The read-along is here! I am excited to begin reading Emma tonight (I read part of the Introduction last night).
As we begin - I am curious as to your impressions of the novel, either from previous readings, movies, or just in general.
I have never read it, or seen any of the movies (not even Clueless) so my initial impression is only the vague notion that the lead character is not endearing.
Onward! First set of questions will be posted by the end of the week! The questions will encompass Volume The First (through chapter 18).
posted by Mimi @ 11/16/2009 11:53:00 AM
18 Comments
18 Comments:
How far do we need to read ahead then?
I think Emma is a bit uppity and into herself, but that changes. Never read the book until now, but I love the film Emma with Gweneth Paltrow.
Let me look forward and see where I'll read up to - I'll let you know tonight :)
As a teen I watched Clueless, oh, about twice a week. So it was really hard not to compare the two even though one is a vulgar teeny bopper movie and the other a classic novel. I couldn't help but sort of like her unapologetic narcisism. I found it endearing in a weird way, and I didn't feel that it was all her fault she was like that.
Sarah - through the first Volume (Volume the First, in my edition) which is through Chapter 18
Lauren - I love the phrase unapologetic narcisism! And, I agree, it would be hard to not compare in my head - do you think that Clueless was true to the Emma storyline?
Sarah - I admit, when I'm done reading, I want to see both Emma with Gweneth Paltrow,and Clueless.
I'm sooooo with Lauren. I watched Clueless several times and actually loved Emma's character ('Cher' in the film). She was fascinating to me because she was so unlike me in high school. At the time, I had no idea that Clueless was based on Emma, since I was unfamiliar with the novel. A few years later when I watched Emma, I kept thinking...'this is so like Clueless'...which is embarrassing to admit now. :) But I have to say that I loved Gwyneth as Emma also. It's one of those oddities like a train wreck waiting to happen but you're drawn to it anyway!
Can't wait to read the novel - I'm 3 chapters in and love it so far! Hopefully I can keep up with you...
well, from my remembrance of previous readings, this is actually my favorite Austen novel. Emma is a flawed person, to be sure, with a lot of spirit and certainty lacking in a lot of Austen's heroines. Sure, she was wrong, and bolloxed up people's lives, but she was a caring meddler. LOL
I liked her. Looking forward to re-reading!
Here, I was reading by restraint and you're on chapter 18???? Shhhhh, well, I better step it up into my regular pace (quite like yours when not restrained). :)
I had no idea Clueless was based on Emma, either, but remembering Clueless now, I am thinking it all makes sense now.
Great pick, Mimi! I haven't read this book in a LONG time, certainly not since seeing the Gwyneth Paltrow film and a very recent BBC production with Romola Gerei as Emma (North American syndication soon,I hope!) I remember GP's Emma as fairly cool and remote, and not above causing a little mischief between others for her own amusement, but RG's Emma is very young, has led an extremely sheltered life and is basically a sweet girl who needs to grow up a bit. I'll be interested to see what my impression from the book is now!
Clueless definitely had creative license to take the story in very different twists. But I do think Cher and Emma are very much the same, though there are other issues of trying to make the story match with (Hollywood's) modern-day high school life.
Unapologetic narcissism is very apt to describe Cher in Clueless. I think for Emma unconscious narcissism might be more appropriate. Both are entertaining as meddling matchmakers.
I loved Clueless as a teen as well. It parallels the Emma plot pretty closely. Definitely watch it and the Gwyneth movie after you read the book!
eeeeppppp! Just found out about the readalong (a bit behind in my blog reading). Will try to find a copy somewhere and catch up.
Never did make it through even ONE chapter of Austen so I'm looking forward to it!
whoops forgot first impressions:
a) keeping up with the characters might be difficult (based on previous attempts at reading Austen and trying to watch Paltrow's Emma a few times)
b) Clueless-- Cher (Emma)is a bit of a jerk but does try to do the right thing. The comparison to Paltrow's Emma is fairly obvious once it was pointed out to me.
Oh gosh, I had never gotten the Clueless connection! I agree with whomever said that Emma's is more of an "unconscious narcissism". Her whole life was sheltered and privileged and she believed her own hype, as it were.
I shouldn't have read the introduction. I prefer reading a book "pure" and the endless nitpicking and analyzing nearly ruins the book for me. Remind me next time LOL.
I've read Emma, seen the Gweneth Paltrow version and Clueless. I didn't realize that Clueless was based on Emma until years later. My husband had to read the book in high school, and he hated it, which sparked his hatred of Austen- how sad! I was thinking of reading Jane Eyre again, but maybe I'll pick up Emma instead; however, I only have that book in a collection of all Austen's book, which is very heavy :)
:)
Unconscious narcissism does indeed describe Emma much better!
I love both unapologetic and unconscious narcissism to describe Emma.
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