Back from Vacation

July 29, 2011
Pages 111-145

   Emma gets a taste of her own medicine during this couple of chapters. Mr. Elton finally reveals his true love for Emma, Emma thinks he is joking and reminds him of Harriet. Mr. Elton immediately talks of Harriet's low rank. This is ironic because Emma turned down Mr. Martin for Harriet because of his low rank, and now the man she is trying to set up Harriet with is turning her down for the very same reason. Also this is the first time in the entire book that Emma is alone with a man. This makes the scene more awkward and revealing due to the intimacy between Emma and Mr. Elton. Also Harriet and Emma seem like complete opposites. When Emma tells Harriet about the affair with Mr. Elton, Harriet wasn't upset and didn't even blame Emma. Harriet has a pure heart unlike Emma who is stubborn and spoiled. Emma realizes from this experience that she still has some stuff to learn in this world.
   The turing point of these chapters is when Mr. Elton accuses Emma that she was the object of his affections all along. Mr. Elton firmly believed Emma knew he loved her. This reveals Emma's flaw. It shows that she is not in control as she one believed she was.  She nows feels as if she was manipulated, and for the first time she does not say anything. She remains silent and in complete shock. This is the moment where you start to see the change in Emma's character. She realized the mistake she made in matchmaking and sees how her decisions have made social interactions invlolving her chaotic, and we know that she likes everything to be in order. She no longer feels the authority she once had., and now is removed and detatched from society. This shows a comparison to Miss Bates, who like Emma was once rich but eventually she lost all of her money and now lives off kindness from the upper class.