The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Chapter 30 demonstrates how much Monique still misunderstands Evelyn, though she has gotten to know her more over the past few days. Evelyn perceives this as she struggles to hide her indignance at being asked whether she regrets not chasing after Celia; of course she does, as she lost time with the love of her life. Most of all, though, the chapter uses the symbol of Hollywood to convey the meaninglessness of money and fame in the face of heartbreak: everything she sacrificed and suffered for is all she has left, and it is doubly bitter because she now knows “how hollow it is” (192). This, as the most direct admission from Evelyn about regret, suggests the novel’s overall position on The Cost of Fame as too high. The chapter also contrasts Monique’s life with Evelyn’s story as her husband expresses his regrets for leaving. However, Monique’s desire to ignore the issue reveals her true feelings about the end of her marriage; unlike Evelyn, who wishes she had chased after Celia, Monique is ready to move on from David.

Chapters 31 and 32 dive more into the identity politics at play within the novel. This is first accomplished through Evelyn’s interaction with Luisa; Evelyn’s resentment at having her Cuban identity questioned reveals her desire to maintain those cultural ties. No matter how much she has distanced herself from that part of herself, she still perceives her heritage as an essential component of her identity. In acknowledging that it was herself, not Luisa, who denied her identity, Evelyn takes the first crucial step toward Reconciling with One’s True Self. To Evelyn, Luisa represents acceptance and love toward oneself, and the pull she feels toward her maid represents Evelyn’s desire to nurture those traits in herself.

Chapter 32 echoes these insecurities when Evelyn faces her reflection: “I was beautiful. But it didn’t mean anyone loved me” (205). So much of Evelyn’s self-worth is attached to her beauty, to her ability to feel loved and valued for how she makes others feel. However, when alone, she can’t replicate those same emotions within herself, and the absence intensifies her pain. Chapter 32 builds upon the sense that Evelyn must confront her identity outside of how she is perceived and work toward accepting whatever that means for her.

Chapters 33 and 34 serve as further examples of Evelyn’s talent to respond to crises and engineer them to work in her favor. The dissolution of another marriage—which she did plan to fail—could potentially taint her image more if she is believed to be cheated on. The novel alludes to the sexist double standards that would disdain her for her husband’s affair rather than him. However, in contriving a plan that heightens the appeal of their new movie while making all parties equally culpable and equally wronged, Evelyn repeatedly demonstrates her ingenuity and grit. The end of Chapter 33 shifts gears, though, and reiterates the novel’s study of the culture of abuse that surrounds women through Evelyn’s interaction with Ruby; Evelyn’s shock at Ruby also being abused conveys her naiveite and egocentricity; it also communicates that she was unwittingly complicit in Ruby’s abuse. Evelyn’s realization heightens the disappointment she felt toward those who didn’t protect her from her abuser, demonstrating that she, too, can be guilty of the same neglect and ignorance that failed her.

Harry and Evelyn’s decision to marry in Chapter 34 demonstrates the many forms of love that the novel advocates for; though Evelyn hopes to be fulfilled by romantic love, it is Harry’s declaration of platonic love that is most moving to her thus far. He sees her as an equal and a companion, but, most of all, as family. Their nontraditional relationship serves the narrative as a study of the varieties of love that can coexist and be equally fulfilling.