The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Chapter 15 builds upon the significance of Celia and Evelyn’s relationship. The novel positions the two as foils; they navigate Hollywood differently but for the same reasons. Evelyn’s willingness to use and hurt other people to succeed stems from an understanding that the public doesn’t perceive her as a serious actress; she must be cunning because the world reduces her to her bombshell image. On the other hand, Celia is incapable of successfully manipulating others or even her image because of how authentically talented she is. Though also clever, she hasn’t been forced to acquire the same skills as Evelyn to succeed. Yet, their differences complement each other well. They combine their talents to succeed, which is presented as unprecedented among women in Hollywood. When they choose friendship instead of “backstabbing,” the novel usurps the reductive stereotypes of catty and competitive actresses with an image of female empowerment.

The slanderous article about Evelyn discussed in Chapter 16 epitomizes the specific challenges women face in constructing public images and the way negative press never affects men in the same ways it does women. By portraying Evelyn as a cold and distant wife for choosing to prioritize her career over having children, the article perpetuates the patriarchal and enduring narrative that women are selfish for not procreating. The article attacks Evelyn on the many ways she fails to subscribe to domesticity, including not keeping “a clean house or mind[ing] her husband’s simple requests” (99). The opinions expressed here not only root the novel in 1959—in which these views were more widely maintained—but also demonstrate the problems Evelyn faces by simply existing as a woman in Hollywood. It also serves as an opportunity for her to demonstrate just how shrewd she is as she quickly comes up with a plan to remedy the damage done to her reputation. In faking a miscarriage, Evelyn weaponizes her femininity and uses the unfair standards held against her to bolster her image.

Chapters 17 and 18 allude to a change in Celia and Evelyn’s relationship immediately as they become more familiar. Their intimacy is represented by their willingness to confess their histories and feelings to one another; their desire for one another is represented in their respective observations. As Celia describes Evelyn’s “chest” and “full lips,” she betrays her desire for Evelyn (108). Similarly, Evelyn’s attraction to Celia is represented as she can’t stop watching her as she changes. That night transforms the dynamic of their relationship—and they both know it. When Don walks in on them, their startled response and Evelyn’s quick cover-up convey their guilt, though they haven’t done anything. At the premiere, Celia’s wish that they could just attend together instead of with dates is a poignant reminder of the era they live in, representing another obstacle a romantic relationship between them would encounter.

Evelyn’s feelings for Celia only become more apparent as the night progresses; she feels jealous of Celia’s date, despite knowing that Celia despises him; she feels only pride and happiness for her friend; and when she reaches over to touch Celia, she does so knowing it might result in another attack from Don. The revelation that Celia is a lesbian, though, must compete with the revelation that Don is cheating on Evelyn. Her first thoughts, which are not agony over her husband’s betrayal but a desire to find Celia, show where her loyalty and love truly lie. Moreover, her shock is not because of Celia’s sexual orientation, but because of discovering it from Ruby. Evelyn’s desire to protect Celia is foreshadowed by her defending Celia from Ruby’s jealousy; now, her response reflects her understanding of what public knowledge of her sexuality truly means for Celia.

Chapter 19 focuses on the theme of Reconciling with One’s True Self as Evelyn officially tells someone that she is bisexual. This theme is accomplished twofold; in Evelyn’s coming out on her own terms, and in her distinguishing herself as bisexual when Monique describes her as gay. The nuances of identity are important to this text; they connect the two women beyond the scope of the interview. Monique, who has always struggled to accept the duality of her existence as a biracial woman, eventually finds self-acceptance by knowing that both of those parts of her identity are a part of her whole, rather than making her incomplete.

Similarly, Evelyn asserts the duality of her existence as a bisexual woman by responding: “Don’t ignore half of me so you can fit me into a box” (123). Evelyn’s distinction is indicative of the future book’s goal to expose the truth. She’d spent her entire life being too visible but never truly seen. This also alludes to a possible reason why Evelyn chose Monique; though being bisexual and biracial are not the same experience, they are two facets of identity that are often subject to disregard and marginalization in the very communities to which they belong. With Evelyn and Monique, the novel undermines limited approaches to identity and focuses on the many things that contribute to a person’s sense of wholeness.