The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Essay Questions

To what extent does Evelyn manipulate Monique? Is Evelyn justified in lying to Monique?

Evelyn is quite mysterious and withholding with Monique throughout their interactions; she lures Monique to meet with her on false pretenses, and more significantly, she waits a long time to reveal her connection to Monique's father. Evelyn also does not explicitly tell Monique about her plan to end her own life. Evelyn's selective disclosure of information is calculated to ensure that she gets what she wants: control of her story, and how it is presented to the world, as well as control over her death. If Evelyn had been more forthcoming with Monique from the beginning, it would almost certainly have impacted Monique's portrayal of Evelyn. Significantly, Evelyn's wealth and fame also impact the power dynamic between her and Monique, giving Evelyn an important upper hand in all of their dynamics.

It is debatable whether Evelyn's manipulation and lack of transparency in her dealings with Monique is justified or not. This moral ambiguity aligns with the overall portrayal of Evelyn as a complex and challenging character; it would be less coherent if Evelyn was completely ethical in the way that she engaged with Monique.

Why does Evelyn target Hollywood stardom as the pathway to changing her life?

Evelyn grows up in extremely humble origins, and especially as an uneducated woman of color, she does not have much opportunity for advancement. She makes a bold and risky choice to pursue a career as a Hollywood star; on one hand, this choice reveals Evelyn's confidence and even arrogance. She believes in herself even when the odds of success seem unlikely, and this self-confidence will enable her to take many risks throughout her life and career. On the other hand, pursuing a Hollywood career is a calculated and strategic move that shows Evelyn's self-awareness, and knowledge of the world around her. From a very young age, Evelyn understands that she is striking, charismatic, and sexually alluring; these qualities will enable her to succeed in a field like acting, where physical appearance is very important. Evelyn is also good at pretending to be whatever is necessary, and adapting her identity and persona, which naturally lends itself to acting. Finally, Evelyn is very honest about her moral relativism, and willingness to act in ways that benefit herself and the people she cares about. These qualities were likely to help her succeed in Hollywood, and so Evelyn was being somewhat realistic in correctly assessing that she had the potential to become a huge star.

Why is it significant that Monique is experiencing a separation and divorce while she learns about Evelyn's history?

At the start of working with Evelyn, Monique is feeling quite sad and ashamed about the collapse of her own marriage. She blames herself, and wonders if something is wrong with her. To Monique, the collapse of her marriage seems very disappointing and even tragic. Through listening to Evelyn's story, Monique comes to have a different perspective on marriage, and romantic relationships in general. Evelyn is much more pragmatic, and argues that there are many motivations for marrying (including sometimes primarily self-motivated ones), and that it is often normal for a relationship to run its course, and come to an end. Evelyn does not feel sad or guilty about the end of her many marriages, and she focuses on the ways these relationships served or failed to serve her own goals. This perspective allows Monique to evaluate her idea of what it means for a marriage to fail or succeed. While Evelyn is pragmatic about her marriages, she is also deeply romantic about her one enduring love (with Celia), and this perspective also helps Monique to see her marriage differently. Monique realizes that she never felt the same love Evelyn describes, and that this is what she wants to strive for.

In addition to her love for Celia, Evelyn has an intense and enduring friendship with Harry. What role does friendship play in the novel?

The plot of the novel undermines a traditional focus on heterosexual marriage in several ways: it shows that these marriages can be false, unhappy, temporary, and even dangerous. Evelyn's true love exists outside of all of her legal marriages, in her relationship with Celia. However, Evelyn's platonic friendship with producer Harry Cameron is almost as impactful as her love for Celia, especially since Evelyn and Celia sometimes go years without interacting. Harry is very loyal and devoted to Evelyn, and stands by her no matter what; unlike her more tempestuous relationship with Celia, Harry and Evelyn can have a more comfortable and safe emotional bond. Harry fathers Evelyn's child, complicating the idea of a nuclear family unit, and Evelyn makes one of her most important decisions (to conceal Harry's role in the fatal car accident) due to her loyalty to him. By following the friendship between Harry and Evelyn, the novel shows that friendship can be as impactful and enduring as romantic relationships, and that it can also guide how people build their chosen families.

Overall, has Evelyn led a happy life? Does she die at peace?

In her lifetime, Evelyn achieves things that most people only dream of: vast wealth, fame, and control over her own destiny. She also earns some accolades for her career, including an Oscar. Moreover, Evelyn gets to live a number of years of happiness with her beloved in Spain, and she also gets to be a mother. When Evelyn comes to the end of her life, she acknowledges all of this, and seems to be at peace with what she has achieved. She also has the final luxury of choosing her own death, and leaving life on her own terms. However, Evelyn is quite isolated and alone by the time she dies. Celia, Harry, and her daughter have all predeceased her, and Evelyn no longer finds much meaning in her life without them. It is also not clear if Evelyn is truly honest when she insists she has no regrets about some of the morally ambiguous choices that she has made.