Posted: February 17th, 2022

Emma and Clueless- Text and Context

Concepts concerning the human situation can transcend time and expressed by way of totally different contexts whereas reflecting society’s altering values. Emma, written by Jane Austen reaffirms and challenges the conservative society of 19th century England, the place ethical development is a results of strict social etiquettes and inflexible class construction. Nonetheless, Heckerling has taken related concepts that talk powerfully about human nature to the totally different context of 20th century America, throughout the world of Clueless the place a a lot fluid social construction is oriented round reputation and superficial materialism.
Whereas each texts are capable of mirror the values and beliefs of its time, they convey related concepts that are common and relate to any context. The significance of non-public development is a component of humanity which transcends time, and can resonate by way of any context. Emma lacks life’s experiences, with “little to vex her” while doing “simply what she preferred”. Her flawed and spoiled character is overshadowed by her “mutual attachment” to her “gentle” tempered governess additional exemplified by way of the authorial intrusion that she “had reasonably an excessive amount of her personal means”.
In distinction, Mr Knightley treats others with respect regardless of their social standing, appearing as an ethical voice within the novel when he says that Miss Bates deserves “compassion”, not “ridicule” when Emma insulted her as being “boring” on the Field Hill picnic. He scolds Emma that “it was badly finished! ” appearing as compass to the realisation of her wrongs and “merciless” behaviour which “uncovered herself to sick opinion”, indicating the strict social etiquettes of her time.

Lastly, “she acknowledged the entire reality” which metaphorically “darted by way of her, with the pace of an arrow” that she was in love, consequently resulting in her realisation that she had been “thoughtless”, “indelicate”, and “irrational” in direction of others, and how with “unbearable vainness she had believed herself within the secret of each physique’s emotions”. This marks a significant turning level in Emma’s ethical development, which is later rewarded by way of marriage.
Heckerling’s Clueless explores related concepts of development whereas reflecting the totally different context of contemporary America, the place self realisations are penalties of non-public dissatisfaction throughout the superficial society. Cher’s preliminary voiceover that she has a “means regular life”, mockingly contrasts the photographs of her choosing out garments on the pc. Her choice of cartoon over information suggests her naivety while shallow indulging inside her slender world of superior wealth and reputation.
To Cher’s personal amusement she concludes that “(Tai’s) life shall be higher due to me”, resulting in the “makeover”. This mirrors the persona of Emma, who additionally ignorantly takes issues into her personal palms. Nonetheless, whereas Emma merely didn’t match make, Cher finds her personal place and energy being challenged when Tai turns into “the preferred lady within the college”, which Cher hyperbolically describes as “an alternate universe”. Cher questions in disbelief “I failed one thing I couldn’t discuss my means out of? when her vanity and assured character is challenged by actuality, leading to her self realisation, that each one her pals had been “actually good in several methods”, signifying the overcoming of her self-centeredness, additional highlighted in her willingness to Help others. Her change in angle is rewarded by a larger appreciation of life and the folks round her, together with Josh, whom she loves. In contrast to Emma’s self transformation, Cher’s realisation as a result of trivial occasions interprets to a a lot shallow world within the 20th century the place there’s a lack of strict social etiquette.
Austen reaffirms the inflexible social lessons which frequently outlined one’s social standing, whereas satirising the pretensions of the gentility. Austen lists properties resembling “good-looking”, “wealthy” and “intelligent”, emphasizing Emma’s place as an aristocracy in distinction to Mr Martin is a “gross, vulgar farmer”, and due to this fact “remarkably plain” as a result of his decrease social standing. Emma pretentiously refers to herself as a “fanciful, troublesome creature”, with the useless intent of receiving flattery from others, exposing Austen’s satirical goal.
Mr Elton’s disgusted tone as he declares he’ll “by no means suppose significantly of Miss Smith” as a result of “everybody has their degree”, Along with his refusal to bop with Harriet highlights the rigidity inside social lessons. Qualities of Emma are always juxtaposed to Harriet, who’s the pure daughter of someone”, a euphemistic portrayal of Harriet’s lack of standing and value as a result of her unknown household background. The reference of Mr Westin as having been “born” right into a “respectable household” illustrates significance of inherited wealth.
Regardless of Emma’s affect over Harriet to marry greater, she finally marries appropriately to Mr Martin. Due to this fact the shortage of mobility and strict guidelines which govern the variations between every class will not be challenged by Austen. Emma’s world displays a transparent class construction that’s extraordinarily inflexible. Whereas the concept of social class inside Emma is outlined as strict and inflexible, the informal up to date American society based mostly on materials wealth and reputation is mirrored in Clueless.
A gap montage along with the favored tradition background music “children in America” depicts the liberty and quick paced life-style of youngsters, whose interactions suggest common acceptance of all sorts of folks. The medium shot that includes Cher’s “traditional” classic home undermines the superficial and materialistic basis of the social construction. Moreover the stereotypical division of social teams resembling “Loadies”, “Fashionable boys” and “Persian mafia” based mostly on reputation and materials items resembling “BMW” once more illustrates the worth of materialistic items.
In contrast to Emma the place people of 1 social class had been principally inspired to work together whereas disregarding different social lessons, the social construction introduced in up to date society permits for fluidity and cultural range. Whereas orphans resembling Jane Fairfax and illegitimate youngsters like Harriet weren’t extremely regarded, Christian, a “cake boy” has no bother mixing into the microcosm of highschool society and its social cliches.
Along with this, Tai, who climbs up the social ladder, highlights the extremely fluid social construction. Due to this fact, Heckerling’s fashionable cultured movie and Emma each discover an concept of social class, but boundaries between totally different social lessons rely on values of the time and context. Whereas concepts concerning the human situation are related and related to any society, their expression is drastically influenced by beliefs and values of its context.
Austen’s Emma contains a society with strict social etiquettes, from which Emma learns and morally matures. Heckerling takes the concept of self development and interprets it by way of a unique context, the place the lives of youngsters are reasonably shallow and revolve round trivial issues. Whereas the 19th century English society of Emma is ruled by social lessons that are distinct and inflexible, Clueless options the fluid society classed by reputation and materialistic wealth. Total each texts clearly replicate the context of its time.

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