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Part 1, Chapter 11: Stolen Goods
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Magic, Cinema, and Imagination
Friendship, Honesty, and Vulnerability
Meaning and Purpose
Hardship and Maturity
Summary
Analysis
At this point, the automaton is completely fixed, and all Hugo has left to do is use the key. Hugo places the key in the automaton’s back, and it fits perfectly. Finally, Hugo will get to see the automaton’s message. However, just before he can turn the key, Isabelle bursts into his room and yells at him for stealing it. Isabelle is angry at Hugo for stealing from her after all she went through to get his notebook. Hugo yells at Isabelle in return and orders her to leave. He even tries pushing her out the door.
The key’s perfect fit confirms that the automaton has something to do with Georges and Isabelle. However, despite possessing the key, Isabelle doesn’t appear to know about the automaton. Although Isabelle is curious, she is hurt more than anything; she considered Hugo her friend, yet he repeatedly betrays her and refuses to open up to her.
Themes
Isabelle refuses to go anywhere and fights back. Eventually, she pins Hugo to the ground and demands to know who he is and why he has a room in the train station. Finally, Hugo gives in and admits that the room is his home. However, Isabelle does not believe him and asks for her key back. Hugo does not answer, so Isabelle begins looking around. Before long, she spots the automaton and approaches it. Isabelle asks Hugo about the automaton, and Hugo gives her a straight answer and explains what is going on.
Again, Isabelle can only get answers out of Hugo by using brute force. Hugo’s situation is so abnormal and alien to Isabelle that she cannot put together the truth on her own, even after looking around. Finally, Hugo shows some improvement, sharing some basic information about what’s going on, but only because he sees that he has no other choice.
Themes
Both Isabelle and Hugo are confused about why Isabelle’s key fits the automaton. Curious, Isabelle asks Hugo to turn the key. Hugo refuses and says he wants to be alone when the automaton turns on. Annoyed, Isabelle turns the key herself. The automaton’s gears begin moving and Hugo intently leans in to see what it is writing. It takes a moment for the automaton to begin writing because it is a complex machine, which requires a number of chain reactions to occur before movement finally occurs in the wrist. However, eventually the automaton begins writing, as Isabelle and Hugo watch, fascinated.
Hugo is still holding on to hope that the automaton contains a message from his father. As such, he wants to be alone because he is afraid of being emotionally vulnerable around Isabelle. Furthermore, if the automaton does have a message from his father, he would have to reveal the truth about his past, which he is not ready to do. Not understanding the delicate nature of the situation, Isabelle does not give Hugo a choice.
Themes
At first, the automaton makes a series of seemingly disconnected markings all over the page. Thinking himself a failure, Hugo gets upset and demands that Isabelle return his notebook. Isabelle does as he asks, and Hugo begins to compare his work with the drawings his father made. As far as he can tell, he did everything right, which only makes the automaton more disappointing.
Whatever the automaton is doing, it is clear that it is not writing words. Therefore, the message Hugo hoped for does not exist. Additionally, for the moment, it seems like all of Hugo’s hard work was for nothing. Once again, he feels lost and unsure of how to move forward.
Themes
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Upset, Hugo walks into a corner of the room and puts his head in his hands. However, the automaton continues drawing and making more marks all across the paper. Isabelle continues watching and, after some time, gasps audibly. Hugo runs over to see what she is looking at. As it turns out, the automaton was creating an elaborate drawing of a moon with a face, and a rocket in its eye.
Hugo gives up on the automaton too quickly because it does not do what he expects. However, Isabelle sticks with it and her attention is rewarded. The image the automaton draws recalls the description of Hugo’s father’s favorite movie.
Themes
