1. Using quotes “ How did we do? ”

2. First thing, with any work: FOLLOW DIRECTIONS ● Work quotes into your sentences. ● Never use a quoted sentence as a sentence alone in an essay ● Never put a quote in your essay without elaborating on its meaning and/or significance

3. Work quotes into your sentences. ● Despite her repulsion to the blood, Minny “grab[s] the Clorox and rags and a bucket” (278) just to help Miss Celia hide the miscarriage. ● Celia feels comfortable sharing intimate information with Minny like how her life in Sugar Ditch wasn't sweet and how she hoped to, “pretty up all that ugliness,”(59) by tending her flowers.

4. or ● Friends do things for each other and tell each other the truth even when they are wrong. Minny loves Aibileen, but doesn't help her with the book and even tells her the “king-sized mistake [of] trusting a white lady” (159) will only put her in danger.

5. Beware the words saying, for example or like when ● These words tend to just add the quote to the sentence rather than incorporate the quote into the ideas of the sentence. ● Friends do things for each other even when it is uncomfortable like when Minny sees the toilet bowl full of blood and asks, “You got the cramps, Miss Celia?”(271) This quote is just added on to the sentence and doesn't bring anything new or solidify what you are saying.

6. For example, for example ● Friends do things for each other even when it is uncomfortable; for example, Minny “grab[s] the Clorox and the rags and a bucket” (279) to clean up Celia's blood. ● For example just sets the quote apart from the ideas of the sentence. ● Friends like Minny and Celia do things for each other even when the thing- to “grab the Clorox and the rags and a bucket” (279) to clean up Celia's blood-is uncomfortable.

7. Don't use that before a quote ● Celia tells Minny that “[they] got married cause [she] was pregnant.” (275) ● Celia didn't say “that we got married” ● Just take that out

8. Never use a quoted sentence as a sentence alone in an essay ● Minny feels the need to make sure Celia is taken care of. “Mister Johnny asked me to look after her.” ( they left the page number out ) ● You cannot depend on the author of a book to also provide you with complete sentences for your writing. ● Minny feels the need to make sure Celia is taken care of out of friendship and because, “Mister Johnny asked [her] to look after [Celia].”

9. Change or take out words as needed ● While you are deciding which part of a sentence will best add to your ideas, make sure you then make that best part fit your sentence. ● While they were sitting on the floor Celia wants Minny to take the baby away and Minny says, “Alright. I nod, like I know what I'm doing.” (274) ● Would Minny have really have said, “I nod”?

10. ● Even though Minny smells the “wraft of warm, wretched air coming off that toilet...I sit with half my bottom in the bathroom.” ● Does I really fit in that sentence? Who is I? ● Even though Minny smells the “wraft of warm, wretched air coming off that toilet...[she] sit[s] with half [her] bottom in the bathroom.”

11. ● Never put a quote in your essay without elaborating on its meaning and/or significance ● Celia tells Minny her thoughts about the miscarriage by saying, “like it'd rather be dead than stand being inside me another second,” and when she says “we got married cause I was pregnant.” ● Not only did this person not give page numbers, but ends the sentence with a dependent clause with nothing to depend upon and no explanation as to how the reasons for their marriage relate to her thoughts on miscarriage.

12. Don't just tack on a quote to make yourself feel better. ● Friends like Hilly and Skeeter do things for each other even when it is uncomfortable in terms of Skeeter agreeing to go out with Stuart, “Alright, I finally sighed more than anything to get Hilly off my back.” (132) ● This quote adds nothing to the sentence. It is just tacked on in a grammatically incorrect way. ● Skeeter does uncomfortable things which please her friend Hilly not so much out of friendship but, more than anything to get Hilly off [her] back.” (132)

13. Finally, make sure your words are the correct ones ● While Minny knows it is none of her business, she wants to make sure Celia is all right by asking, “Miss Celia, just say something so I know you still alive in there.”(271) ● What did she ask? ● While Minny knows what is going on is none of her business she requests that Celia, “just say something” so that Minny can be assured that Celia is, “still alive in there.” (271)

14. Your grade ● I may come off as harsh and uncaring when you get things back graded, but I don't care because it is better for me to tell you that you are not doing something as best as you can now when you can redo and are getting this for free than when you get to college and have one shot and have to pay. I could give you all an A and make you happy, but you wouldn't learn a thing. ● If I did that I would be fulfilling the belief that politicians and many others have that teachers don't care and are just here to pass you through.

15. ● You will be better at some things when you leave this class than when you came in or you won't have credit. ● For this exercise, a 100 can mean you technically did what was asked with no mistakes. But, one 100 and another 100 paper may be vastly different in skill. All small stickers are for sentences you did exceptionally on. A large sticker is like a 4 in elementary school. Your paper as a whole pleased me and deserved more than just a 100 which is all I can give.