Character List and Analysis
Minny
Minny, a black maid and Aibileen's best friend, has five children and is married to Leroy. She is highly regarded for her cooking skills, but her outspokenness often leads to getting fired. Minny develops an uneasy friendship with her employer, Celia Rae, who becomes devoted to her. Celia and Minny gain strength from each other, leading them to take control of their own lives. In the end, Minny decides to leave her abusive husband and chart an unknown course rather than live with the pain he inflicts.
Minny is an individual struggling against society. Her inner nature is often at war against the world. As a black maid she is expected to be submissive and quiet, but Minny is neither. She says what she feels, often speaking out against the injustice she experiences and witnesses. Her individualism leads to conflict with Hilly Holbrook, who has more power in the society, but it also leads to an uneasy friendship with Celia, her employer. Because Celia guarantees her a place in her home, Minny becomes even more brazen and reveals Hilly's great secret, which imbues Minny with a bit of her own power.