Summary and Analysis
Chapter 31 - Aibileen
Summary
Aibileen is waiting for Elizabeth and Hilly to read the book. She is nervous every day about the possible fallout. She overhears Hilly threaten to find out, reveal, and punish every single maid involved.
Analysis
Miss Taylor continues to convey her racism against black people. She punishes Mae Mobley for drawing herself as a girl with dark skin. Miss Taylor says that black means dirty and bad. Aibileen is furious but she cannot express it and hides the picture form Elizabeth fearing that Mae Mobley would be punished also by her mama. The mixed messages that children receive about the struggles between black and white within their community are clearly confusing, conflicting, and hurtful. Mae Mobley loves Aibileen and cannot imagine why that love is wrong. Aibileen feels that Miss Taylor might be undoing all the positive messages she is been trying to teach Mae Mobley about loving all people and not judging someone by the color of their skin.