Emma's Match ~Blog post #5~ Topic G May 15, 2015 By Alie Reily

Emma’s Match

~Blog post #5~

Topic G

May 15, 2015

By Alie Reily

            A major symbol in Emma by Jane Austen is matchmaking, such as Emma’s hobby.  For most of the book, it seems as though her matchmaking ideas are just superficial and have no deeper meaning behind them.  It exists literally as a symbol when Emma pairs Miss Taylor and Mr. Weston.  Her hobby fades and reappears in multiple spots throughout the novel.  As the novel progresses, more and more details are revealed about each of the characters, adding to the depth of the novel.  It becomes very evident that Emma’s matchmaking activities are a sign of her youth.   There are coming-of-age events many times in this book; the entire first chapter is one as Emma is losing Miss Taylor, a sign of her childhood.  In addition, as Emma lets go of matchmaking, she matures greatly.  Matchmaking is childish and distracts her from developing her own relationship with someone.  Matchmaking exists figuratively as a symbol within Emma and Mr. Knightley’s relationship.  Jane Austen gives the readers clues and uses her writing to indirectly uncover the more complex factors of the bond between Emma and Mr. Knightley.  By the end of the novel, Emma has given up matchmaking, and Jane Austen eventually does pair her up with Mr. Knightley.  At their wedding, the “small band of friends who witnessed the ceremony” were able to finally see Emma be matched to someone after all this time (438).  It is understood that the end of matchmaking in the novel creates peace between the characters.  

Change in Character

Emma
~Blog POst #5~
Topic B
By Sarah Speranza

In a novel that focuses on relationships and marriage, the theme of transformation is bound to be a central idea, but Emma Woodhouse goes through more of a personal transformation than simply changing here friends, loves, and her boring life. Emma is described in the beginning of the novel, “Emma,” as “handsome, clever, and rich” (3). It was clear that Emma seems to have gotten “rather too much her own way” and tended to think “a little too much of herself” (3). These first few lines in the book almost foreshadow the change that Emma is going to experience throughout the book. Emma Woodhouse’s life was described too perfectly in the beginning of the novel, and therefore, she was bound to undergo some sort of self-transformation. Self-transformation for Emma though is hard to come by because she is used to being right all the time and having no one dispute her opinions. Throughout the course of the novel, Emma begins to realize that she is not a character with no flaws, and learns the importance of kindness and compassion. Some of her transformation can be credited to Mr. Knightly. For example, when Emma treats Mrs. Bates very rudely and with no respect, Mr. Knightly questions her behavior asking, “How could you be so unfeeling to Mrs. Bates?” (340). Mr. Knightly goes on to defend Mrs. Bates and her intentions.  Following this conversation with Mr. Knightly, Emma looks inward and, realizing that Mr. Knightly was correct, she attempts to improve herself and win him over. 

KnightHouse

KnightHouse

- Blog Post #1- 

    Topic C

May 15 2015 

Emma Woodhouse,in the book Emma by Jane Austen, develops many interesting relationships with different characters in the books. One relationship that develops and grows the most is the relationship between Emma and Mr.Knightley. At the beginning of the novel, Emma and Mr.Knightley never seem to be on the best terms. They are constantly arguing and Mr. Knightley always seems to disagree with Emma’s decisions. Mr. Knightley “was one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse”(8). He was also one of the few people who ever told her she was wrong and gave her proper guidance.Their relationship at the beginning of the novel was in a sense a push and pull relationship. Mr. Knightley was always someone who would challenge Emma and thus bring out in many ways the best of her.  Overtime their relationship grows from almost “frenemies”, to close friends, to a romantic relationship. As the book continues to progress, it becomes more and more obvious that Mr. Knightley is important  to Emma. Mr. Knightley becomes jealous with Emma’s other admirers and Emma becomes jealous with Mr. Knightley's significant others.  When Emma believes that Harriet is the object of Mr. Knightley's affection, she becomes upset and only then does she realize she loves him. By the end of the novel, Emma truly understands that she has loved Mr. Knightley this whole time. She wonders “how long had  Mr.Knightley been so dear to her”(393). Mr. Knightley affects Emma's personality, he makes her a humble person and throughout the novel his opinion affects her for the better. Overall their relationship is one of the most important ones in the novel, that grows overtime. 

Haley Miller: Blog Post #5

Emma: Girls Best Friend

~Blog post #5~

Topic I

by Haley Miller

When I first “met” Emma Woodhouse, I was not a fan of her. I predetermined her personality to be self centered and flat; I was wrong. As I continued reading, I found Emma to be very relatable and tolerable. I found her immaturity and oblivion to be refreshing as well. When Mr. Knightley was introduced, I fell in love with Emma. I loved the way he made her act and I could not have enjoyed the way he pushed her buttons anymore if I tried. The way he made Emma second guess herself and compromise allowed me to draw connections between the two of us. Mr. Knightley was “one of the few people who could see faults” in Emma (8). Once Emma I saw Emma as human and not “Barbie-like”, I found her to be more friendly and real. One of the most relatable things about Emma is the way she attempts to hide her emotions from everybody. Although her love for Mr. Knightley is evident to all of the readers, I liked the ways she attempted to distract herself from the way she truly felt about him. She did things like match make her friends and care for her father, so she had an excuse not to but herself out there. I think one of the reasons Emma does this is because she has been through a lot of hardship in her life and she does not want to allow herself to be vulnerable. Overall, I found Emma and myself to have a lot in common when it came to emotions. I feel as though the way she handled some situations is very similar to the way I would handle them.

What's up with these words

Emily Tyndorf

topic G

There are many symbols all throughout the novel Emma by Jane Austen.  A recurring theme is word play such as the riddle and the word game.The riddles in the novel also known as charades are a form of elaborate wordplay that are used as persuasive subtexts that relieve themselves in their larger social circles. In chapter 9, Elton is “invited to contribute any really good enigmas, charades or conundrums that he might recollect”(66).Emma decoded the riddle and thinks its meant for Harriet when its really meant for her. This word play also makes an appearance at the box party in chapter 14. A word game is played at the party between Emma, Frank and Jane. It functions as a metaphor for the misunderstandings that exists among Emma, Frank, Jane and Mr. Knightly. Nobody knows whats going on because no one confessions enough information tot tell whats really going on. In this novel, many characters stretch the truth or mix up their words to have a new meaning. They consistently lie or contradict themselves in ways that show their true identity. The wordplay is shown in both chapter, chapter 14 and various other times throughout the remainder of the book. I feel that the way certain people talk in the novel convey word play. For example Frank is always contradicting himself and this creates some confusion in his relationship with others. Overall the characters in this book stretch the truth among each other and never truly understanding each others feelings. 

Emma Knightly ~Blog post #4~ May 8, 2015 By Alie Reily

Emma Knightly

~Blog post #4~

Topic C

May 8, 2015

By Alie Reily

           

            Throughout Emma by Jane Austen, relationships change constantly.  One of the major relationships is between Emma and Mr. Knightley.  Towards the beginning of the novel, it seems as though Emma and Mr. Knightley are not on the best terms; they even appear to be enemies.  Mr. Knightley is described as “one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse” (8).  As the book progresses, it becomes evident that the pair’s relationship is more than superficial.  New characters indirectly reveal that Mr. Knightley and Emma can be friendly towards one another, and that they do not hate each other.  Once that aspect is disclosed, Mr. Knightley’s importance to the novel grows, especially at chapter forty-one.  Chapter forty-one, though still from a third person viewpoint, seems to be focused on Mr. Knightley, instead of Emma.  The reader can clearly recognize his affection for Ms. Woodhouse at this point.  It would be considered dramatic irony because Emma herself has not noticed Mr. Knightley’s growing love for her.  She slowly picks up hints, such as when “[Mr. Knightley] looked at her with a glow of regard” and “she was warmly gratified” (349).  Their relationship keeps the book at a constant cliffhanger as their interactions “of more than common friendliness” progress (349).  They become jealous when it appears that the other may have a potential love interest, even though none of the alleged suitors are ever more than friends.   Emma and Mr. Knightley’s relationship remains a central theme as it advances during the novel.

What's in the Title

Emma
~Blog Post #4~
Topic J
May 8, 2015
by Sarah Speranza

Although “Emma,” by Jane Austen seems to have a simple, meaningless title, a title is an important factor to any book and usually has significance. The book is obviously named after the main character Emma, but it is unusual for Jane Austen to title her book something so simple due to the fact that her other titles such as “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense and Sensibility” are much more complex. The title Emma had significance also though. The entire book is centered around her life and her relationships with other people and getting “rather too much of her own way”, as the title indicates (1). With the titled named after her, the reader can expect the novel to also revolve around her, which it does. The titles of Jane Austen’s other books normally display emotions of some sort, but this title is simply one name. It is possible that Austen felt that Emma was too complex of a character to pin down into a few adjectives or descriptor words. Emma is kind and considerate, yet intrusive and opinionated. She is independent, yet lonely. She is strong, yet vulnerable. Her traits are all across the spectrum, and therefore she can’t be summed up into a few words.