Emma, Week 3

SIGNIFICANCE OF A QUOTE: "If she had so misinterpreted his feelings, she had little right to wonder that he, with self-interest to blind him, should have mistaken hers [...] It was foolish, it was wrong, to take so active a part in bringing any two people together" (151). This is the part in chapter 16 where Emma finally realizes her grave mistake in trying to match up Mr. Elton and Harriet Smith. I think that in this quote, she begins to realize that she isn't perfect and amazing at everything. She knows that she made a mistake. Elton was always in love with her, not at all with Harriet. Emma feels terrible that she did this to Harriet, that she almost forced her to be in love with Elton, and then have to tell Harriet that he, in the end, wasn't in love with her, but proposed to Emma instead. Emma is a very compassionate person, so I think she really does wish she'd never tried to match them up, because it just ended with everyone being hurt. My feelings, thoughts and opinions about Emma has fluctuated so much throughout the book so far. I liked her, then I thought he very vain, and now I pity her greatly. I feel really bad for her, I know how it feels to be so mistaken about a relationship that everything ends up really awkward and just bad. It is just the worst thing ever to get the wrong idea from someone; "does he like her? Oh, he just has to, considering how he acts around her!" Those kind of thoughts and assumptions are the same things that Emma was thinking. But, in the end, she was completely wrong, and it just ended badly from every point of view. Actually, I just realized that the book Emma is a lot like high school. There are people trying to get a boyfriend or a girlfriend, and sometimes things just go perfectly. Other times (most times), things don't go so smoothly and someone ends up getting the led on and getting the wrong idea. Then everyone is hurt. That's pretty much high school if you ask me, with some homework and sports thrown in. I could probably pair everything that happens in Emma to something that has happened in my circle of friends or something that I know about. Hunh. I never thought about that. Now, while I keep reading, I'm going to probably be thinking about what this and that situation are like. Interesting.

~Emma Woodhouse~ (Ok, I swear, last time!!)

Emma, Week 2

Since my last posting, my opinions of some of the characters has changed dramatically. In the first part that I read, I found Emma Woodhouse to be a wonderful person, and I just loved her. I wasn't so fond of Harriet, though I thought she resembled me the most. Now, I think the tables have turned. In reading chapters 8-16, I've realized how...vain (?) Emma is. At first, Emma and Mr. Knightley have an argument about who is "better", Harriet or Mr. Martin. Knightley of course knows that it was Emma who practically forced Harriet to refuse Martin. He accuses Emma of doing bad matchmaking. What he, George, and his brother, John, see is that Emma is trying to match up Mr. Elton with Harriet. What they know, but Emma doesn't, is that Mr. Elton is not at all interested in Harriet. He has always loved Emma. She doesn't know this, just because she is so busy matching Harriet and Elton. She wants so badly to get appreciated for her amazing matchmaking skills that she becomes vain, in my opinion. The second thing she does in this part is when she goes to the poor and "helps" them. However, all throughout the book she talks about wanting to be "useful" to the world. I think this means that wanting to help the poor makes her look better for her image, which is a huge part of her extreme vanity. The huge vain thing that she does in this section is to be truly annoyed with Elton for following her around at the party, and not staying home with Harriet, who is sick and can't go. But, it gets worse. When Emma and Elton are leaving the party, they unfortunately get stuck in the same carriage together, alone. After a long night of partying and maybe even drinking, Elton declares his love for Emma and actually proposes to her, right in the carriage on the way back to Hartfield. Of course, Emma quickly dismisses him, and they ride the whole way home in silence. This makes me very dissapointed in Emma. It is so vain of her. This is the very first time that she realizes that Elton has indeed loved her, and definitely not Harriet the whole time. However, it makes me angry that Emma doesn't even consider Elton. I know that Emma has vowed to never get married, but after all that she has said about him, you'd think that she liked him somewhat. Apparently not. My opinion of Emma changed completely. But, I do believe that she is a very troubled woman, and it will most likely take the whole novel for her to realize what her life is about and who she really is. I bet my opinions will shift each section I read.

~Emma Woodhouse~ (ok that's enough, Emma...... :D )

Emma Week 1

I really like Emma as a person so far. I am enjoying this story so far as well. I thought that I would be making a lot of comparisons between me and Emma throughout my reading of it. However, I find myself to be relating more to people like Harriet Smith. This surprised me, because with most of Jane Austen's books, I think I am more like the main woman's character. But, with how Harriet went head over heels for the wrong guy, I can compare myself 100% with her, and not Emma. I know exactly how that is. I have fallen for the wrong guy, when the better one is right there in front of me. Harriet was obsessed with Mr. Martin, who is an okay gentleman, but Harriet could do better. Or so Emma thinks. I think so too. But, I completely know how Harriet is feeling. Once she started liking Mr. Martin, she can't stop. She only sees the few good things about him, and not his flaws that she really should be seeing. Emma, being the matchmaker that she is, pretty much convinces Harriet that she should reject his proposal of marriage. Harriet decides to reject him pretty much on her own, but Emma shows much feeling all throughout her deciding. Then, once Harriet is sure of herself, then Emma tells Ms. Smith her real opinion, even though Harriet knew what Emma thought all along. I can surely say that my best friends have done the same exact thing to me before. I kind of hate it when my friends don't give me their opinion on something until after I've decided what I want to do. Sometimes, their opinion matters more to me than my own opinion. I understand how Harriet feels. (I'm not saying I'm perfect or amazing or ANYTHING like that, not even CLOSE, but....) It's different feeling like I resemble not the strong, smart, witty main character, but more like the almost weak, dependent, not as smart, not as pretty, friend of the main character. I am hoping that Emma will soon change so that I can compare myself to her later in the quarter! I also can't wait to finish the book!

~Emma Woodhouse~ (that just never gets old! :D )

Quarter 4 book choice

I have decided to read Emma by Jane Austen, this quarter for outside reading. I've always wanted to read it, partly because of its name and partly because of Jane Austen writing it. Obviously, I like the title because it's my own name. When I was little, I thought the book was about me, so I always wanted to read it, and then my mom showed me how long it was and I got really disappointed. Then, the stubborn child I was, my parents got it on tape for me to listen to in the car and on my walkman. I didn't understand a word of it. So, now, I do understand it, and I get to read it! Secondly, I have read other books by Jane Austen, such as Pride and Prejudice, and I've also read books by the Bronte sisters, who have similar styles and themes to Austen. As little as I know about Emma's plot and story right now, I am really excited to read it and it sounds like a really good book. I'm going to love it!

-Emma Woodhouse- (he, he, he...)