Jane Austen's many novels contain a complexity of thought and depth of character that distinguish them from other stories; Emma is no exception to this general rule. In fact, Emma's most winning trait may be the completeness of its characters. Each character displays unique behaviors that reflect the realistic mix of good and bad habits that most individuals have. In fascinating contradiction to this is the one-dimensional character development that occurs in Clueless, a 1995 film adaptation of Emma. Clueless's simplistic approach to plot and characterization enhances and detracts from Emma's original story. In any case, Clueless' concept of Emma's personalities is effective in that it expands the entire range of possible interpretations of the novel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Foremost in any discussion of Emma is Austen's compelling, multidimensional portrayal of her protagonist, Emma. While Austen claimed to be writing about a character that "no one" but her "would like very much", Emma still seems attractive and good. The very first sentence of the novel describes her as “beautiful, intelligent, and rich” and displays some of the “best blessings of existence” (Austen 37). She has the “sense,” “energy,” and “spirit” that the others lack, and the care she takes for her father is admirable (Austen 49). Even though Emma seems very class conscious and a bit naive, Austen clearly establishes Emma as a character with only the best intentions. Austen does not hesitate to point out Emma's flaws; avoid, however, dwelling on them. For example, when Mr. Elton falls in love with Emma, she is "insulted" by the "arrogance" of this social "inferior" person; he goes on to lament the presumption of someone of such humble connections (Austen 154). This, along with Emma's various other hierarchical observations, highlights Emma's aristocratic and superficial side. At the same time, however, Emma's good qualities constantly shine through. He admits that the "worst" mistake in Elton's accident was his and regrets having "made light" of something as serious as love, showing true remorse and realizing the mistakes of his matchmaking role (Austen 155 ). This pattern repeats throughout the novel; Emma seems blind to her flaws but makes amends as soon as she recognizes them. Because of her good situation and fortune, Emma is forced to recognize her flaws only when she herself wants to. The fact that Emma willingly, sincerely and voluntarily tries to improve herself speaks a lot about her character. Clueless presents an image of Emma that emphasizes more of the negative parts of her personality. Cher, a Beverly Hills version of Emma, seems exaggeratedly superficial and superficial, and almost everything she does is motivated by self-interest. He creates Mr. Hall and Mrs. Geist partly for entertainment, but mostly so that Mr. Hall improves his grades, showing his selfish nature. His condescension becomes clear when he declares, “Ooh, project!” after seeing Harriet; his desire to use his popularity for a "good cause" highlights his arrogance. As she walks around the high school campus identifying the different social groups, the reader sees the same social awareness that Emma emphasizes. Perhaps the film's most surprising moment, though, is when Cher tells Lucy that she doesn't "speak Mexican." Although Cher apologizes to Lucy, she doesn't understand why this would be hurtful or why she would go out of her way to care about someone else's feelings. This one looks like the biggest.
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