back, Constantine had died.The book, published anonymously, is a success. Minny confesses about the Terrible Awful to Celia and Hilly does everything in her power to protect her reputation when she notices the Terrible Awful in the book. She becomes unhinged when a contribution from Celia to one of Hilly's charitable works is made out to "Two Slice Hilly." She drives intoxicated to the Phelan plantation to confront Skeeter and inform Charlotte about her daughter's "hippie ways". Charlotte implies that she already knows that Hilly is the subject of the story and orders her off the property. Charlotte and Skeeter reconcile, and Charlotte offers to help Skeeter prepare to move to Manhattan where she has been offered a job with Harper &amp; Row.Johnny reveals that he knows that Minny has been helping Celia and that Celia had informed him of the babies she miscarried. Johnny and Celia inform Minny she has a job with them for as long as she wants. This kindness gives Minny the courage to leave her abusive husband and take her children to live with the Footes.Hilly returns to her old ways. Since she cannot expose herself as the subject in the book, Hilly attempts to frame Aibileen for theft and, after pressuring weak-willed Elizabeth into silence, tells Aibileen that she is fired. Aibileen condemns Hilly as a godless, vindictive woman. Defeated and humiliated, Hilly breaks down in tears and leaves. After saying farewell to Mae Mobley, Aibileen leaves for a new life, reflecting on her desire to become a writer.
Output: Question: who does everything in her power to protect her reputation?, Answer: Celia and Hilly