Emma: week 1

[charlatti]

How's Emma coming along? Any raves or complaints yet?

Have you seen Clueless or any of the other Emma-inspired movies? Are they informing your reading at all? I'm pretty much picturing all the characters as their Clueless counterparts, which is pretty entertaining when combined with Austen's writing.

[lemondrop]

I haven't finished the entire section for today, but I still have some thoughts. I didn't know that Clueless was inspired by Emma, but on page 30 it hit me that I "knew" this story. At this point it really isn't influencing my reading, but I'm wondering if Harriet's going to be held over the balcony at the mall. (Which, by the way, always freaks me out being in multi story malls) I do love the contrast between Cher and Emma.

I'm supremely impressed with Jane Austen's ability to write strong female characters in a time where being strong was forbidden.

[rootbeerfloat]

I didn't know Clueless was an Emma remake either, but it makes sense.

I initially found Emma annoying, especially since I pictured Gwyneth Paltrow in my head (though I haven't seen the movie version)

[lemondrop]

See, I was surprised that I don't find her particularly annoying after the initial description of her. She is meddlesome and probably needs to mind her own business, but she hasn't annoyed me yet.

[DarcyLongfellow]

I haven't gotten very far, but I figured since I don't mind spoilers (since I already know the story!), I'll go ahead and participate :-)

I was absolutely picturing the Clueless actors the whole time! And I totally hear Mr. Elton in that valley girl "Elle-un" tone of voice that Britney Murphy (she was the actress, right?) used!

I haven't found Emma annoying yet, but I'm trying to forget that Gwyneth played her because I found GP's Emma very annoying!

[aurora]

I read Emma long before I saw Clueless so didn't have a problem with imagining characters.

I also want to comment on some of the other questions but I'm afraid my memory is more informed by later in the book so I'm going to have to refrain so I don't spoil it for others. (I re-read it a year or so ago, but I forgot to look up exactly what had happened by the point of today's discussion.)

I will pose a question, though: how many of you have read others of Austen's books? Do you think that Emma is like or unlike characters in her other books?

[charlatti]

Oct 11, 2012 11:03:10 GMT -5 aurora said:

I will pose a question, though: how many of you have read others of Austen's books? Do you think that Emma is like or unlike characters in her other books?

I'm probably not far enough in the book to really compare personalities. I've read P&P, S&S, and Northanger Abbey (that one too long ago to remember much at all). It's interesting to me that Emma seems to be of a much higher social standing than the Bennett girls or even the Dashwoods, considering that the book focuses on them when their standing has fallen. Emma's lack of a mother is another interesting contrast.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Oct 11, 2012 12:10:28 GMT -5 charlatti said:

Oct 11, 2012 11:03:10 GMT -5 aurora said:

I will pose a question, though: how many of you have read others of Austen's books? Do you think that Emma is like or unlike characters in her other books?

It's interesting to me that Emma seems to be of a much higher social standing than the Bennett girls or even the Dashwoods, considering that the book focuses on them when their standing has fallen. Emma's lack of a mother is another interesting contrast.

I noticed the same things! I actually meant to look up where in Austen's career she wrote Emma. It seemed to me that she always wrote fairly close to what she knew (not quite genteel poverty, but certainly not rich characters). Emma definitely seemed to be the exception. I was wondering if she wrote this either early (and decided to move away from it) or late (and never got the chance to write more).

Didn't Jane Austen lose her mother at a relatively young age?

I've read Pride and Prejudice many, many times (my dog, and hence my screen name, are named in honor of Mr. Darcy :-) ). I'm pretty sure I've read Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey, but it's been a long, long time.

I was an English major too. Shameful!!!

[hopecounts]

no jane's mother lived until she was an adult as did her father though he died when she was younger.
he was a minister and she, her mother, and one of her sisters were left quit broke. after scrapping by for a while her brother who was adopted by a wealthy relative (uncle/aunt) inherited an estate and provided them with a cottage and support.

yes I've read all her published works and it is quite a difference in standing between Emma and her other lead female characters.

i think Emma is a busybody because she has brains and talent and no where to direct them, so she turns to one of the few things she is allowed to do which is match make and interfer in others lives.

[Pippin]

I never realized that Clueless about either haha. I haven't quite finished the next section but I am finding Emma to be easier to follow then P&P which is the only other Jane Austin book that I've read.

[lemondrop]

The Bronte sisters lost their mother. That might be who you're thinking of.

[lemondrop]

Oct 11, 2012 15:45:57 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

i think Emma is a busybody because she has brains and talent and no where to direct them, so she turns to one of the few things she is allowed to do which is match make and interfer in others lives.

I've read a bit further and now agree with others that Emma's a bit annoying.

You make a really good point. Matchmaking was a way for her to use her brain to scheme in a way that wasn't innapropriate for a woman of her standing. Wouldn't it have been somewhat normal at the time for the lady of the house to marry off her help? Emma just takes it a step further with her scheming.

[hopecounts]

it's more that as lady of the manor (so to speak) she would be expected to see to the well being of the estate tenants and those who lived in the village. in illness, misfortune, or good times.

which is shown later on in the story, she just views pairing them off as part of seeing to their happiness.

[marytini]

Huh. I had no idea Clueless wa inspired by Emma either.
I have seen the G.P. movie, but didn't remember much. But as I am reading, it is all coming back to me.
I don't find Emma especially annoying. Just immature. I agree that she just doesn't seem to have much to do. I find it interesting that she says she will never marry.