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Chapter 22
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 next morning, Monique arrives at Evelyn’s study feeling nervous. She tells Evelyn that if she can’t tell her when the autobiography can be published, she needs to allow Vivant to publish a piece of it. Evelyn agrees. Monique pushes on, asking Evelyn to sit for a photo shoot. When Evelyn refuses, Monique tells her that if she doesn’t agree to the shoot, she’ll stop writing the book: she’s not going to lose her job over this.
Monique can tell Evelyn wants her to be her biographer, which gives her some leverage in this argument. Additionally, she’s become comfortable enough around Evelyn to make demands of Evelyn. For Monique, who couldn’t even ask for cream in her coffee a few days ago, this is a huge sign of growth.
Themes
Evelyn’s pleased to see Monique bargaining. Monique says she’s “learning from the best.” Evelyn agrees to the shoot, asking in return for Monique to be available at every moment starting next week. They agree on their terms, and Monique begins the interview from where they left off, realizing as Evelyn begins to tell her story again that she must have agreed to the cover shoot because she wants Monique for something important. At this moment, Monique begins to suspect she should worry about what that is.
Evelyn admires in others what she considers strengths in herself—in this case, strategic thinking. Instead of feeling victorious, though, Monique feels a sense of foreboding, which turns this moment into an ominous one. The reader shares Monique’s trepidation about why Evelyn wants so badly to hold onto her.
Themes
