Ambition VS Morality

Jessica Rolson

ENG4U - English

Ms. Kausen

July 25th, 2023

different. Much like these everyone has their own ambitions and goals they wish to achieve. In

"The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," Taylor Jenkins Reid intricately explores the theme of

"Ambition vs. Morality" through the life of the enigmatic Hollywood icon, Evelyn Hugo. The

novel shows the conflict between ambition and morality in terms of Evelyn's career; her love life

and also Monique Grant's decision to write about Evelyn's life story.

Firstly, Evelyn Hugo's ambition for a flourishing career in Hollywood is evident from

the very beginning. As a young actress, she is unapologetic in her desire to achieve fame and

success at any cost. Ruthless and determined, Evelyn navigates the cutthroat industry with

calculated precision, unafraid to make morally ambiguous decisions to climb the ladder of

stardom. When she was twelve Evelyn learned that the only power she truly possessed was her

body and she quickly learned how to use it to get what she wanted, often justifying her wrongs

based on their outcomes. Evelyn meets Ernie Diaz when she is fifteen years old and this is when

she makes her first ambitious choice to achieve her goal of stardom. Having heard rumours that

Ernie was moving to Hollywood Evelyn knew she needed to take the opportunity presented to

achieve her ambition of leaving Hells Kitchen and her abusive father. She tells Monique; “I put

on my favourite green dress, the one I had just about grown out of. And I knocked on the door of

the guy I heard was headed to Hollywood.” (Jenkins-Reid). She traded her virginity for a ride to

Hollywood, and the two married on February 14th, 1953. Years later after Evelyn has signed

with Sunset Studios she sleeps with forty-eight-year-old producer, Ari Sullivan, to get the role

she wanted. Not long after getting the role, she divorces Ernie as she knows that she would

garner more attention when single or dating big actors rather than being married to a nobody

from Hell's Kitchen. Another instance of Evelyn choosing ambitions over her relationships is
when she sleeps with, marries and divorces Mick Riva in a single night. When rumours start

spreading about Evelyn and Celia St. James being lesbians, Evelyn purposes she marries Mick

Riva, a singer who had lately been talking a lot about his crush on her, to dissuade them. Celia

freaks out and tells Evelyn as they argue that she’d; “give it all up, you know. All of it. The

money and the jobs and the fame. I’d give it all up just to be with you, just to be normal with

you.” (Jenkins-Reid). After Evelyn tells her she doesn’t know what she is talking about she says,

“What’s really going on here is that you’re not willing to give it up for me.” (Jenkins-Reid). And

while they do make up for a bit after this Celia was proven right when Evelyn ends up pregnant

and Celia had no idea she planned on also sleeping with Mick, even though it was implied, they

say some mean things to each other as Celia leaves and she even goes as far as to call Evelyn a

whore. In both these scenarios, choosing to keep her fame and reputation as a rising star over the

relationships she’s built causes them to crumble around her and showcases that Evelyn's

character reflects the harsh realities of the entertainment world, where ambition can become a

driving force that blurs the lines of morality.

Secondly, toward the end of the novel, readers witness a transformation in Evelyn's

character. As she reflects on her past actions and the repercussions they have had on her personal

life, she begins to grapple with the true cost of her ambition. Six months after the death of her

best friend, fifth husband and father of her child, producer Harry Cameron Evelyn watches as her

daughter struggles with her emotions from losing her father and is reminded of how she felt as a

child when she lost her mother. Standing by and watching as fourteen-year-old Connor started

doing drugs, drinking, skipping school and after catching her having a threesome Evelyn decided

she finally needed to do what was best for her family and not her career. At this point we see her

leaning more into her morals rather than her ambitions as she chooses to move herself and
Connor to Aldiz Spain with her lover and future wife Celia St. James and her brother, also

Evelyn’s seventh husband, Robert Jamison. “I want to be the kind of person who made dinner,

who scrubbed a toilet, who was available to my daughter at all times.” (Jenkins-Reid). This is a

very pivotal point in Evelyn's life as she shows both Celia and herself that she is able to throw

away the money and fame to live out her days with her family. Another instance when Evelyn

chooses her morality over her ambition is when she hires Monique Grant through Vivant to write

her life story. At first, the motives behind this decision appeared self-serving, driven by Evelyn's

desire to control her narrative and ensure her legacy endured. Yet, as their interactions deepened,

Evelyn's morality took an unexpected turn. By revealing her involvement in Monique's father's

death, Evelyn demonstrated a rare vulnerability and honesty, unearthing a long-buried secret that

haunted her conscience. While her past actions were tainted by ambition and a willingness to

manipulate, this revelation showcased a profound willingness to confront her past and seek

redemption. Through her admission, Evelyn's morality exhibited shades of complexity,

reminding readers that even a character perceived as morally flawed can harbour moments of

genuine remorse and the desire to make amends.

Finally, When Monique Grant was presented with the opportunity to write Evelyn Hugo's

life story her ambition and morality came into sharp focus. When Evelyn first presented the idea

of writing a book with Monique about her life but not writing it with Viavnt, Monique was

hesitant to take it. As an employee of Vivant, a prominent magazine, Monique had a professional

obligation to uphold the trust of her employer. “‘Can I get some time to think about it?’ For

instance, how am I supposed to handle this with Vivant?’’What do I do? Go back to my office

and tell my boss that you’re not talking to Vivant, that instead you and I are selling a book? It’s

going to look like I went behind their backs on company time.’” (Jenkins-Reid). However, her
ambition to make a mark in the world of journalism and her deep curiosity to uncover Evelyn's

intriguing past clouded her moral judgment. Wrestling with conflicting emotions, Monique chose

to prioritize her personal ambition and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tell Evelyn's story

over the ethical concerns of betraying her employer's trust. She later lied to her boss, Frankie,

telling her that Evelyn wanted to do a tell-all but not with Vivant and that Monique was trying to

convince her otherwise even though she wasn’t, but she needed a promotion and raise to keep up

the fight. Frankie agreed to the terms believing Monique's deception. This decision illuminated

the complexities of human morality, portraying Monique as a multi-dimensional character,

susceptible to the allure of ambition and the allure of a remarkable story, even if it meant going

against the principles of loyalty and integrity she had previously upheld

In conclusion, in Taylor Jenkins Reid's "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," the

theme of "Ambition vs. Morality" is intricately woven through the narrative, centering around

the enigmatic Hollywood icon, Evelyn Hugo. Throughout the novel, the conflict between

ambition and morality is vividly portrayed in various aspects of Evelyn's life. Her relentless

pursuit of a successful career in the ruthless world of Hollywood forces her to make morally

questionable choices, blurring the lines between ambition and ethical principles. Additionally,

her romantic relationships serve as a battleground for this internal struggle, as she navigates the

complexities of love, commitment, and personal ambition. Moreover, the novel delves into

Monique's decision to write Evelyn's life story, raising ethical dilemmas that challenge her own

ambition as a journalist against the responsibilities of loyalty and integrity. Reid skillfully

explores the interplay between ambition and morality, making "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn

Hugo" a thought-provoking and multi-layered examination of human desires and ethical choices.
Works Cited