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
Evelyn and Max marry in Joshua Tree in the company of Harry, Connor, and Max’s brother. Evelyn wears a blue dress and Max wears white linen. That night, everyone else flies home while Evelyn and Max stay together in a cabin in the desert. They have sex, play cards, and talk about potential movies. When Max suggests Evelyn play an action hero, she reminds him she’s in her forties, but he tells her she can do whatever she wants: she’s “Evelyn Hugo.” She tells him he doesn’t need to call her by her full name, but he replies, “That is who you are.”
The casual, secluded nature of this wedding shows that Evelyn understands that the official, outward signs of a relationship are less important than the genuine connection between herself and her spouse. Max still sees Evelyn as a perpetually recognizable icon, though. Even though they’re married, he can’t see past her existence as “Evelyn Hugo”—or if he can, whatever’s beneath that persona doesn’t interest him.
Themes
When Evelyn wakes up the next morning, Max tells her that this isn’t how he imagined life with her—it lacks the glory he envisioned. He explains that he hates the desert and thinks they should go back to the city. At the airport, Max buys a copy of People magazine and shows Evelyn the article about their wedding, excited to be featured. He fixates on the picture of him, worrying about his weight. Evelyn realizes he’s preoccupied by the idea of being seen with her. Her heart breaks as she realizes Max is obsessed with the idea of her as a famous actor, not the reality of life with her.
Max’s quick change in attitude—from infatuation to restlessness—is a sign of his appetite for media and public appearances. Max doesn’t care if Evelyn’s happy in the desert; he’s more interested in appearing to enjoy himself than in experience pleasure for its own sake. Tabloid gossip is a novel excitement to him, while to Evelyn, it’s more of a nuisance.
Themes
After four months of marriage, Evelyn realizes that Max has no intention of loving the real her: the idea of her is more attractive to him. After she realizes that, she’s still reluctant to leave him because she doesn’t want to get a divorce. Max shows her off around town like a trophy, never understanding that she’s not the woman from his movies.
Evelyn would rather continue an unfulfilling relationship than go through a public divorce. This illustrates that romance isn’t her priority—instead, she’s willing to sacrifice interpersonal fulfillment for a stable career.
Themes
