Jane Austen’s classic novel Emma and Amy Heckerling’s teen film Clueless show a profound reflection of how nineteenth century England and twentieth century America can respectively show how the transformation process can shape and enhance textual, intertextual and contextual meaning. By adapting the serene country society of Highbury, England in the eighteen hundreds to the upper class and fast paced modernism of Beverly Hills, America in the nineteen hundreds, an insight is given into the development of social values and attitudes towards class, gender roles and marriage over the past two centuries. A mixture of literary and visual techniques prove while some features of society have changed, others have remained the same.
The parallelism …show more content…
An excellent example of this is a scene from chapter 15 of Emma which takes place during a carriage ride home after a dinner party at The Weston’s estate; Emma finds herself alone in her carriage with Mr Elton who assumes Emma knows of his feelings towards her and he is well self-assured that Miss Woodhouse replicates those feelings. When an astonished Emma tries to direct the conversation and his mind back to Harriet Smith, Mr Elton exclaims “Miss Smith! – Message to Miss Smith! – What could she possibly mean!” (Austen 123) Much alike chapter ____ from Clueless where Cher finds herself alone in Elton’s car after attending a party in the Valley. Elton, once again self-assured that Cher has feelings for him, makes his advances on her. A confused Cher rejects Elton and brings up Tai again only to find her match making idea is met with bewilderment “Tai! Why would I go with Tai? Don’t you even know who my father is!” (Heckerling) Although not particularly wealthy Mr Elton as vicar sees his social status a lot higher than that of Miss Smiths and rejects her as …show more content…
As conveyed by the title “Clueless” it is Cher’s cluelessness that makes her fill the role of Emma Woodhouse so brilliantly, both attractive, wealthy, clever yet clueless when it comes to love. Set in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles with lavish mansions, manicured lawns and shopping malls, Clueless could hardly be more different from Emma’s world at Highbury, England with its country houses, pastoral countryside and village shops but, both places represent a life of privilege. Cher’s social life consist of wild parties, peers who take part in recreational drug use and shopping as a means to relax, bearing little resemblance to Emma’s social universe of dinner parties, well organised, elegant balls and refreshing walks through the country side. (Macdonald 213) Even though their worlds and lifestyles are completely different, one can still see how Cher is an interpretation of a modern day Emma. And if Cher is the perfect fit to Emma the viewer cannot help but compare Josh to Mr Knightly, both men playing a key role in the heroine’s lives and are “relatives” but by marriage not blood. Mr Knightly is portrayed as much older than Emma, very wise and knowledgeable and is the only person to criticize Emma, sounding almost identical to the older ex-step brother Cher
The parallelism …show more content…
An excellent example of this is a scene from chapter 15 of Emma which takes place during a carriage ride home after a dinner party at The Weston’s estate; Emma finds herself alone in her carriage with Mr Elton who assumes Emma knows of his feelings towards her and he is well self-assured that Miss Woodhouse replicates those feelings. When an astonished Emma tries to direct the conversation and his mind back to Harriet Smith, Mr Elton exclaims “Miss Smith! – Message to Miss Smith! – What could she possibly mean!” (Austen 123) Much alike chapter ____ from Clueless where Cher finds herself alone in Elton’s car after attending a party in the Valley. Elton, once again self-assured that Cher has feelings for him, makes his advances on her. A confused Cher rejects Elton and brings up Tai again only to find her match making idea is met with bewilderment “Tai! Why would I go with Tai? Don’t you even know who my father is!” (Heckerling) Although not particularly wealthy Mr Elton as vicar sees his social status a lot higher than that of Miss Smiths and rejects her as …show more content…
As conveyed by the title “Clueless” it is Cher’s cluelessness that makes her fill the role of Emma Woodhouse so brilliantly, both attractive, wealthy, clever yet clueless when it comes to love. Set in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles with lavish mansions, manicured lawns and shopping malls, Clueless could hardly be more different from Emma’s world at Highbury, England with its country houses, pastoral countryside and village shops but, both places represent a life of privilege. Cher’s social life consist of wild parties, peers who take part in recreational drug use and shopping as a means to relax, bearing little resemblance to Emma’s social universe of dinner parties, well organised, elegant balls and refreshing walks through the country side. (Macdonald 213) Even though their worlds and lifestyles are completely different, one can still see how Cher is an interpretation of a modern day Emma. And if Cher is the perfect fit to Emma the viewer cannot help but compare Josh to Mr Knightly, both men playing a key role in the heroine’s lives and are “relatives” but by marriage not blood. Mr Knightly is portrayed as much older than Emma, very wise and knowledgeable and is the only person to criticize Emma, sounding almost identical to the older ex-step brother Cher