How It All Goes Down
The Benefit
- This chapter (the only one with a title, you'll notice) is told from a third-person, omniscient point-of-view and is set at the Jackson Junior League Annual Ball and Benefit. Money raised here goes to The Poor Starving Children of Africa.
- All ladies are dressed conservatively, with no skin showing.
- When Johnny and Celia, in her sexy gown, show up, everybody stops to look at them. The men are appreciative and the ladies are stiff and angry. Celia tries making friends, but is shunned.
- She's been drinking and just gets drunker. Skeeter arrives and is also shunned.
- Aibileen and Minny catch glimpses of the scene while they work.
- After the main course, Hilly speaks. She thanks everybody for their help. She gives a special thanks to "the anonymous contributor of, ahem, supplies for the Home Help Sanitation Initiative" (25.58). Everybody turns to stare at Skeeter.
- During the baked goods auction, Celia tries to talk to Hilly, but Hilly hides. When Celia goes to the bathroom, Hilly tries flirting with Johnny by insulting Celia. Double ouch.
- Soon, the results of the auction are announced. Somehow, Hilly wins "Minny Jackson's world famous chocolate custard pie" (25.96).
- Celia, who is really drunk now, congratulates her. Hilly accuses Celia of signing her up for the pie and wants to know who Celia has told about Minny and the pie.
- Celia has no idea what Hilly's talking about.
- She just wants to explain that she and Johnny started dating after Hilly and Johnny broke up. She reaches for Hilly and accidentally tears Hilly's dress.
- Hilly won't stop talking about the pie. Celia says she knows nothing about it.
- When Hilly calls her a liar, Celia starts to cry…then vomits on the carpet.
- Later, when almost everybody is gone, Hilly learns that her mother, Miss Walters, is the one who signed her up for the pie. She says, "I may not remember my name or what country I live in, but you and that pie is something I will never forget" (25.144).