By Julia Allegro
Analysis Context:
Novel: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Prompt Question (found at the back of the novel): On page 146, Monique says, “I have to ‘Evelyn Hugo’ Evelyn Hugo”. What does it mean to “Evelyn Hugo”?
Novel Synopsis: After decades of fame, international movie star Evelyn Hugo is ready to tell the world her truth. From heartbreak to the love of her life and all the pretenses she’s assumed, Evelyn is ready to come clean to the world. She does this by getting writer Monique Grant to write her life story as a biography. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is mainly told through the perspective of Monique while Evelyn is confessing her story. Because of this, readers get a defined understanding of who Evelyn is on a personal level. We learn about the scars and stories that arise from a life of stardom. We learn what it means to be Evelyn Hugo.
Analysis:
What does it mean to “Evelyn Hugo”? To fully understand this question you should have some context on who Evelyn is as a person, and where she came from. I think right off the bat, Evelyn would want you to know her true name is not the false persona ‘Evelyn Hugo’ crafted to appeal to Western culture. Evelyn Herrera is the name her Cuban mother gave her. Evelyn Hugo is a fictional character (ironically in the work of fiction and in itself) inspired by many historical people. Vogue says some of these include Elizabeth Taylor (an iconic actress of the 50s) and her seven marriages, Ava Garder who revealed secrets of her life through an autobiography (like Evelyn), Rita Hayworth who changed her name for the American gaze, and actress of the 60s Gina Pareño who recently revealed she is a part of the LGBTQ+ community (over five decades after her name in fame!) (Williams). These amazing women may have shaped the creation and idea of Evelyn Hugo, as she is a melting pot of them and much more.
On page 146, Monique used the phrase “I have to ‘Evelyn Hugo’ Evelyn Hugo” in means of defiance. Monique was essentially forcing Hugo into doing a photo shoot for her magazine, or else Monique would not write her story. Evelyn was seemingly pleased by this after agreeing when she said, “You keep this up, you might just rule your own part of the world one day” (Reid 147). Much later in the story, Evelyn encountered her taxi driver, Nick, who did much of the same thing. Nick happened to be at the right place at the right time and encountered Evelyn in the act of something she needed to be pushed under the rug. Nick swore he would not speak a word of it at the price that he would find fame, as he was a low-grade actor when they met. Evelyn was astonished by Nick’s astute take on the situation, thinking she would have been impressed to meet him in the young stages of her career (as this event took place later in the story). All this to say that in the moment of action surely Evelyn resented both Monique and Nick, but if roles were switched she would have done the same thing. This is shown in the quotation, “Don’t be so tied up to do the right thing when the smart thing is painfully clear” (Reid 30).
Ironically, Evelyn always seems pleased when she sees other people “Evelyn Hugo”. Especially those she loved. To “Evelyn Hugo” seems to be an effect that rubs off on those who realize potential in convoluted situations. This is displayed when Celia (Evelyn’s wife) comes up with a plan to get them out of the public eye, Evelyn was impressed with her scheming joking, “The student has become the master” (Reid 317). The Evelyn Hugo effect will take hold of those in unfortunate situations who yearn for more. This can be related to the recurring motif of Evelyn's role in Little Women. Evelyn played the role of Jo March, a woman trying to make her way in a man's world. Jo “Evelyn Hugoed” society as she wrote and sold her novel proving women can lead their own lives, without the aid of a man. Evelyn unfortunately wouldn’t be who she is today without her hardships suffered at the hands of avaricious men. She made a point at the beginning of her story to “be wary of men with something to prove” (Reid 76). This was a foreshadow of her continuous mistreatment, with one of the most prominent examples of this being her abusive husband, Don Adler. Throughout this marriage, Evelyn’s understanding of complex human nature deepened. She and Don were in love, and then they were not. He became violent and began cheating on her. Evelyn went through confusing emotions displayed in the quotation, “It’s always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly” (Reid 251). Later in the story after their divorce, Evelyn meets with Don and he sincerely apologizes for what he did. Though Evelyn appreciates the apology, she is not ready to forgive him and lets him know this. This shows Evelyn's maturation later on in the story and her development of self-respect and boundaries. Events like these hardened her into the star we get to know her as in the end.
As of yet, I have discussed characteristics that can be put under the umbrella of the newly developing verb “to Evelyn Hugo”. Some of the main points being manipulation, tenacity, and self worth. Though these words only skim the surface of who Evelyn Hugo is, it is important to analyze themes that may have driven Evelyn into the person she became. During the years of setting that The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo took place, historically there was a rise in film and cinematography. Popular culture began booming as civilians took interest in movie stars' lives. Evidently, this is where Evelyn finds her value, but many times throughout the story, she recognizes her value was solely materialistic. Evelyn Hugo rose to fame because of her undeniable beauty, she knew this and wielded it as a weapon of her choosing. This was clearly displayed in the quotation, after Evelyn’s first hook up, “Look what I do to these poor boys, I thought. And yet also, Here is my value, my power” (Reid 43). This is initially why Evelyn Hugo was intimidated by Celia St. James, she was nowhere near as beautiful as Evelyn, but could easily “act her under the table” (Reid 82). At the beginning, it became clear that Evelyn would do what she had to to become famous. Which is when the theme of morality vs. success became apparent. To state it plainly, within the first 50 pages of the novel, Evelyn Hugo traded her innocence for a ride to Hollywood. She married a man significantly older than her purely for his name and divorced him the second she was on her own two feet in Hollywood. Evelyn recognized the unfairness of what she did to her first husband in the quotation, “I’m not proud of what I did to him; it didn't feel casual to me, the way I hurt him. It didn't then and it doesn’t now” (Reid 52), but she continues to say that it is what got her out of her abusive home and into the light of fame. So, she was not sorry. Continually in modern-day Hollywood, the theme of appearance vs. reality will always be at the forefront. This deception was painstakingly clear in the endless newspaper tabloids published around Evelyn. Focusing on her husbands, her beauty, and her money, when in the end Evelyn states, “Evelyn Hugo doesn’t care if everyone forgets her name… Evelyn Hugo just wants to go home [to see] her daughter, and her lover, and her best friend, and her mother” (Reid 358). The papers made her out to be a sexpot who carelessly went through husband after husband. Evelyn did what she had to to protect her loved ones, and surely knows the price of fame. But, by the end of the story, it became clear that she would have given it all up in a heartbeat to live a long full life with those she loves most.
Evelyn Hugo is a fictitious person. Besides the fact that she came from one's mind to her name and the color of her hair, we know she is not real. But, she holds some very realistic qualities. Unending love for those she holds closest would have to be at the top of that list. Everything Evelyn did could be tied back to the people she loved. This brings us back to the original question of “What does it mean to ‘Evelyn Hugo’”? When brought down to a simple science the answer can be quite simple. To live and love on your own terms. Take risks, roll with the punches, learn from your mistakes and hold others accountable for their own. Do whatever it takes to become the best version of yourself possible knowing it might not be pretty. “Never let anyone make you feel ordinary” (Reid 207).
Work(s) Cited
Reid, Taylor Jenkins. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A Novel. Simon and Schuster, 2017.
Williams, Abrigail. “What’s Going on With Netflix’s ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ Adaptation?” Vogue, 29 June 2023, www.vogue.com/article/the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo-explainer#:~:text=Reid%20is%20said%20to%20have,to%20change%20her%20name%20and.
Comments