Guiding Questions:
Q1 Why has Miss Celia been so secretive about what she does in the bedroom upstairs?
She was having kind of liquid medicine to help her keep the baby. Because of being filled in Whiskey bottles, the medicine was thought liqueur by Minny.
Q2 What happens after the dinner at Senator’s house?
A lot of things happened... I remember Stuart was angry with Skeeter and the broke up because of ...I don't know. I think it's funny to break with each other for such a reason. It couldn't even be called a reason...
My Ideas
We all talked about which character we like the most. Everyone has his or her own opinion. I think we all think differently because we had different educational background and had different experiences. This is the same thing in this novel. Skeeter is independent and helpful to other colored people. Minny is strait and she always knows what should be done and what should not. However she just couldn't help herself. While Aibileen, after all she had had, became a strong and sophisticated woman in dealing with all kinds of relationships with white employers and colored maids.
These chapters read vividly traits of those characters. Among all of them, I like Skeeter not because she's kind of person I would love to become to. Not too aggressive, nor too weak. I'm now very alike to Minny, who can't hold things and lose temper sometimes. Being too strait sometimes hurts others, and always hurts myself as well. Every reader will have a favorite character of one's own and dislike some characters too. But no one should be to blame because of the impropriate behaves or things they have done. If you are involved in liking or hating someone really much, then the writer had done a very successful job. She drew your attention and personal emotions successfully.
With the developing of this story, my interests and love for Aibileen grow as well. I have a feeling of that she's really fond of kids. And the way she acts and teaches those kids is what a true mother should learn.
One of her monologues of hers is as following:
She take it real serious, the unwrapping, letting me tell the stories bout how it ain't the color a the wrapping that count, it's what we is inside.
However, the simplest principle could not be understood by many people.
Celia is also an interesting character, you'll see what I'm talking about by this scene.
“Hello there,” she say, licking her lipsticky lips. She raise her hand out to me and I think she giving me something. I reach out to take whatever it is and she give me a funny little handshake.
This is the monologue of Aibileen's, but it shows that Ms. Celia is the opposite side of the White Class. She behaves as normally as people nowadays. However, in the eyes of people from that period, she's maybe a fool.
Expressions
不知道大家还记不记得以前读红楼梦里面的一些情节，各种活色生香的器物的名词，有点类似，这其中去（Stuart的家）参议员家吃饭的两章是读起来相对无趣的部分（相亲见父母），也可能是因为有很多生词。我气不过，干脆就一个一个查出来。
It is tall and white-columned, appropriately azalea-ed.
1. azalea n. 杜鹃花
这个词应该出现几次了，不过这里作者应该是把名词动用，和前面columned一样，用白柱子装扮的，这里表示用杜鹃花装扮的。
A gold plaque declares it a historical landmark.
2. plaque n. 匾；血小板；饰板
N-COUNT A plaque is a flat piece of metal or stone with writing on it which is fixed to a wall or other structure to remind people of an important person or event. (金属或石质的) 匾额
说明参议员大人家不但华贵，还有历史性意义。
Gas lanterns flicker despite the hot six o’clock sun.
3. flicker
vi. 闪烁；摇曳；颤动；扑动翅膀；假装昏倒
vt. 使闪烁；使摇曳
n. 闪烁；闪光；电影
V-I If a light or flameflickers, it shines unsteadily. 闪烁不定
这里明显是指煤油灯顶着烈日闪烁着，显示出一副了不起的样子。
flicker 还有颤动的意思，比如
But I see it, the flicker on her mouth, a hint of softness beneath her anger.
这里是说看到Minny嘴巴上的颤动，一丝温柔藏在她的气愤之下。
His belt is cinched too tight to be comfortable much less fashionable.
4. cinch
n. 肚带；紧握；有把握的事情
vt. 紧握住；系肚带
We step into the foyer and the first thing I see is the chandelier, sparkling, gauzy with light.
5. foyer
n. 门厅，休息室；大厅
6. chandelier
n. 枝形吊灯
7. gauzy
adj. 薄的；纱似的；轻薄透明的
总之还是夸参议员家美。
I look down from my lollygagging.
8. lollygag
V to loiter aimlessly 无所事事[美国英语]
查了词典这个词是指无所事事虚度光阴，想来想去想不通，看了英语解释豁然开朗，就是正瞎逛呢，然后往下看。
She has on a suit like mine, thankfully, but in crimson.
9. crimson
n. 深红色
adj. 深红色的
vt. 使变为深红色；脸红
vi. 变为深红色；脸红
She is almost my height in her peau de soie heels.
10. peau de soie
N. a rich reversible silk or rayon fabric 双面横棱缎
女主秀了一段法语来夸参议员夫人有钱有品位。
I gasp as a prong of her ring scratches my skin.
11. prong
vt. 刺；贯穿；翻掘
n. 耙子；叉状物
是不是很懵逼，
The prongs of something such as a fork are the long, thin pointed parts.
这里就是说参议员夫人的戒指托挂着她了。
“There she is!” Behind Missus Whitworth, a tall, bull-chested man lumbers toward me.
12. lumber
vi. 伐木；喧闹地向前走；笨重地行动，缓慢地移动
vt. 砍伐木材；乱堆
n. 木材；废物，无用的杂物；隆隆声
我们熟知的意思是伐木、木材，这里指 move heavily or clumsily
参议员大人长了个牛胸，沉重地朝女主走来。然后给了个熊抱，这是后话。
Daddy follows and I cringe at the fine line of mud on the back of his shoe.
13. cringe
If you cringe at something, you feel embarrassed or disgusted, and perhaps show this feeling in your expression or by making a slight movement. 感到局促不安
One more swipe of the rag would’ve gotten it, but Daddy’s not used to wearing good loafers on a Saturday.
14. loafer
n. 乐福鞋；懒汉鞋
a low leather step-in shoe; the top resembles a moccasin but it has a broad flat heel
We move into a formal living room with ornate molding and green velvet settees, so full of heavy furniture I can hardly see the floor.
15. ornate
adj. 华丽的；装饰的；（文体）绚丽的
rich in decorative detail
16. molding
n. 模塑；铸造；装饰用的嵌线
17. settee
n. 有靠背的长椅；中型沙发
不用说，这都是参议员家才有的词。
