Hanging with Emma Woodhouse

Despite the length, subject, and pace, Emma is enjoyable reading. Jane Austen writes beautiful, elaborate prose that flows. And in addition to her talent for insight and subtlety, the characters are memorable and real, and some, like Emma and Knightly, are ones that you like spending time with.

Technically Austen is masterful. Her narrative style in Emma - what has come to be called "free indirect style" - was groundbreaking. It has been used in later novels to much acclaim by Tolstoy, Flaubert, and Joyce - Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, Ulysses , respectively.

Emma is probably my second favorite Austen book and I find Emma's character is appealing because of her shortcomings (even though she was not aware of those). She really grows up throughout the book and becomes mature. I am not sure if I would like to 'hang out' with her but no doubt she would have been someone worth knowing.

I love Emma, it overtook Pride and Prejudice I must admit... I think the characters are wonderfully presented and I especially love the way that everyone BUT Knightley thinks of her as perfect. She is a treasure and I am happy to have read this book. As for hanging around with her? As long as she doesn't try to fix me up with anybody then I wouldn't mind.

I agree that I wouldnt really like to spend the day with her but to meet her would be sufficient.

Emma is one of my best characters in jane austen's books. I love her acumen, her little tricks, her kindness and how she dealt with people.
Through this book, I realize that only by experencing could one really grow up.

I'm reading Emma now and I love it. I'm about three quarters finished. I may like this better than Pride and Prejudice. Wonderfully written, memorable characters, and the plotting is absolutely perfect, at least at this point in my read.

BTW, the Marlow who started this thread should not be confused with the Marlow of somewhere else. It's not me. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Virgil

I'm reading Emma now and I love it. I'm about three quarters finished. I may like this better than Pride and Prejudice. Wonderfully written, memorable characters, and the plotting is absolutely perfect, at least at this point in my read.

BTW, the Marlow who started this thread should not be confused with the Marlow of somewhere else. It's not me. ;)

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i would certainly wish to hang around with emma for an period of time. watching people who think they are smarter than they are is very interesting and i love listening to them talk. i see some value in their statements and i also love laughing to myself about the parts where they are horribly wrong. i should think that you might apply to me the same faults that you would apply to emma. sadly, being male and also not popular rich or attractive i dont exactly have much to make up for any issues with my character which might be overlooked based on more material assets. but still i sometimes act stupid on purpose just to see what might slip out of my mouth. and sometimes i even stage a stupid conversation for fun fi im realy bored in school.

if she thinks she's high and mighty, i believe she'd have a hard time with me.

I think solely hanging out with Emma would have takenquite a bit of tolerance out of it but I would have given anything to witness her arguments with Knightley.