Emma And Clueless Comparison Essay
Some of you may have heard of the classic novel Emma, by Jane Austen. However, have you ever considered that Emma is Clueless?
Yes, Amy Heckling’s 1995 movie, Clueless, can be related to the novel Emma, published in 1816. There is no doubt that Clueless substantially derives, and is adapted from Emma. However, apart from similarities, there are differences and adaptations from Emma to Clueless. These are necessary as a result of the disparity in values and attitudes between the early 19th century England of Emma and late 20th century America of Clueless. Adaptations are applied to characters, plot, and settings.
Both the main characters, Emma, and Cher, have one major thing in common: money. Emma’s family lives in a huge estate, Hartfield …show more content…
and are well liked and high in society. The same applies to Cher’s world. Cher lives in an enormous mansion in Beverly Hills, and while normal teenagers are out shopping, Cher splurges thousands at expensive designer boutiques. The town Emma lives in, Highbury, is very stratified according to social position as well as wealth. Highbury is duplicated in Clueless as Cher’s high school, where there are stratified groups of students according to degree of “coolness” as well as money.
Both Emma and Cher are ‘do-gooders’- trying to ‘help’ people while at the same time, unconsciously making themselves feel better.
An example of this is when Emma and Cher, respectively, ‘adopt’ Harriet and Tai. Harriet Smith is an innocent, 17 year old orphan of unknown parentage who Emma takes under her wing. Tai is the new girl at school who Cher adopts also, because she’s ‘so clueless!’. Tai, like Harriet, does not possess a high social status and comes across as a bit rough, noticeable by her accent, her cheap red hair dye and her statement, “You guys, I’ve never had straight friends …show more content…
before!”
Emma improves Harriet by filling her with grand pretensions that don’t suit her lower situation in society. Cher attempts to make Tai ladylike by giving her a makeover, and encouraging her to widen her interests and vocabulary.
In the novel Emma, Harriet shows an interest in Robert Martin, a farmer whose family Harriet spent some time with; and who both have an interest in each other. The same applies in Clueless, where, on her first day of school, Tai meets and instantly likes, long-haired skateboarder Travis Birkenstock. However, in both cases, Emma and Cher don’t find these men fitting, forcing Harriet and Tai to ignore their feelings.
Emma and Cher choose men they approve of: Mr Elton, the Church vicar in the novel, and Elton, a snobby and rich counterpart to Mr Elton. Emma and Cher both have seemingly successful attempts at getting the two together, however the situation comes to a head when, after travelling home together after a party, Mr Elton confesses that it is Emma he loves, not Harriet. Similarly, after a riotous party in The Valley (a cheap suburb), Elton gives a reluctant Cher a lift home, and also reveals his love for her, not Tai. He sees Cher and himself making sense because they are both of high class. To Cher’s disgust, Elton says about Tai, “Don’t you know who my father is?!’. Emma and Cher consequently break the news to Harriet and Tai, both of which are devastated.
Yet another similarity falls into place with the introduction of Frank Churchill and Christian. Frank instantly meets Emma’s eye for approval and she decides that he is a good suitor for her, because of their similar status and age. Frank Churchhill spends quite a lot of time with Emma, and thus she believes him to be smitten with her. Emma, depicted as smart, yet obviously naïve, is ashamed and embarrassed when, despite Franks Churchill’s flirting, it turns out that he is secretly engaged to Emma’s rival, Jane Fairfax.
Comparatively, the introduction of handsome Christian into Clueless, is similar.
Christian’s good looks and fashion sense instantly draw Cher’s attention, and as they start spending time together Cher believes that Christian is in love with her. She voices this while they are at a disco and he is very obviously chatting up the bartender- “he must love me. Look how he ignores all the others girls”. In comparison to Frank, Christian also has a secret- he is gay. This ignorance of Christian’s ‘secret’ shows Cher’s stereotypical ‘blonde’ mindset. This adaptation of Frank Churchill and Christian has occurred because social morality has changed since the 19th century- it is now acceptable to flirt with no intention of marrying while less acceptable to be
gay.
A very similar and important character in both texts is the character of Mr Knightley and Josh. Mr Knightley, a close family friend and Emma’s brother in law, and Josh, Cher’s divorced partial step-brother, are the only characters who openly stand up to Emma and Cher. They are critical, assertive and intellectual. There is a period in both texts where the main characters come to a sudden self-realisation of their love for Mr Knightley and Josh. This is brought on by Harriet and Tai admitting that they think they are in love with the me. This moment is a turning point for Emma and Cher, as they realise that love isn’t just about status or great looks, it’s about feeling- as Cher puts it- “Josh isn’t even cute- conventionally”. This time is one in which Emma and Cher both gain insight into themselves and learn the value of true feeling.
Another similarity between the two texts is Emma and Cher’s fathers. Although Mr Woodhouse, Emma’s father is portrayed as quite weak and Cher’s dad Mr Horowitz as more aggressive, both girls take care of their fathers. Also, both men value family highly. Mr Woodhouse is always nagging his other daughter Isabella, who lives in London with her husband, to stay for a longer visit. Mr Horowitz observes of Josh, who is not actually his child (Mr Horowitz was once married to his mother)- that “You divorce wives, not children”.
There are major distinctions in language between Emma and Cher’s time and the fact that one text is a film and the other is a novel. The style of speech in Emma is formal and ornate, whilst the use of words in Clueless is “cool” and colloquial. Values and attitudes between the times have also changed- for example, sex before marriage and being a virgin. In Emma, it was thought a virtue to be a virgin and if you weren’t when you got married it was considered shocking. In Clueless however, the attitude is that if you are a virgin you’re weird. Cher, though, like the women of Emma’s time, was proud of her virginity.
Is Emma therefore Clueless? Largely, the answer has to be yes. Clueless (the film), substantially derives from Emma, with differences based on modern adaptations. The main characters, Emma and Cher, are initially naïve, superficial snobs but reach a turning point in their stories of self-growth in the realisation of their “cluelessness”. This is the timeless message in both texts.
Yes, Amy Heckling’s 1995 movie, Clueless, can be related to the novel Emma, published in 1816. There is no doubt that Clueless substantially derives, and is adapted from Emma. However, apart from similarities, there are differences and adaptations from Emma to Clueless. These are necessary as a result of the disparity in values and attitudes between the early 19th century England of Emma and late 20th century America of Clueless. Adaptations are applied to characters, plot, and settings.
Both the main characters, Emma, and Cher, have one major thing in common: money. Emma’s family lives in a huge estate, Hartfield …show more content…
and are well liked and high in society. The same applies to Cher’s world. Cher lives in an enormous mansion in Beverly Hills, and while normal teenagers are out shopping, Cher splurges thousands at expensive designer boutiques. The town Emma lives in, Highbury, is very stratified according to social position as well as wealth. Highbury is duplicated in Clueless as Cher’s high school, where there are stratified groups of students according to degree of “coolness” as well as money.
Both Emma and Cher are ‘do-gooders’- trying to ‘help’ people while at the same time, unconsciously making themselves feel better.
An example of this is when Emma and Cher, respectively, ‘adopt’ Harriet and Tai. Harriet Smith is an innocent, 17 year old orphan of unknown parentage who Emma takes under her wing. Tai is the new girl at school who Cher adopts also, because she’s ‘so clueless!’. Tai, like Harriet, does not possess a high social status and comes across as a bit rough, noticeable by her accent, her cheap red hair dye and her statement, “You guys, I’ve never had straight friends …show more content…
before!”
Emma improves Harriet by filling her with grand pretensions that don’t suit her lower situation in society. Cher attempts to make Tai ladylike by giving her a makeover, and encouraging her to widen her interests and vocabulary.
In the novel Emma, Harriet shows an interest in Robert Martin, a farmer whose family Harriet spent some time with; and who both have an interest in each other. The same applies in Clueless, where, on her first day of school, Tai meets and instantly likes, long-haired skateboarder Travis Birkenstock. However, in both cases, Emma and Cher don’t find these men fitting, forcing Harriet and Tai to ignore their feelings.
Emma and Cher choose men they approve of: Mr Elton, the Church vicar in the novel, and Elton, a snobby and rich counterpart to Mr Elton. Emma and Cher both have seemingly successful attempts at getting the two together, however the situation comes to a head when, after travelling home together after a party, Mr Elton confesses that it is Emma he loves, not Harriet. Similarly, after a riotous party in The Valley (a cheap suburb), Elton gives a reluctant Cher a lift home, and also reveals his love for her, not Tai. He sees Cher and himself making sense because they are both of high class. To Cher’s disgust, Elton says about Tai, “Don’t you know who my father is?!’. Emma and Cher consequently break the news to Harriet and Tai, both of which are devastated.
Yet another similarity falls into place with the introduction of Frank Churchill and Christian. Frank instantly meets Emma’s eye for approval and she decides that he is a good suitor for her, because of their similar status and age. Frank Churchhill spends quite a lot of time with Emma, and thus she believes him to be smitten with her. Emma, depicted as smart, yet obviously naïve, is ashamed and embarrassed when, despite Franks Churchill’s flirting, it turns out that he is secretly engaged to Emma’s rival, Jane Fairfax.
Comparatively, the introduction of handsome Christian into Clueless, is similar.
Christian’s good looks and fashion sense instantly draw Cher’s attention, and as they start spending time together Cher believes that Christian is in love with her. She voices this while they are at a disco and he is very obviously chatting up the bartender- “he must love me. Look how he ignores all the others girls”. In comparison to Frank, Christian also has a secret- he is gay. This ignorance of Christian’s ‘secret’ shows Cher’s stereotypical ‘blonde’ mindset. This adaptation of Frank Churchill and Christian has occurred because social morality has changed since the 19th century- it is now acceptable to flirt with no intention of marrying while less acceptable to be
gay.
A very similar and important character in both texts is the character of Mr Knightley and Josh. Mr Knightley, a close family friend and Emma’s brother in law, and Josh, Cher’s divorced partial step-brother, are the only characters who openly stand up to Emma and Cher. They are critical, assertive and intellectual. There is a period in both texts where the main characters come to a sudden self-realisation of their love for Mr Knightley and Josh. This is brought on by Harriet and Tai admitting that they think they are in love with the me. This moment is a turning point for Emma and Cher, as they realise that love isn’t just about status or great looks, it’s about feeling- as Cher puts it- “Josh isn’t even cute- conventionally”. This time is one in which Emma and Cher both gain insight into themselves and learn the value of true feeling.
Another similarity between the two texts is Emma and Cher’s fathers. Although Mr Woodhouse, Emma’s father is portrayed as quite weak and Cher’s dad Mr Horowitz as more aggressive, both girls take care of their fathers. Also, both men value family highly. Mr Woodhouse is always nagging his other daughter Isabella, who lives in London with her husband, to stay for a longer visit. Mr Horowitz observes of Josh, who is not actually his child (Mr Horowitz was once married to his mother)- that “You divorce wives, not children”.
There are major distinctions in language between Emma and Cher’s time and the fact that one text is a film and the other is a novel. The style of speech in Emma is formal and ornate, whilst the use of words in Clueless is “cool” and colloquial. Values and attitudes between the times have also changed- for example, sex before marriage and being a virgin. In Emma, it was thought a virtue to be a virgin and if you weren’t when you got married it was considered shocking. In Clueless however, the attitude is that if you are a virgin you’re weird. Cher, though, like the women of Emma’s time, was proud of her virginity.
Is Emma therefore Clueless? Largely, the answer has to be yes. Clueless (the film), substantially derives from Emma, with differences based on modern adaptations. The main characters, Emma and Cher, are initially naïve, superficial snobs but reach a turning point in their stories of self-growth in the realisation of their “cluelessness”. This is the timeless message in both texts.