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Chapter 16
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
The night after Sub Rosa publishes the new article, Evelyn wants to celebrate, so Celia comes to the house with a bottle of wine. With no maid, Evelyn needs Celia to tell her which glasses to use. Celia says she likes that Evelyn doesn’t come from old money; her own family thinks the fact that she works is undignified. Evelyn says she doesn’t really have any family. Celia admires the fact that Evelyn found success for herself.
Evelyn celebrates with Celia instead of Don, which suggests that she enjoys Celia’s company more than Don’s. Though Evelyn is in many ways more independent than other women, she relies on her maid for many things—a sign that she’s become accustomed to financial comfort.
Themes
Evelyn puts on a Billie Holiday record that Don hates. She tells Celia that Billie Holiday changed her name, which prompts Celia to ask what Evelyn’s real name is, and Evelyn tells her. Celia says her name is beautiful, without commenting on the fact that she’s not white. Celia says she changed her name from “Cecilia Jamison” because it sounded like the name of someone who might live next door, and she wanted to have the effect Evelyn has on the people around her instead. When Celia remarks on Evelyn’s lips and chest, Evelyn flushes—a woman has never talked about her this way before.
When Don is away, Evelyn feels free to indulge in her own tastes and pleasures, and this highlights the authority that Don has around the house and in their relationship when he’s there. Evelyn’s reaction to Celia’s compliments is a sign of her growing intimacy with Celia: she’s been complimented countless times, but this time, the words really mean something.
Themes
Evelyn refills their wine glasses, while Celia tells her that when she saw her film Father and Daughter for the first time, she thought Evelyn was the most beautiful woman who had ever lived. Evelyn says that Celia is just as beautiful. They move to the living room and Evelyn starts a fire. When Celia suggests they need newspaper, Evelyn finds the copy of Sub Rosa with the article that called her “cold” and adds it to the flames. Celia brings her the bottle of wine, and Evelyn drinks straight from it, enjoying the feeling of consuming something so expensive so quickly.
Celia’s comments here don’t seem to be strategic or cunning. Instead, she’s driven to impress her admiration and attraction upon Evelyn. Though neither of them is particularly skilled at starting a fire, their willingness to work together suggests that they enjoy navigating situations together without the presence of men.
Themes
Celia tries to take the bottle from Evelyn, which ends in wine spilling onto Celia’s white shirt. Evelyn takes her upstairs to change into one of her own shirts. In the bedroom, Celia asks Evelyn whether she loves Don. Evelyn says she doesn’t know. She didn’t just marry Don for publicity—she enjoyed his company and still does sometimes. Don has taught her that you can still desire someone even, or especially, when you hate them. Celia tells her to drop the subject.
By spilling red wine onto Celia’s white shirt, Evelyn leaves a permanent mark—a symbol emphasizing the real, tangible nature of their relationship. Celia seems uncomfortable when Evelyn talks about loving Don, possibly because she’s jealous, or because she doesn’t particularly respect Don.
Themes
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Celia tells Evelyn that her secrets are safe with her, and Evelyn believes her, realizing that the honesty between them feels more intimate than any relationship she’s had before and wondering if this is what it means to be in love. She hands Celia a shirt and watches as she takes the stained one off, mesmerized by her bare skin and the freckles on her hip. At that moment, Don comes into the bedroom, surprising them both.
In this moment, Evelyn becomes aware of the depth of her connection to Celia. However, it’s a connection that, for the reader, has been obvious for the past two chapters, which shows how focused Evelyn has been on her relationships with men: feelings for a woman are unfamiliar territory for her.
Themes
An article in Photomoment reports that Celia St. James has been making high-profile friends, most notably Evelyn Hugo. The two have been seen all around town, and the news that Celia is dating Don Adler’s friend Robert Logan presumably means that Celia and Evelyn will be going on double dates in the future.
It's clear Evelyn’s feelings for Celia go further than a professional connection, but instead of focusing on the two women, the article manages to pivot to the subject of their male partners. It’s a reminder that in this society, women’s value is based on what they offer men.
Themes
