Celia does not know how she is supposed to treat a black maid, so she treats Minny like a guest, offering her a cool drink and asking if she'd like to have a seat. Her kindness unsettles Minny and makes her suspicious. Celia is the first character who does not seem racist, but her lack of judgment seems to come from a childlike innocence. Because Celia comes from poverty she does not know the ways of wealthy white women in Jackson. Future chapters unveil her desperate attempts to gain access into the community, but her role as an outsider allows her acceptance of Minny as a person and not just another black maid.