Emma

Elective 1: Transformations The composers of both your prescribed texts are guests on an ABC Radio National Programme called “Text Appeal.” The interview explores how context leads to changed values being reflected in texts. In your response, you need to examine the relationship between language, purpose and audience and the concept of literary transformations. Write the transcript of this interview. Host: Good evening and thank you for tuning into “Text Appeal.” Tonight we welcome two very special guests to our program to talk about Transformations, Jane Austen, author of the C19 classical novel Emma, and Amy Heckerling, director of the vibrant and modern teen pic Clueless. Host: Ms Heckerling, many consider you a plastic surgeon of canonical literature, appropriating Ms Austen’s C19 novel Emma into a flamboyant teen pic; some even suggesting that your film transforms the joys and thrills of Ms Austen’s satire into little more than a narrative about fashion, image and adolescence. How do you respond to these critics' AH: As a student in high school, I grew up studying novels like Jane’s Emma, about the values reflected in the text as a product of its time, C19 paradigms of gender roles and refined social hierarchies, and the value of the text to modern society. In transforming the novel to film media, I not only wanted to explore how a text may be updated to engage a modern audience, but also, how the context and societies in which Emma and Clueless were composed affect the values that are instilled in the texts. I think we need to give more credit to modern teens, because just as Jane’s novel was a comedy of manners, a satire of a society founded on birthright, the ideal of the gentleman and dinner parties, viewers can appreciate that Clueless is a film that parodies the inherently consumerist culture we live in today. The message conveyed by both protagonists in Emma and Clueless is that the realisation of self worth and the journey towards self-awareness is far more rewarding than conforming exclusively to the values instilled by their respective societies. Host: The process of transformation is considered circular, whereby the inspiration of the known reflects upon the new, while the new resonates with the old. Ms Austen, how do you interpret the concept of Transformation' JA: Well, I’m quite astounded at how insightfully Amy has transformed Regency values of gender roles and refined social hierarchies into explorations of gender relations and social divisions. I believe that Amy has reaffirmed my belief in the timelessness of literature through her skilful reconstruction of nineteenth century paradigms, adapting the satire of Emma to contemporary situations. AH: When we particularly examine the role of women in the C19, dominant expectations of marriage and refinement as the feminist ideal are both supported and subverted by Jane through dialogue and narration. In a society that severely limited women to the domestic sphere, the six gatherings that occur during the course of Emma as a means of social advancement stress the importance of marriage to obtain “comfort, stability and independence,” values which are furthered by Jane’s authoritative reflection of Miss Fairfax’s engagement with Frank “It is not a connexion to gratify.” Emma however, appears to reject dominant gender constructs of C19 society, declaring “I have none of the usual inducements to marry. Were I to fall in love indeed, it would be a different thing!” What engages modern audiences in Jane’s novel is the poignant exclamation and assertive expression that she imbues her protagonist, permeating through dialogue and narration. The air of gentility that pervades in the short, sharp, disconcerting syntax of Mr Elton’s proposal “her hand seized – her attention demanded” and Mr Elton “ready to die if she refused him” is dramatically undercut by Ms Austen’s authorial narration “Everybody has their level.” This autonomy and self-determination is perhaps what endears Emma to her modern audience. Host: Ms Austen, how would you interpret Ms Heckerling’s treatment of C19 women’s roles' JA: Amy updates the value of marriage to teenage relationships and sexual promiscuity, providing key insights into the significance of Emma’s independence under the pressures of a patriarchal society. I think Clueless adheres amazingly well to the “teenpic” film genre, reflecting modern paradigms of sexual liberalism and affluence exemplified by the energetic crosscutting and colourful montage and backing music of “Kids of America” of the opening scene. But in saying that, Amy’s subversive typecasting of Alicia Silverstone undermines the sexual symbolism of her physical appearance. She achieves this through the contrasting revealing costuming and underlying conservatism exuded by her protagonist. In her assertion: “I am just not interested in doing it until I find the right person,” Cher undermines her appearance as a cultural stereotype by maintaining conservative attitudes towards sex and dating. Now when you compare this to Tai, who is depicted as a product of her society, conforming to expectations of sexual promiscuity, I think it demonstrates the value of Clueless to the modern viewer, because it carries an important message to teens – not to subscribe blindingly to social mores as Tai does. Her abusive tone and heightened animation, combined with the dramatic close up of her face as she says “you’re a virgin, who can’t drive,” emphasises Cher’s stratification as a social anomaly. The viewer is forced to confront preconceptions about Cher, as her virginity is inconsistent with social stereotype, and this resonates with my novel, Emma, to highlight the significance of Emma’s choices to act as an agent of self-determination. Host: But although Ms Austen, you do subvert some of society’s values, the patriarchy of the C19 is still firmly imprinted on the values instilled in your novel. What has the effect of transformation had on such a fundamental aspect of C19 society' AH: I think that the value of the patriarchal structure of Emma’s cultural context is echoed in Clueless, and I’ve attempted to compel viewers to question the progress of the modern feminist movement towards equality. In Emma, Mr Knightley embodies a strong voice of moral judgement and guardian of her character. His direct rebuke at Box Hill “it was badly done indeed” and emotive reprimand: “A degradation to illegitimacy and ignorance, to be married to a respectable, intelligent gentleman-farmer!” as you’ve mentioned, denote the didactic role of the male in the nineteenth century. Well, I’ve attempted to both support and subverts the patriarchal values of Janes’s Emma, through the transformation of Knightley “a sensible man of about seven or eight and thirty” into Josh, who projects a less confident male influence through body language and confesses “no one cares about me.” In contrast, the formidability of Cher’s father is depicted through exaggerated caricature, framing his back in a low angle shot, combined with Cher’s voice over: “He’s a litigator…the scariest lawyers around” demonstrating the strong male influence of Cher’s father. But also, to an extent, Jane treats her protagonist with a strong sense of independence. Whilst Cher’s conservatively exclaims: “As if! I am only sixteen” at the implication of her marriage, I think the modern teen can also further appreciate the egalitarian nature of Knightley’s proposal to relinquish his own independence and live with Emma, a definitively foreign concept during Regency England. JA: Yes, it’s really quite ironic how Clueless undercuts patriarchal values to a lesser extent, thereby questioning the progress of the modern feminist movement whilst conveying Emma to be far more progressive and radical within the restraints of a society plagued with patriarchal paradigms. Host: I noticed when viewing Clueless, that you’ve also chosen to retain distinct social divisions – cliques if you will – in the microcosm of Bronson Alcott High. How would you justify this decision' AH: When researching for my film, I found an enormous amount of information on the rigid hierarchal structure of Highbury, a rural representation of early C19 English life based on birthright and property. The dominant conservative view is voiced by Emma, “it was not for them to arrange the terms in which the superior families would visit them,” and emphasised through Jane’s use of omniscient narration in Emma’s disdainful tone comparing “them” to the “superior families.” Although we, as a C20 society pride ourselves on our supposed egalitarian reforms, when you look back at C19, the mercantile class were effectively confined to the lower rungs of the social ladder. For example, Jane’s authorial narration is humorously satirical of the pretentiousness of Mrs Elton “with her Mr E, and her caro sposo and her resources, and all her airs of pert pretension and under-bred finery.” Host: So how does this reflect on modern day society' JA: Actually, I’d disagree with you there Amy. I’ve attempted to present a more balanced treatment of the social order, with the egalitarian actions of Mr Knightley and Mr Weston and the favourable presentation of the rising affluence and therefore status of the Coles and Robert Martin questioning the rigid social hierarchy. AH: When we reflect on Emma, the question that I was attempting to probe by appropriating the complex hierarchies of Highbury into mobile cliques based on social practices and image was just how ‘classless’ modern society actually is. The consumerism of C20 society evokes an obsession with image, inspiring Cher’s preoccupation with make overs and “giving her a sense of control in a world of chaos.” Just as Jane, you’ve portrayed Mrs Elton’s effrontery and lack of good breeding by assuming her voice “Very little white satin, very few lace veils; a most pitiful business,” I’ve paralleled this in Cher’s misquotation of a “Monet.” Host: And suffice to say, Ms Heckerling’s postmodern pastiche of high art with pop culture depicts the superficiality of social distinctions based on image. So overall, the process of transformation has allowed social class and gender roles to be updated to gender relations and social cliques to bring new value and meaning to both texts as reflections of their contexts.