Emma
Jane Austen
Reviewed by: Gretchen Date: 6 January 2005
As with all of Jane Austen's books, here are some lessons we could certainly learn even today.
Despite its romantic overtones, it teaches us the value of boundaries and the delusions that may occur because of vanity and social blindness.
Handsome rich Emma is the perfect English heiress who, in an effort to channel her energies, sets about matchmaking people and neighbors around her.
Her exasperated childhood friend Mr. Knightly warns her of the dangers in meddling, which will cause more harm than good by taking up with Harriet, a Boarder at a Girls school who the the natural daughter of an unknown gentleman.
Wrapped up in her visions of nobility and mission, she disregards the warning causing more heartache than help for her small friend.
Emma teaches us as people of power and influence that we have a social obligation to try to see the world the way those less fortunate do. We need the humility to crawl into their shoes and really see the world from their eyes.
Simply because we have good intentions to help, doesn't mean we don't have the responsibility to consider HOW we help. This is the true meaning of grace and nobility oblige that Emma learns in the end while falling in love herself along the way.
Many observations made by Mr. Knightly and Emma herself still hold true today which make this classic timeless.
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