On the morning of the barbecue, Scarlett laces her 17-inch waist into a gown that she hopes will dazzle all the men in attendance, especially Ashley. Mammy forces her to eat ahead of time, which is difficult given her tight corset. Scarlett and her two younger sisters, Suellen and Carreen, climb into a carriage to drive to Twelve Oaks, the Wilkes plantation. Ellen stays behind to deal with firing the overseer, who now hates her. Meanwhile, Gerald happily escorts his daughters to the party.

After arriving at the Wilkes plantation, Scarlett finds Ashley on the arm of his betrothed, Melanie Hamilton. She is disdainful because Melanie is plain, mousy, and intellectual. Melanie appears to love Ashley, and he also seems fond of her. As an act of spite, Scarlett attracts all the unmarried men at the barbecue, raising the ire of all the unmarried girls.

Melanie’s brother Charles is clearly infatuated with Scarlett and proposes marriage. She stalls him with a vague answer, trying to find an opportunity to speak to Ashley alone. During the afternoon, Scarlett notices a swarthy man named Rhett Butler. She hears rumors that he isn’t received in polite society because of a dueling incident in Charleston.