Few features of The Help draw as much discussion as its use of dialect. Aibileen and Minny narrate in a written dialect, while Skeeter narrates in standard English. Readers and critics have praised the authenticity and questioned the choice, and both reactions are worth teaching.

Students often start by saying the dialect makes the characters feel real. That is a reasonable first response, but it is not yet analysis. Real to whom, and according to what?

Good essays go a step further. They ask what the dialect does, what it signals about class and race, and whether a white author writing Black speech carries risks. Those questions turn a craft observation into an argument.

Because this topic touches on representation, it also demands care in how you frame the assignment and how you grade it.

Separating voice from spelling

Voice is more than phonetic spelling. It includes vocabulary, sentence length, what a narrator notices, and what she leaves unsaid. Ask students to look at all of these, not just the apostrophes.

• Sentence rhythm and length in Aibileen's chapters compared with Skeeter's
• Vocabulary and figurative language that reveal a narrator's priorities
• What each narrator chooses to observe in a shared scene
• How humor operates differently in Minny's narration
• Where standard and nonstandard English appear in the same passage

Rubric language for a sensitive topic

Grade the quality of the argument, not the position taken. A student who defends Stockett's approach and a student who criticizes it can both earn top marks if their reasoning is strong. Say this out loud before students start writing.

Include a row for evidence from the text and, where relevant, from published criticism. Students who cite specific passages and engage outside voices demonstrate depth. Students who rely on general impressions do not.

Common issues to watch for

Some students treat dialect as a flaw or a virtue without exploring both sides. Encourage them to acknowledge complexity. A paragraph that weighs authenticity against stereotype shows more maturity than one that picks a side too quickly.

Watch for essays that quote dialect in a mocking tone or imitate it in their own writing. A brief classroom norm about respectful quotation prevents most of this. Address it in feedback when it appears.

Giving feedback that deepens thinking

Ask follow-up questions in the margins. Why might Stockett have given Skeeter standard English? What would the scene lose in another voice? These prompts help students see craft as a set of choices.

If you use AI-assisted feedback, set the rubric so it rewards explanation over description. That keeps automated comments pointing students toward analysis. Review them first, especially on a topic this sensitive.