The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Chapter 35 foreshadows Evelyn’s coming revelation; she has consistently alluded to a motivation for choosing Monique, but that motivation has remained obscured as her story progresses. Monique, however, emerges from her position as narrator to inform the reader just how catastrophic that revelation will be.  

Chapters 36 and 37 explore what it means to keep one’s sexuality a secret in Hollywood, particularly representing how those in a privileged position deal with oppression differently than those who don’t enjoy the same privileges. Chapter 36, as Celia and Evelyn are reunited, presents the risks they face and how exterior factors inform their relationship. What has been and continues to be the essential hurdle for them is Evelyn’s unwillingness to come out and Celia’s resentment of her for this despite her own mixed feelings about being openly queer. Their choice to make love literally during the award show is symbolic; they are surrounded by those they’ve been hiding from for years and recognize that, though they are not ready to tell the world about their relationship, they are willing to take some risks for one another.

Chapter 37 offers an alternative—and opposing—view to this; all the hoops the four celebrities jump through to keep their sexuality secret are contrasted by those openly fighting for their shared dream. This is not to condemn those not yet out but, rather, to emphasize that the foursome’s position of privilege is certainly a double-edged sword; they may have more to lose, but they are also neglecting a platform. In deciding to fund the LGBTQ+ cause, they do what they can—and their money is certainly a much-needed and appreciated resource. The mention of the Stonewall Riots centers the text historically, reminding the reader of the political landscape that Evelyn navigated as a young, queer, white-passing woman of color. There were so many barriers she crossed but at the consistent cost of her identity, which she was conditioned to suppress.

Evelyn’s admission of her own insecurities in Chapter 38 highlights how Hollywood and Celia have impacted her relationship with herself. Though it is Celia who fulfills Evelyn, her casually cruel remarks contribute to the fragility Hollywood imprinted upon her ego. When she admits that “taking pride in your beauty is a damning act” because it is something fleeting (237), Evelyn offers a rare moment of vulnerability and self-awareness. Due to The Oversexualization and Commodification of Women’s Bodies, Evelyn has been exclusively valued for her beauty and sexuality, but as she ages, she must come to terms with how this has affected her psyche; she knows that she’s talented, but this admission reveals that she still struggles to recognize that consistently. This chapter humanizes Evelyn, showing that, despite her success and privilege, she is incredibly plagued.

Chapters 39 and 40 demonstrate the love that has filled the two homes because of their respective unions. Harry and Evelyn’s decision to have a baby is a study of unconventionality; Evelyn is 36 (which is certainly not too late but considered later in the 1960s), both are in monogamous relationships, and both see the making of the baby as a means to an end. The decision appears subversive to critiques against queer folk raising children; their baby will be surrounded by love, raised by four people who love one another entirely and come together to support that child’s needs.

Furthermore, the making of a baby is a positive contrast to Evelyn’s previous use of her sexuality; where she once saw sex as transactional—a way for her to achieve her ambitions—she and Harry’s deal is based upon trust and love. This is furthered by Celia’s unexpected support; she chooses to endure the thought of Evelyn sleeping with a man in recognition of the truth behind the act. In this way, the novel positions the three individuals as creating the child by choosing it.