Emma: Reading Notes

I'm starting to remember what I like about Emma as I get into the sections describing Isabella & John's visit to Hartfield with Emma being a kind hostess, keeping the peace between all the difficult personalities. And I'm finding myself relating (in a strange way) to hypochondriac Mr. Wodehouse more and more but also to anti-social John Knightley. This is so how I feel most of the time:

"... there was something honourable and valuable in the strong domestic habits, the all sufficiency of home to himself, whence resulted her brother's disposition to look down on the common rate of social intercourse, and those to whom it was important..." (p.121)

I love this paragraph. You can just feel Jane Austen laughing at the high and mighty Emma who thinks she knows best for everyone:

"I thank you; but I assure you you are quite mistaken. Mr. Elton and I are very good friends, and nothing more;" and she walked on, amusing herself in the consideration of the blunders which often arise from a partial knowledge of circumstances, of the mistakes which people of high pretensions to judgment are for ever falling into; and not very well pleased with her brother for imagining her blind and ignorant, and in want of counsel. He said no more." (p.138)

Emma: Reading Notes

"She had always wanted to do everything, and had made more progress both in drawing and music than many might have done with so little labour as she would ever submit to. She played and sang; -- and drew in almost every style; but steadiness had always been wanting; and in nothing had she approached the degree of excellence which she would have been glad to command, and ought not to have failed of." (p.56)

I so relate to wanting to do everything but not necessarily the work involved in doing everything.

"It is very pretty," said Mr. Woodhouse."So prettily done! Just as your drawings always are, my dear. I do not know any body who draws so well as you do. The only thing I do not thoroughly like is, that she seems to be sitting out of doors, with only a little shawl over her shoulders -- and it makes one think she must catch cold."
"But, my dear papa, it is supposed to be summer; a warm day in summer. Look at the tree."
"But it is never safe to sit out of doors, my dear."(p.61)

Mr. Wodehouse is definitely my favorite character in Emma. That made me laugh.
Chapters 7 & 8 brought out a lot of my Emma bashing. She really is incredibly self-centered and obnoxious. I realize there wouldn't be much of a story if Harriet had just accepted Mr. Martin the first time but it galls me reading how Emma manipulates her and then goes on to stubbornly brag about it to Mr. Knightley. Ick. She is such a bad friend.

"Her views of improving her little friend's mind, by a great deal of useful reading and conversation, had never yet led to more than a few first chapters, and the intention of going on to-morrow. It was much easier to chat than to study; much pleasanter to let her imagination range and work at Harriet's fortune, than to be labouring to enlarge her comprehension or exercise it on sober facts; and the only literary pursuit which engaged Harriet at present, the only mental provision she was making for the evening of life, was the collecting and transcribing all the riddles of every sort that she could meet with, into a thin quarto of hot-pressed paper, made up by her friend, and ornamented with cyphers and trophies." (p.87)

Amen to chatting versus studying! I probably should be more concerned about what mental provisions I'm making for the evening of my own life as well.

"And then their uncle comes in, and tosses them up to the ceiling in a very frightful way!"
"But they like it, papa; there is nothing they like so much. It is such enjoyment to them, that if their uncle did not lay down the rule of their taking turns, which ever began would never give way to the other."
"Well, I cannot understand it."
"That is the case with us all, papa. One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other." (p.101)

Emma: Reading Notes

It's been interesting rereading Emma at such a slow (maybe leisurely would sound better) pace that I feel like I'm noticing things I'd never picked up on before.

Like how big of a jerk Emma is to Harriet! I mean I knew that she was self-centered but I think I just glossed over how amazingly snotty Emma is. You always hear that quote from Jane Austen about thinking no one will like Emma and I see why she was worried. Here is Emma telling Harriet how low Mr. Martin is:

"I should be surprized if, after seeing them, you could be in company with Mr. Martin again without perceiving him to be a very inferior creature--and rather wondering at yourself for having ever thought him at all agreeable before. Do not you begin to feel that now? Were not you struck? I am sure you must have been struck by his awkward look and abrupt manner, and the uncouthness of a voice which I heard to be wholly unmodulated as I stood here." (p.43)

She's certainly not shy! I guess it just goes to Austen's writing ability that I still like Emma in spite of her arrogance. I really was giggling reading Mr. Knightley and Mrs. Weston "arguing" about Emma's new interest in Harriet. I love Mr. Knightley's description of Emma's reading plans. I so relate to making reading plans, and really plans for all kinds of self-improvement, and never following through with them.

"Emma has been meaning to read more ever since she was twelve years old. I have seen a great many lists of her drawing-up at various times of books that she meant to read regularly through--and very good lists they were--very well chosen, and very neatly arranged--sometimes alphabetically, and sometimes by some other rule. The list she drew up when only fourteen--I remember thinking it did her judgment so much credit, that I preserved it some time; and I dare say she may have made out a very good list now. But I have done with expecting any course of steady reading from Emma. She will never submit to any thing requiring industry and patience, and a subjection of the fancy to the understanding. Where Miss Taylor failed to stimulate, I may safely affirm that Harriet Smith will do nothing.-- You never could persuade her to read half so much as you wished.--You know you could not." (p.47)

Emma: Reading Notes

"...she had a husband whose warm heart and sweet temper made him think everything due to her in return for the great goodness of being in love with him..." (p.21)

Even though that description is of an unhappy marriage (Frank Churchill's mother & Mr. Weston) I love that description. If the feeling was mutual it would have been a perfect situation.

"Mr. Wodehouse was fond of society in his own way." (p.26)

I think I'm turning into Mr. Wodehouse in terms of my social habits. I'm not so much a hypochondriac or worried on behalf of other people but I definitely would rather stay at my house, in my pajamas, in my comfortable chair. It takes a lot to make me want to put in some effort especially during the school year.

"and yet she was a happy woman, and a woman whom no one named without goodwill. It was her own universal goodwill and contented temper which worked such wonders." (p.29)

This paragraph describing Miss Bates really struck me. I don't remember reading it before. Miss Bates is always so tragically ridiculous in the movie versions (and I realize she is quite a figure of fun in the book as well) that I forget her good qualities. Obviously she is not so one dimensional as I had her filed away as. The entire paragraph is quite sweet. Maybe I'm not reading it subversively enough but I liked it.

I do love this movie. I need to get in the mood to watch the Romola Garai version at some point.

Prada & Prejudice, Mandy Hubbard

This book is cute, high quality fluff. It is ranks up there with my favorite Simon Romantic Comedies. My only complaint was that I think even a ridiculously uninformed and naive 15 year old would understand that "Lady Henrietta" is a title and not a snub to anyone addressed as "Miss Rebecca". That rankled me a bit but the rest of the book is cute and fun. Good escapist stuff.