Friday, October 19, 2007

emma and clueless

Okay, so I started reading Emma, and I was really enjoying it. The world that Austen creates for the reader is at once tranquil yet restless. Ordered, but in flux. Maybe I'm not explaining it well, but I could feel the charm of Austen. Just getting into her world, ya know?

Then a line in the book (maybe around page 40) triggered a distant memory: Oh my God! Wasn't the movie Clueless based on Emma?

It was.

And this has been a mixed blessing. On the one hand, I am astounded at how true the movie is to the book and how relevant the story is still today. But it's a weird feeling... I'm reading the book for the 'first' time, but not.

It's a great jumping-off point to ponder the question that recently came up in class: why is Jane Austen still read and adapted into movies like mad today?

I'll let you know what I find.

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