Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Ambition vs. Morality
Femininity, Sexuality, and Power
Truth and Identity
Family
Summary
Analysis
The next night, Evelyn puts on a revealing dress and drives up the road with Harry. When they pull over, Evelyn asks Harry if he’s ever kissed or had sex with a woman; though he has, he didn’t really enjoy it. She begins to direct his movements. When a car approaches, Harry panics and kisses Evelyn, but the car keeps going—it was just a passing neighbor. Harry proposes that he and Evelyn really get married: he loves her, even if not romantically, and perhaps they could raise a family together. He knows he can’t give her everything she’d want from a relationship, but they know each other well enough to work well together.
Harry’s less accustomed to choreographing convincing, false scenes like this than Evelyn is, which is why he panics while she stays calm. His suggestion of marriage shows he’s able to envision the idea of a family separate from sexual fulfilment: like Evelyn, he has a realistic attitude and knows that he’ll probably never gain true fulfilment all in the same place.
Themes
Evelyn envisions her marriage to Harry allowing her and Celia to have a real relationship the way he and John do, and even if she can’t be with Celia, a life with Harry is all she wants. When another car approaches, Harry kisses Evelyn and slips his hand down her dress: the photo printed the next day is appropriately scandalous. When Evelyn and Rex’s film comes out, it sets a record for the longest run in theaters.
Again, marriage is just another strategic tool for Evelyn, but this time she uses it to succeed romantically, not professionally. Celia is the only one she can imagine loving in a romantic way: she’d rather be with Harry than pursue love elsewhere. The success of Evelyn and Rex’s film is another reminder that scandal makes money in Hollywood.
Themes
