Homework Questions (see Vol. 2 and 3 questions): Introduction: viii:
Explain the significance of the attribution of authorship
of Emma as "by the author of 'Pride and Prejudice,'
&c. &c." (viii).
x:
What is "free indirect discourse" (x)? How, according to
Justice, does it function in Emma?
xiv:
Explain: "Emma is embedded in a particular social
and historical setting that informs much of the meaning of the
character's interactions and feelings" (xiv).
In what ways, according to Justice, does Emma fit
into the literary category of the "novel of manners" (xiv)?
xvii:
Explain: "The social system in Emma resembles a
hierarchy, . . . but it also involves lateral obligations that
can conflict with a straightforward placement of individuals
within that structure" (xvii).
Volume One 4-6:
Describe the relationship between Emma and Miss Taylor.
6:
Describe the relationship between Emma and her father.
11:
Describe the relationship between Emma and Mr. Knightley.
24:
Describe Mrs. and Miss Bates.
34:
How are farmers both above and below Emma's notice?
41:
Why does Emma consider Elton a suitable match for
Harriet?
64:
Why wouldn't Emma be able to visit Harriet if she marries
Mr. Martin?
150:
Explain the distinction Emma makes between young men and
young women when discussing Frank Churchill's proposed visit.
(See also 180).
159:
Why is Emma so surprised by Elton's declaration of love?
177-83:
Explain the argument between Emma and Knightley regarding
Frank Churchill.
Other Discussion Questions: ix:
Explain Justice's characterization of the narrator's
opening description of Emma.
xi:
Explain: " Emma's consciousness emerges with a prominence
that rivals the narrator's own voice" (xi).
xi-xii:
Explain: "[T]he way we understand the 'objective' world
results from perceptions that are embedded within our own
particular point of view. . . . [O]ur perceptions are
simultaneously objective and subjective" (xi-xii).
xvi:
In what ways, according to Justice, does Emma's
behavior reflect the "norms of her status as the presiding
female in a prominent household in the 'gentry' in a small
community in early nineteenth century England" (xvi)?
xvii:
What, according to Justice, is the difference between a
"network" and a "hierarchy"?
xix:
Explain the prescribed behavior for women found in conduct
books found in the late eighteenth century.
xx:
What is "artlessness"?
xxi:
Explain: "At no point in the novel does effective education
consist of a teacher filling a student with facts,
skills, and interpretations that magically transform the
student into a worthy person" (xxi).
What "twin themes" in the novel does Justice identify?
xxii:
What are "accomplishments"?
xxiv:
What is a "companionate marriage" (xxiv)?
xxvi:
Explain: "Both flirting and gallantry are aggressive tricks
of the young that mark out their youth" (xxvi).
xxvii:
What is the difference between Horatian and Juvenalian
satire? With which type of satire does Justice identify Emma?
(See also xxx).
xxx:
Explain: "The social system, which seems to put Emma in a
position of material and social independence, constrains her
energetic intellect" (xxx).
20:
Explain why Frank Churchill's letter to the new Mrs.
Weston is "highly prized" (20).
27:
Describe Harriet Smith.
Describe Emma's view of Harriet.
31:
Explain: Harriet was "exactly the something which her
home required" (31).
32:
Describe the Martins of Abbey Hill Farm.
35:
Why does Emma think Mr. Martin won't be ready to get
married for six years?
Why, according to Emma, should Harriet not be
acquainted with Mr. Martin's wife?
37-38:
Is Emma's criticism of Martin warranted? Explain.
43:
Why does Knightley not approve of Emma's acquaintance
with Harriet?
45:
In what ways, according to Knightley, might Emma have
educated Mrs. Weston more than Mrs. Weston has educated Emma?
55:
Explain Elton's comments about the lack of husbands and
wives "in the case at present" (55).
74-75:
Does Knightley think Harriet and Martin would be a good
match? Explain.
75-77:
Explain Emma's defense of Harriet as a good bride
prospect.
86:
What is the answer to Elton's charade?
To whom does Elton give his second charade? Explain.
88:
Explain Emma's comment about Harriet's "ready wit."
104:
Explain: "It is poverty only which makes celibacy
contemptible to a generous public" (104).
113-14:
Describe Mrs. John Knightley.
114:
Describe Mr. John Knightley.
114-15:
How does Emma view John Knightley?
135:
Why is Emma so eager to discourage Elton from going to
the Westons' on Christmas Eve?
Why is she so surprised that he will go anyway? (see also
141, 153).
137:
Why does John Knightley advise Emma to regulate her
behavior?
171:
In what ways is Isabella "a model of right feminine
happiness" (171)?
Volume Two: 201-2:
Why doesn't Emma like Jane Fairfax?
220:
Explain: "He came back engaged to another--and to another
as superior, of course, to the first, as under such
circumstances what is gained always is to what is lost" (220).
234-35:
Explain: "It seemed as if he could not think so ill
of any two persons' understanding as to suppose they meant to
marry till it were proved against them" (234-35).
243:
Explain: "It is always the lady's right to decide
on the degree of acquaintance" (243).
260:
Who has sent a pianoforte to Jane? Why? (See also
262-63).
271-72:
Why does Mrs. Weston think Knightley may be interested in
Jane Fairfax?
278:
In what way does Frank Churchill show a lack of "mercy"
on Jane Fairfax?
311-12:
Why is Knightley opposed to the idea of a ball?
326:
Why does Emma resolve not to be the last to pay her
respects to the new Mr. and Mrs. Elton?
335:
Why are married women "apt to give up music" (335)?
342-43:
How does Mrs. Elton view Jane Fairfax?
352:
Why does Emma want to have a dinner for the Eltons?
363-65:
Why is Mrs. Elton so concerned about Jane Fairfax's
finding a governess position?
365:
What is "a fling at the slave trade" (365)? (59:30)
377:
In what way is the discussion between Weston and Mrs.
Elton ironic?
Other Discussion Questions: 202-3:
Why does Emma seem to change her mind about Jane?
220-21:
Describe Augusta Hawkins.
224-25:
Why doesn't Emma want Harriet to renew her acquaintance
with the Martins?
231:
Why has Frank Churchill arrived early?
239:
How does Austen characterize Frank Churchill's response
to Hartfield and Highbury?
242:
What does it mean for a lady to be "allowed to look ill"
(242)?
247:
Explain: "There is safety in reserve, but no attraction"
(247).
249:
What is foppery? How does Frank Churchill exhibit it?
250-51:
Why doesn't Mr. Knightley like Frank Churchill?
252:
What problem does Emma have with the Coles?
253:
Why does she agree to accept the invitation from the
"inferior" Coles?
Why doesn't Mr. Woodhouse go?
267:
Why does Emma think that Frank Churchill is interested in
her?
269:
Why is Frank Churchill staring at Jane Fairfax?
272:
How does Emma view the possibility that Knightley may be
interested in Jane? Why? (See also 273).
294:
Why does Jane Fairfax "colour deeply" when Frank
Churchill mentions Weymouth?
303:
Why is the Crown Inn a better place than Randalls for a
dance?
307:
What problem exists for the plan for a ball?
312-13:
Why must the ball be postponed?
316:
Why does Emma not want Frank Churchill to say something
"absolutely serious" before leaving? (See also 302).
328-29:
Describe Emma's response to Mrs. Elton. (See also 330,
337).
368:
Why is Mr. Weston's arrival so surprising? Why has
he come?
369:
Who is the "black gentleman" (369)?
373-74:
Why is Mr. Weston being so candid with Mrs. Elton about
Mrs. Churchill?
376:
Why, according to Mr. Weston, is May a good time for
Frank to visit?
Volume Three: 395:
Is Mrs. Elton correct in assuming that the ball is in her
honor? Explain. (See 299).
407:
Why does Emma think Frank Churchill and Harriet Smith
would be suited for each other?
411-14:
Why does Harriet have a piece of court-plaister in a
fancy box? Why does she burn it and the pencil?
418ff:
Why does Knightley suspect something between Frank
Churchill and Jane Fairfax?
438:
Why does Mrs. Elton insist upon Jane's acceptance of the
governess position she has secured for her?
452:
Explain Emma's comment to Miss Bates about limits.
458:
Why is Knightley so upset with Emma?
466:
Why does Jane Fairfax accept the governess position? (See
also 539-40).
469-70:
Explain Emma's thoughts about "the difference of woman's
destiny" (469-70).
484-85:
Why are Mr. and Mrs. Weston so concerned about Emma's
reaction to the news of Frank Churchill's engagements to Jane
Fairfax?
495:
Describe Harriet's response to the news of the
engagement.
499:
Why is Emma bothered by Harriet's choice?
537:
Why does Frank Churchill believe Emma "was not without
suspicion" regarding his relationship with Jane Fairfax? (See
also 394).
556ff:
Describe Emma's visit to the Bateses. How is irony
employed in this scene?
592:
Why "must" the intimacy between Emma and Harriet "sink"?
Other Discussion Questions: 382:
Why is Emma agitated about Frank's upcoming return?
390:
What is "puppyism" (390)?
395:
Why must Mrs. Elton be asked to begin the ball?
397-98:
Why won't Mr. Elton dance with Harriet? (See also 401).(1:04:00)
402:
Explain Emma's remark about being Mr. Knightley's sister.
405:
What are "gipsies"? Why do they attack Harriet?
406:
Why will Emma notify Mr. Knightley of the presence of
gipsies in the neighborhood?
415-17:
Whom are Harriet and Emma discussing? Explain.
419:
Explain the allusion to Cowper.
428:
Explain: "I will answer for the gentleman's
indifference" (428).
429:
What is Box Hill?(1:14:00)
432:
What is carte-blanche? Why does Mrs. Elton seek it from
Knightley?
434:
Why does Mrs. Elton want a donkey?
440:
Why are Knightley and Harriet discussing agriculture?
442:
Why does Jane Fairfax leave so abruptly?
448-49:
What makes the outing to Box Hill so dull?
454:
Explain Mrs. Elton's comments.
455:
Explain Frank Churchill's comments about brief
acquaintances.
463:
Why is Jane Fairfax so upset the next day?
474:
Explain the allusion to Goldsmith.
476:
Why does Emma wish to be "of use" to Jane Fairfax?
477:
Why won't Jane see Emma? (See also 493).
490:
Explain the quote from Romeo and Juliet: "the
world is not their's, nor the world's law" (490).
496-97:
Why has Emma been mistaken about the object of Harriet's
interest?
501-2:
What evidence is there that Knightley favors Harriet?
512-13:
Why has Jane Fairfax been so upset about her engagement
to Frank Churchill?
513:
Why is Emma so upset about hearing Mrs. Weston's report?
523:
Explain: "He has imposed upon me, but he has not
injured me" (523).
525:
Why does Knightley envy Frank Churchill?
550:
Explain Knightley's "scheme" to appease Mr. Woodhouse.
553:
Why does Harriet go to Brunswick Square?
565:
Why are the Westons happy to have a baby daughter?
567:
Explain the "riddle" of "N" & "M."
571:
How does Mr. Woodhouse respond to the news of Emma's
engagement?
572:
How does Mrs. Weston respond?
578:
How has Harriet become engaged to Mr. Martin?
580:
Explain Emma's comment about "some famous ox" (580).
591:
Explain the discussion of Harriet's parentage.
593-94:
Why does Mr. Woodhouse finally "allow" Emma's wedding to
take place?
