The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Georges, Hugo, and Isabelle have all experienced profound losses in their lives, and the novel centers on how each of them has overcome that loss. This theme ties directly to The Power of Family; Hugo and Isabelle lost family members, and all three of them come together to heal as a new family.

Georges was once a world-renown filmmaker with a thriving business that brought hundreds of films to his audience. With the onset of WWI, however, Georges eventually lost everything, falling into poverty and anonymity. Once the creator of dreamlike fantasy films with innovative special effects, Georges now owns a small toy booth in a Paris train station. Georges has also lost some of his closest friends—Isabelle’s parents—and all the joy and happiness he once found in life. When the novel begins, readers see a shell of who Georges used to be. His loss has profoundly changed him, filling a once-brilliant man with bitterness and pain. Because he is so hurt by all that he has lost, Georges lashes out in anger at anything that reminds him of his past. He spots the drawing of his automaton in Hugo’s notebook and, driven by his need to hide his past, steals the notebook and threatens to burn it. He claims that ghosts are summoned by the sound of shoe heels because he sold his films to a company that melted them down into that very thing. He breaks down when Isabelle and Hugo unearth the drawings locked in his armoire, a display that proves his anger stems from pain.

It is his connection with Hugo that allows Georges to begin overcoming his loss. He slowly begins to accept small reminders of his past. From the walls of the train station, Hugo observes Georges looking through the notebook, which is filled with drawings of the automaton’s parts. He begins to perform small magic tricks while Hugo works at his booth—at first unconsciously, but then, Hugo suspects, on purpose. When finally confronted with an image from his own film, created by the automaton he once built, Georges’s finally acknowledges how the pain of loss has affected him. This admittance allows him to begin overcoming his losses. By the end, he adopts Hugo and attends a ceremony in his honor, where he watches his films without sadness.

Hugo experienced tremendous loss when his father died in a museum fire. Hugo blames himself for his father’s death: “He had wanted his father to fix the machine, and now, because of him, his father was dead” (124). Nothing is mentioned about his mother, but she must be dead because Uncle Claude comes to collect Hugo and informs the boy that he is his “only living relative” (124). When Uncle Claude disappears, Hugo is completely bereft of any family willing or able to come to his rescue. With Claude’s disappearance, Hugo’s sense of loss grows as he realizes how alone he is. He has lost not only his last family member but also his sense of security, as no one else knows about him. Afraid of getting separated from his automaton and sent to an orphanage (or prison), Hugo chooses to keep his own existence a secret, hiding from the Station Inspector and pretend that Uncle Claude is still around and working as the Timekeeper. Hugo does not truly have the opportunity to mourn his father’s death, as he is thrust instantly into a mode of survival that only grows more dire with his uncle’s disappearance. Hugo’s dreams, which often feature fire, reflect how heavily his trauma and isolation weigh on him.

Like Georges, loss causes Hugo to be harsher in his interactions with others. He refuses to answer their questions about the notebook, his living situation, his family, and his past. He insists that Isabelle not look inside the notebook, but he doesn’t tell her why. Over time, however, Hugo becomes more open about his past. Through Isabelle’s persistent attempts at friendship, and his steadily developing bond with Georges, Hugo heals from his loss. He becomes kinder and more willing to share his experiences with others, just as Georges does.

Lastly, Isabelle experiences loss when her parents die in a car accident. Isabelle is the only character able to cope well despite her loss, likely because she has a secure home and a loving family, even though Georges is brusque, and both her godparents keep secrets from her. She is kind and friendly with Hugo even though he steals from her godfather, and she calls him her friend soon after they begin talking to each other. Isabelle doesn’t shy away from talking about her parents, illustrated when she “[looks] at Hugo, as if she [is] hoping [he’ll] ask her a question about her parents” (191). She explains how her parents died when she was little and how the Mélièses adopted her, and she demonstrates The Power of Family whenever she defends Georges and Jeanne.

Isabelle’s ability to remain kind demonstrates that loss doesn’t always have to shape a character negatively. Isabelle shows that loss can be remembered without wholly shaping one’s thoughts and actions, as it does with Hugo and Georges. Because of her optimistic attitude, Isabelle helps Hugo open up and accept companionship for the first time since his father’s death. She’s also able to use her love for her godfather to show Georges that she and Jeanne care about him and want him to be happy, and that he does not need to be afraid of facing his past.