How Do the Connections Between Emma and Clueless Illuminate the Key Values and Concerns Within the Texts That Have Endured over Time And/or Have Been Transformed or Reshaped?

How do the connections between Emma and Clueless illuminate the key values and concerns within the texts that have endured over time and/or have been transformed or reshaped?

Yumna-Student 1

[thesis]

Emma, a satirical take on the Regency Period life in England (1815) is a novel composed by literary’s acclaimed author Jane Austen. Similarly, Amy Heckerling’s direction and composition Clueless of 1995, conveys similar key ideas and themes but remains different in its context and media type. Emma is set in the 19th Century society of England, reflecting on the construct of society and culture of that time. Likewise, Heckerling uses the same concept of reflecting the society but transforms it for the modern world as a teen-flick style adaptation of the late 20th century Los Angeles. Both texts comment on the importance of social hierarchy and the journey of self discovery for individuals/disposition of formation of identities through the ages. Emma and Clueless sequences 13 and 15 feature love as a prominent universal and timeless theme relatable to modern audiences. Although, many values remain unchanged the nature of their expression has transformed significantly.

[scene summary]

Jane Austen’s Emma, (Chapter 43, 46 & 47) follows the Box Hill incident, which is an unsuccessful gathering between the members of the community having different social backgrounds. It focuses on Emma’s unethical behaviour towards the aged Miss Bates. Later, Mr Knightley scolds her and it leads her to realise that she is in love with him. Comparatively, Clueless the interaction between members of different social classes in premodernistic America through racial stereotypes and the establishment of cliques. Clueless sequences 13 & 15 involves the maid, Cher and Josh. Scene 13 follows Cher acting rudely towards the maid and Josh scolding her. Scene 15 depicts Cher in a conflicted state of mind and reflects on her hostile and ignorant comments towards the maid and the following discussion with Josh. Her problematic thoughts are reflected in her failing her driving test and the decision to go shopping as usual to make herself feel better.

[text+context]

Jane Austen’s Emma, and Haekerling’s Clueless present an analysis of society in their respective settings providing a comparison to the audience on the development of social heriarchy and the establishment of individualism through self discovery as society transcended through the ages.

The social and cultural context for Emma is known as the Regency Period (19th Century) in which society was regulated by a heriarchy. Social status was inherited and it was an important component which determined education level, mannerisms, wealth, language or the way someone spoke (colloquial or formal), and respect

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