Emma by Jane Austen

Austen, Jane. Emma.

CreateSpace; 2010,

ISBN: 1451537948.

Reader’s Annotation

Emma Woodhouse fancies herself a matchmaker, and she chooses Miss Harriet Smith to be her “project” to remake, little realizing the chaos that will ensue.

Plot Summary

As a wealthy young lady from a very old family, Emma Woodhouse enjoys the status that comes from such a position.  After her long-time governess and dear friend is married to a local man, Emma finds herself all alone in a big house with only her frail and ailing father to care for.  Fortunately, Emma enjoys the company of friends and neighbors, including the brother of Emma’s brother-in-law, Mr. Knightly, who is a regular visitor.  Mr. Knightly and Emma have a long-time friendship that makes Emma feel as though he was her brother.  Emma now finds herself a bit bored, and when she sees Harriet Smith, a girl without any family at all, living in the small boarding school, Emma thinks of a plan.  She will befriend Miss Smith and remake her, and finally make a match for her!  Unfortunately, one misunderstanding after another causes chaos as the man Emma chooses for Harriet, falls in love with her instead.  As Emma tries to untangle the mess, new misunderstanding spring up, until Emma is quite over her head.  It is only when Harriet mistakenly thinks that Emma is encouraging her of Mr. Knightly’s interest that Emma realizes the truth, that she herself loves, truly loves Mr. Knightly!

Critical Evaluation

Emma is one of Jane Austen’s most light-hearted and fun novels.  The character of Emma is funny, likable and entertaining.  As always, Austen paints a picture of life for the middleclass gentry in England in the 1800s. So many of the characters capture aspects of human nature, that readers will swear that they know the characters personally.  The book Emma has been adapted into movies in various forms, most recently in the blockbuster hit starring Gwyneth Paltrow.  The popular teen movie Clueless is also based on Emma.

Information about the Author

Jane Austen was born in December 1775 to Rev. George Austen and his wife Cassandra.  Austen, the sixth of seven children, had only one older sister, to whom she was very close.  Jane and her sister were sent to boarding school at an early age for their education which consisted mainly of French, music and dancing.  Back at home jane was free to continue her education through reading and learning whatever her brothers and father could teach her. Although Austen never married, she did have several liaisons.  Her writing career culminated in six highly successful novels that have been the measuring stick for romances stories since the 1800s.  All of Austen’s works were published anonymously, and it was not 1814, after Pride and Prejudice that Austen’s identity became known.  Austen had an especially close relationship to her brother Henry, and he served as her literary agent until her death in 1817.

Genre

Classic Fiction

Romance

Curriculum Tie-ins

English Literature

     

Booktalk Ideas

1. Why do you think that marriage was so important to women in this society?
2. What do you think Mr. Knightly’s attitudes towards the different classes of people were?  Di his views differ from the other characters?

Reading level/Interest age

Ages 12-Adult

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

None

Why I included this work

This novel has been made into many movies and adaptations, including Clueless.

Great Quote from the Book:

"Mr. Knightley, in fact, was one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse, and the only one who ever told her of them...."