Jane Austen discussion

Perhaps Emma does not feel anything for Mr Churchill after all, but as he has returned the ball can finally go ahead. The ball turns out to be rather eventful, thanks to the Eltons. Following the ball, Frank appears with Harriet, fainting, on his arm, due to a group of gypsies. But Harriet is finally over Mr Elton! Harriet's affections seem to be tending in another direction after the service he rendered her! Mr Knightley remains suspicious of Mr Churchill, due to the odd comment and his behaviour. The planned outing to box hill is postponed, but Mr Knightley proposes a outing to his estate, Donwell Abbey, instead.

Frank has returned and the ball is back on and everyone is happy.I can't believe Mrs.Elton forgot to pick up Jane and Miss Bates and her making such a big deal about always having a carriage for them.I wonder if she didn't want Jane to outshine her and did it on purpose.

What the Eltons did to Harriet makes my blood boil.I wanted to give them both a slap.I hope they have a bad marriage,drive each other crazy,that Mrs.Elton gets jealous of her sister in Maple Grove,that Mrs.Elton runs Mr.Elton so deep into debt,and I hope only bad things happen to them.

I love it when Mr.Knightley comes to Harriet's rescue.A true gentleman as always.Then him and Emma talking and dancing together.You really start to fell they have a connection.

Frank the knight in shining armor for Harriet and Emma of course already think that they will get together like in a storybook.But if anything would get her imagination going this would.Like a romance novel.

That letter game.How could Frank do that to Jane?That is just plan mean.(view spoiler)[and to do that to someone you claim to love.Unthinkable. (hide spoiler)]Mr.Knightley thinks there is something going on between Frank and Jane but Emma doesn't believe it.Do you think there is something going on with them?(first time readers only please)

Strawberry picking at Donwell.I hope Mr.Knightley wasn't joking.I was speakless the first time Mrs.Elton said they should all come on donkeys to pick strawberries.It was sad that Jane had to leave early poor dear she seems to be having a bad time of it.Frank was late which was good because he was in such a bad mood.Emma you are right to be happy not be in love with him.

@NicoleD

The Elton's behaviour is unpardonable! I cannot think of it without abhorrence (May have stolen that phrase from somewhere ;) )

The dances between them is such a significant moment. I think it also shows to the people at the ball that perhaps they are not so much brother and sister as first thought.

Frank's behaviour with the letters is so wrong!
and I really feel for Jane at the point - she is not a happy lady!

Re Ch 39

Well, Emma has shown good sense in not trying to forge a match between Harriet an FC.

Now I wonder what FC and JF have been up to? What is their game? they have been up to something for some time now.

Ah all will be revealed before too long :)

Re Ch 42

The exchange between "Knighley" and that Elton woman with regard to arrangements for a "strawberry social" at Donwell Abby was priceless. Mr Knightley certainly put her in her place! She doesn't realize she has been put in her place though.

@Nicole

I have has a feeling for sometime that something is going on between JF & FC.
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It is also highly suspicious that JF, who must make her own way in the world, doesn't want to get started with her search and use every avenue to find a position. Since JF seems to accept Mrs Elton's friendship, why not at least look into Mrs Elton's leads and connections to employment possibilities? This is a rhetorical question.

Mr. Elton was certainly awful to poor Harriet at the village hop and Emma bears some of the blame. Emma seems to be on the road to getting good sense about match-making (at last). Thank heavens she is restraining herself from trying to forge a match between poor Harriet and the now seeming havey-cavey FC!

I never thought Mrs Elton to be any good. She is not a likable bad person (sometimes I like the bad guy or villain in a book or movie). I just thought it interesting that JA refrained from making Mrs E fawn over and flatter Emma and try to get her favor. That would have perhaps been too obvious and easy for a writer to do with a character like Mrs E, who like Emma, is conscious of status.

Now the seeming perfect Jane, accepts the friendship of the odious Mrs E. This was a clever thing for JA to do to keep JF from being too perfect, if a reader does not bristle at her (JFs) excessive reserve the way characters in the book might.

@ Andrea Re Ch 42

I loved it when Knightley puts her in her place as well! She was being so presumptuous!

JF is a very interesting and well written character I think. She is a very mysterious character!

The Elton’s definitely show their true colours in this thread don’t they? And other people than Emma begin to notice too, though they still get away with far too much! It’s interesting that Emma notes Mr Elton is becoming more and more like his wife, I think it’s true that couple’s pick up some of each other’s (bad) habits and the weaker (minded) partner repeats some of the opinions of the more dominant one… I have seen it happen more than once in fact.

Carrying on the discussion from the previous thread, the last chapter in this section helps to support the idea that Emma did not seek to be superior to all her company, because when Jane opens up to her a little, she immediately begins to warm to her. It lets her see that perhaps they could understand each other, and certainly Jane is not in any way deferring to her.

@Nicole
“I can't believe Mrs.Elton forgot to pick up Jane and Miss Bates and her making such a big deal about always having a carriage for them.I wonder if she didn't want Jane to outshine her and did it on purpose.”

It could be that, I just assumed it was because she isn’t really the doting friend she pretends to be and she forgot, but I wouldn’t put that little piece of duplicity past her at all.

“I was speakless the first time Mrs.Elton said they should all come on donkeys to pick strawberries.”
I think, if I were Mr Knightly, or Emma, I would very much like to see that ;)

@Andrea
“I just thought it interesting that JA refrained from making Mrs E fawn over and flatter Emma and try to get her favor. That would have perhaps been too obvious and easy for a writer to do with a character like Mrs E, who like Emma, is conscious of status.”

Do you think she is conscious of being a lower status than Emma? I got the impression that she thinks herself better than her. I can’t see her fawning over anyone that way, even Mr Knightley she tries to imply equality with by choosing to call him Knightley in that odious familiar way.