I thoroughly enjoyed this re-reading of Emma. No one can quite match Jane Austen for re-readability, because there is always something new to discover or think about in her writing.
This time through, I saw clearly how awesome Jane Austen would have been as a writer of Golden Age whodunnits. Seriously, the entire plot of Emma is so layered, with clues seeded throughout that most readers won't latch onto until at least the second time through. It's brilliant! There are at least three "mysteries" of varying sizes (of course, they're not mysteries in the traditional sense, but are relationship conundrums). To borrow phraseology from an Agatha Christie podcast I listen to, Austen, like a good mystery writer, always presents "the world as it appears to be," and then shifts the kaleidoscope to give you "the world as it actually is." And then you're left saying, "Of course! It was right in front of us the whole time!"

I also learned a bit more about Emma than I knew before. She is always touted as a matchmaker. But that's an overly simplistic view of what she's trying to do. She says she wants to make matches, but let's be real, she's not much of a romantic. She is not all about the love. Her actions make more sense to me when I realize that she is desperately trying to hold on to people that give her life meaning. She is on the verge of extreme LONELINESS. And her "matchmaking" efforts coincide neatly with the fact that her former governess is getting married to a guy who lives half a mile away, and that she wants her new friend Harriet to marry into her social class and also live, like, just down the road.

Jane Austen skillfully gives us a mirror reflection of the worst parts of Emma. It's a bit painful to read, because it's...Mrs. Elton. When I read these passages about Mrs. Elton, I was so taken aback because of how closely they align with what we are told about Emma as well:

Mrs. Elton's vanity and sheltered life
Mrs. Elton was a vain woman, extremely well satisfied with herself, and thinking much of her own importance; that she meant to shine and be very superior...all her notions her drawn from one set of people, and one style of living; that if not foolish she was ignorant.

Emma's vanity and sheltered life
The real evils, indeed of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself.

The Woodhouses were first in consequence there [Highbury]. All looked up to them.

'I must beg you not to talk of the sea. It makes me envious and miserable;--I who have never seen it!'--Emma Woodhouse

Mrs. Elton's need to patronize
Mrs. Elton took a great fancy to Jane Fairfax; and from the first...she was not satisfied with expressing a natural and reasonable admiration--but without solicitation, or plea, or privilege, she must be wanting to assist and befriend her.

Emma's need to patronize
Does PRECISELY the same thing with Harriet Smith. She would notice her; she would improve her; she would detach her from her bad acquaintance, and introduce her into good society; she would form her opinions and her manners. It would be an interesting, and certainly a very kind undertaking.

Mrs. Elton's expectations from female friends
Her feelings altered towards Emma.--Offended, probably, by the little encouragement which her proposals of intimacy met with, she drew back in her turn and gradually became much more cold and distant."

Emma's expectations from female friends
Takes offense towards Jane Fairfax for EXACTLY the same reason. Why she did not like Jane Fairfax might be a difficult question...she could never get acquainted with her: she did not know how it was, but there was such coldness and reserve--such apparent indifference whether she pleased or not...She was disgustingly, was suspiciously reserved. In other words, for both Mrs. Elton and Emma, how dare you not reciprocate my friendly overtures, do you know who I am?!

Emma really despises Mrs. Elton for all of these things. Which brings up an interesting truth about human nature...sometimes we don't like people whose flaws are uncomfortably close to our own. It's just a lot easier to see and condemn those flaws in someone else.

So, what's the difference between Emma and Mrs. Elton? It's a big one: self-awareness. Although Emma has a lot of unlikable tendencies (as Jane Austen well knew), once she gets schooled in just how wrong she can be, she learns from it. She backtracks, she humbles herself, and she spends some time with her errors. She gains a healthy dose of authenticity, and learns to value people, not for how they compare to her, but for what they really are.

Life lessons from Jane Austen! Never in short supply.

I am now ready and waiting for the March 6 release of Emma in theaters. :D ( )

This book took me way longer than it should. I ended up enjoying it in the end. A lot of the characters annoyed me, but I did enjoy Emma’s character development even though she started off awful. Mr. Knightley was my favorite because he’s the voice of reason. The age gap between Emma and Mr. Knightley was weird to me especially when he says he had been in love with her since she was at least 13…because that means he would’ve have been 29 years old at that time. And a 29 loving a 13 year old is a big no for me.

I felt bad for Harriet. Emma seemed like she took for granted that Harriet was basically a puppy dog that would do anything Emma wanted her to do. Frank Churchill I think was forgiven to easily. Now, people would think the way he behaved extremely toxic. Jane Fairfax was fine. She didn’t have much character development, but I don’t think she was meant too. She was just there. Miss Bates was annoying. The Westons reminded me of the Dashwoods’ relations who let them live in the cottage in Sense and Sensibility, but they were fine. I hated the Eltons. They were pompous pricks. Her father reminded me of Mrs. Bennett from Pride and Prejudice except he didn’t want Emma to be married.

The plot itself would pick up and then be slow or full of pointless stuff and then it would pick up again. I still think the book itself could have been shorter. I kind of enjoyed the plot of Sense and Sensibility more, however, I am giving Emma a higher rating because Jane Austen’s writing had greatly improved since Sense and Sensibility; the characters are better written and developed, I think. And the overall plot was written better even if I find Sense and Sensibility’s plot more interesting. ( )

This book took me way longer than it should. I ended up enjoying it in the end. A lot of the characters annoyed me, but I did enjoy Emma’s character development even though she started off awful. Mr. Knightley was my favorite because he’s the voice of reason. The age gap between Emma and Mr. Knightley was weird to me especially when he says he had been in love with her since she was at least 13…because that means he would’ve have been 29 years old at that time. And a 29 loving a 13 year old is a big no for me.

I felt bad for Harriet. Emma seemed like she took for granted that Harriet was basically a puppy dog that would do anything Emma wanted her to do. Frank Churchill I think was forgiven to easily. Now, people would think the way he behaved extremely toxic. Jane Fairfax was fine. She didn’t have much character development, but I don’t think she was meant too. She was just there. Miss Bates was annoying. The Westons reminded me of the Dashwoods’ relations who let them live in the cottage in Sense and Sensibility, but they were fine. I hated the Eltons. They were pompous pricks. Her father reminded me of Mrs. Bennett from Pride and Prejudice except he didn’t want Emma to be married.

The plot itself would pick up and then be slow or full of pointless stuff and then it would pick up again. I still think the book itself could have been shorter. I kind of enjoyed the plot of Sense and Sensibility more, however, I am giving Emma a higher rating because Jane Austen’s writing had greatly improved since Sense and Sensibility; the characters are better written and developed, I think. And the overall plot was written better even if I find Sense and Sensibility’s plot more interesting. ( )

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