Emma

Jane Austen

BACKGROUND

Jane Austen lived in England from 1775 until 1817. Her novels describe upper class English country life, filled with love, big dinners, dances, and manners, and people falling for the wrong guy. The writing is very witty, and the characters are realistic in that they are flawed. The movie "Clueless" was based on this book! For real! And yes, Gwyneth Paltrow looks good on screen as Emma, even in those shapeless dresses. Austen’s other famous books include Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.

 

MAIN CHARACTERS

Emma Woodhouse: 21 years old, Emma is a smart hottie. She’s got class, brains, and kindness, but she does always think she knows what is best. She takes care of her dad in their giant house, Hartfield.

Henry Woodhouse: Emma’s Dad. He loves Emma and thinks she is the best. He’s always worried about everyone’s health.

George Knightley: A good friend to Emma and her dad, Knightley is an attractive guy in his 30’s who sees Emma for who she really is, good points and faults.

Harriet Smith: Some random 17-year-old Emma takes under her wing and tries to get Elton to marry.

Anne Taylor: Emma’s nanny and closest friend who, at the start of the book, has married Mr. Weston.

Mr. Weston: The Woodhouse’s neighbor who married Miss Taylor.

Philip Elton: The 26-year-old local rector (church guy) who is ready to get hitched.

Frank Churchill: Mr. Weston’s son who is supposed to be some fancy dude.

Hetty Bates: Old lady who talks all the time.

Jane Fairfax: Miss Bates’ niece who is well-mannered and fancy.

Robert Martin: A farmer who wants to marry Harriet Smith.

Augusta Hawkins: A conceited chick Mr. Elton meets and asks to marry.

John Knightley: George’s brother who married Emma’s sister.

Isabella Knightley: Emma’s sister, she married George’s brother. They live in London with their five kids.

Mrs. Goddard: The head of the boarding school where Harriet goes.

Mr. and Mrs. Cole: People with new money who are trying to get up in the town’s society.

Mr. Perry: The town pharmacist.

 

PLOT

Emma and her dad live in a big house called Hartfield in a place called Highbury. Emma takes care of her dad because her mom died when Emma was little. Miss Taylor, Emma’s governess and friend, has just been married, so now she is Mrs. Weston. Emma’s bummed that she left, but is psyched because she thinks she was the one who fixed the marriage up. George Knightley, a close friend to Emma and her dad, thinks she’s full of it. Emma becomes friends with Harriet Smith, a random orphan girl who goes to school nearby. Since Harriet is pretty and doesn’t have a lot going on in her life, Emma decides to improve her. She tells Harriet not to marry the farmer she liked, Robert Martin, and encourages her to go after Mr. Elton, a very eligible guy in town. Emma thinks Mr. Elton is into Harriet and Harriet is all happy. When Harriet gets a letter from Mr. Martin asking her to marry him, Emma tells her to neg him, because he’s just a farmer, and she thinks Harriet could do better.

Emma doesn’t think she’ll ever get married herself, but thinks she is a good match-maker. John and Isabella Knightley come to visit for Christmas. Everyone goes to the Weston’s house for Christmas eve dinner. They talk about Frank Churchill and how he never been to Highbury. Frank’s supposed to be some hot, rich dude. It turns out that he’s supposed to come is a couple of weeks. Emma thinks that if she were ever going to get married, it would be to a guy like Frank, who is all high up in society and cool. There’s a ton of snow so everyone has to go home. Emma and Mr. Elton are in the same carriage and she’s all weirded out to find that he is all in love with her when she thought he liked Harriet. She tells him she’s not interested but feels bad since she basically convinced Harriet to forget Robert Martin and go for this guy. After the snow stops, Isabella and John go back to London, Mr. Elton goes to Bath (a town near London, and Emma has to tell Harriet that it isn’t going to happen with Mr. Elton. Emma finds out that Frank’s visit is postponed.

Jane Fairfax comes to visit. Emma doesn’t like her, especially since Jane met the infamous Frank Churchill. Mr. Elton gets engaged to Augusta Hawkins. Frank Churchill arrives – the Westons want to fix him up with Emma, but he goes off to see Jane. Emma ends up liking him though, and Frank agrees with Emma’s negative views on Jane. The Coles have a party. Emma is sure that Frank is into her. She might be into him, too, but she’s not sure. Emma wonders if George Knightley is in love with Jane, but he says he wouldn’t ask her to marry him. Emma gives a dinner for Mr. and Mrs. Elton. Frank sends word he’ll be coming back soon.

When Frank comes back, Emma realizes she never really liked him. At some ball, Harriet has no one to dance with, and Mr. Elton blows her off again, so George Knightley steps in. He also dances with Emma. The next day, Frank plays the hero when some gypsies bother Harriet. Emma thinks Harriet likes Frank. George tells Emma that Frank and Jane are getting it on, but she doesn’t believe him.

In June, George has a party at his estate, Donwell Abbey. Emma sees Harriet and George walking together. Frank doesn’t show up. Jane leaves early. Frank finally arrives. The next day, Emma and Frank flirt. Jane is bummed. Emma is rude to Miss Bates. She goes to apologize the next day, and finds out that Jane is leaving soon to go off and be a governess. Frank leaves and his mom dies.

Later, the Westons get a letter from Frank saying how he and Jane have been engaged twice. Mr. Churchill says okay. Harriet turns out not to like Frank, but George Knightley. Emma finds this out and realizes that George is the one man for her. She tells George and he realizes he has feelings for her, too. They get engaged but can’t get married because Emma still has to take care of her dad. Harriet goes to visit the London Knightleys, Jane and Emma become friends, and George decides that he’ll move in with Emma and her dad since Mr. Woodhouse wouldn’t leave his estate. Harriet decides to marry Robert Martin. Emma and George get married and are very happy.

 

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER

VOLUME ONE

CHAPTER 1

  • Emma lives with her dad at Hartfeild, a big house in Highbury.
  • Miss Taylor is now Mrs. Weston, since she got married.
  • Emma is bummed that Miss Taylor left the house, but is happy that she fixed her up with Mr. Weston.
  • Emma’s sister, Isabella, lives with her husband, John Knightley, in London. They have five kids.
  • George Knightley is a good family friend.
  • Emma says she wants to fix Mr. Elton up with someone but George thinks she should just mellow out.

CHAPTER 2

  • Mr. Weston was married to Miss Churchill, but she died. They had a kid, Frank, who went to live with the Churchills and took their name. Mr. Weston and Miss Taylor live At Randalls, a big house, near Highbury.
  • Frank has never been to Highbury but people talk about how cool he’s supposed to be.

CHAPTERS 3 – 4

  • Mr. Woodhouse likes having people visit him. He has a dinner party.
  • Miss Bates talks a lot, which is annoying, but she’s a nice person.
  • Harriet Smith lives at Mrs. Goddard’s boarding school.
  • Emma decides to "improve" Harriet. Harriet is psyched that Emma’s paying attention to her.
  • Emma and Harriet go on walks together. Emma knows that Harriet is no great brain, but she’s pretty and easily influenced.
  • Harriet says she spent some time at Abbey-Mill Farm where she met Robert Martin. Emma says that Harriet shouldn’t get together with him.
  • Emma and Harriet bump into Robert the next day. Even though he’s a decent guy, Emma wants to fix Harriet up with Mr. Elton, so she makes it known to Harriet that Mr. Elton is lame and that Mr. Elton is the way to go.

CHAPTERS 5 – 6

  • George and Mrs. Weston talk about Emma’s involvement with Harriet and Mr. Elton. George thinks it’s wring, Mrs. Weston thinks it might be good. Mrs. Weston says how beautiful Emma is and George says he loves looking at her.
  • Mrs. Weston can’t see anything wrong with Emma. George is more honest in his views of Emma.
  • Emma is psyched about how things are going with Harriet. Mr. Elton thinks Harriet’s manners are better than they were, too, which gives Emma hope that her matchmaking skills are working.
  • Emma says she will do a drawing of Harriet and Mr. Elton is glad.
  • Emma does a lot of artistic stuff like painting and playing the piano and stuff, but she never finishes what she starts.
  • Emma gets annoyed when Mr. Elton hovers over her as she tries to draw Harriet. She gets him to read to then instead.
  • Mr. Elton thinks the drawing is awesome, even though there clearly are faults.
  • He says he will take it to London to get it framed.
  • Emma knows that Mr. Elton has complimented her a lot, but she figures it must be because he is glad about Harriet.

CHAPTERS 7 – 8

  • Mr. Elton goes to London.
  • Harriet gets a letter from Robert Martin asking her to marry him.
  • Emma says the letter is nicely written but manages to get Harriet to wonder what she should do next. When she asks, Emma says that Harriet should turn him down.
  • Emma distracts Harriet by talking about Mr. Elton.
  • Harriet stays over at Emma’s so much that she gets a room at Hartfield.
  • When Harriet goes to see Mrs. Goddard, George Knightley stops by to see Emma.
  • He says he sees that Harriet has improved and that he thinks she might get a proposal from Robert Martin. George thinks Robert is a fine guy.
  • Emma tells George that Harriet already negged Robert. George is pissed – he says that Emma is leading Harriet down wrong path.
  • George figures that Mr. Elton is the guy Emma wants Harriet to be with, and tells her that there’s no way it’s going to work.
  • Emma thanks him and he leaves.
  • Harriet comes back and goes on and on about Mr. Elton, who is on his way to get the portrait of her framed.

CHAPTERS 9 – 10

  • Mr. Elton brings the picture back.
  • Emma continues to try to make Harriet better and encourages her to be into books.
  • Harriet likes riddles so she keeps a book of them. Emma gets Mr. Elton to make up a sort-of poem/riddle and he brings it over to Hartfield, saying it’s a friend’s.
  • Harriet has no clue what the riddle is about, but Emma gets the deeper meaning and says it’s about courtship.
  • Emma thinks her plan is working so she is happy and writes the poem into Harriet’s book even though Mr. Elton said not to – this annoys him when he finds out.
  • The next day, Emma goes to visit a poor, sick family.
  • On the way, Emma says she really doesn’t think she’ll get married.
  • Harriet is bummed, thinking of Emma as some old maid, like Miss Bates.
  • Emma says that Miss Bates talks so much and goes on about her niece, Jane Fairfax.
  • Emma is really nice to the poor family.
  • On the way back, they bump into Mr. Elton. Emma tries to get Harriet and Mr. Elton alone by messing around with her shoelace and having to stop to deal with it.
  • Mr. Elton doesn’t say much to Harriet about love or anything, but Emma tells her he’s just being careful.

CHAPTERS 11 – 12

  • For Christmas, John and Isabella Knightley come to Hartfield with their five children.
  • Isabella is like her dad, and also lets her husband decide everything.
  • John is less respectful with Mr. Woodhouse than George.
  • Mr. Woodhouse says again and again what a bummer it is that Mrs. Weston doesn’t live at Hartfield anymore.
  • John knows Mrs. Weston is happy, but doesn’t say anything to Mr. Woodhouse, since that would only upset him more.
  • John asks about Frank Churchill, the never-seen-hot-mystery-dude, who is 23 and hasn’t come to see his dad or his dad’s new wife, Mrs. Weston.
  • Emma and George make up – she welcomes him into the house while holding one of Isabella’s children, which makes him feel better.
  • Everyone has dinner.

CHAPTER 13

  • The Knightleys continue their visit.
  • Everyone’s supposed to have dinner at the Randall’s. Harriet gets a sore throat so she goes to Mrs. Goddard’s. Emma visits her. Mr. Elton says she shouldn’t risk getting sick. Emma says that he should visit Harriet, but John offers to take him to the dinner in his carriage.
  • John tells Emma that Mr. Elton is interested in her. Emma first is annoyed and then amused that John thinks she led him on.
  • Emma and John pick up Mr. Elton on Christmas Eve. Emma brings up Harriet and is surprised at how fast Mr. Elton changes the subject.
  • It’s all snowy, so John just wants to get back to Hartfield.

CHAPTERS 14 – 15

  • At the Weston’s, Emma tries to ignore Mr. Elton’s weirdness, but he’s always around her. She starts to think John might have been right, but she phrases it more like Mr. Elton would be changing from liking Harriet to her.
  • When she is seated next to Mr. Weston, Emma learns that Frank is coming to town. She feels that if she were ever going to get married, that Frank is the sort of guy she would match with.
  • After dinner, the women go into one room and the men into another. Mrs. Weston says she has doubts about Mrs. Churchill, Frank’s mom. Isabella agrees. Emma says that she thinks it’s lame that Frank has put off visiting for so long.
  • Mrs. Weston tries to make excuses for Frank. Emma doesn’t buy it – she just wants him to show up.

CHAPTER 15

  • The men join the women and Mr. Elton goes straight for Emma.
  • Mr. Elton is so paranoid that Emma will get a sore throat that Emma thinks it’s like he’s in love with her instead of Harriet.
  • John says the snow is really coming down. This worries Mr. Woodhouse.
  • George, always the sensible guy, goes to check out the weather. He says it’s not that bad. He and Emma arrange for everyone to go home.
  • Emma winds up in the same carriage as Mr. Elton.
  • Mr. Elton goes for it with Emma – he takes her hand says how much he loves her. She brings up Harriet but he says he was never into her except as a friend of Emma’s. He thinks Harriet is beneath him. Emma says she never encouraged him to be interested, but he is pissed.
  • At Hartfield, everyone’s happy except for Emma.

CHAPTER 16

  • After Emma’s bedtime beauty rituals, she wonders how she can tell Harriet the news.
  • After she goes through all the events in her mind, she decides that Mr. Elton just wants her money and isn’t really interested, and that maybe her good manners led him on.
  • She says she should lay off the matchmaking for a while… but maybe that Harriet would be good with some lawyer, William Coxe, but no, that he’s too eager.
  • Emma goes to bed.
  • The next day is Christmas and there’s too much snow to do anything. Emma can’t get to church.
  • The snow then freezes and no one does anything, except George Knightley.
  • Things are good at Hartfield but Emma feels bad about Harriet.

CHAPTERS 17 – 18

  • John and his family leave for London.
  • Mr. Elton sends a note that he’s going to Bath (a town, not a statement about getting clean).
  • Emma’s glad that Mr. Elton won’t come to the house before he goes.
  • Emma talks to Harriet. Harriet handles it all pretty well and Emma is impressed.
  • Back at Hartfield, Harriet still thinks Mr. Elton is the coolest, and Emma knows that relaxing will be impossible until Harriet gets over it.
  • Frank doesn’t visit. Mrs. Weston is disappointed. Emma and George disagree about Frank – George thinks he’s a lame-ass for not being dutiful and visiting his family. Emma says Frank changes himself to suit whoever he’s with – as if that’s a good thing. George thinks that’s a bad way to be.
  • Emma has never heard George sound so against someone.

 

VOLUME TWO

CHAPTERS 1 – 2

  • Emma and Harriet go to visit Mrs. and Miss Bates, the very talkative women. Miss Bates has the habit of talking about the tiniest details and annoying the hell out of Emma.
  • Miss Bates talks about Jane Fairfax, her niece, and puts off reading a letter from Mr. Elton. Jane plans on coming to Highbury.
  • Emma doesn’t like Jane too much, so she isn’t happy about the visit. Jane’s pretty and elegant.
  • Emma is bothered by the fact that Jane met Frank Churchill.

CHAPTERS 3 – 4

  • On his way to see Mr. Woodhouse, George sees Emma. They disagree about Jane. Before George can tell Emma something, Miss Bates and Jane interrupt. Miss Bates says that Mr. Elton is getting married to Miss Hawkins, some random girl he met in Bath. Jane doesn’t say much.
  • George goes. Mr. Woodhouse grumbles about young people rushing to get married.
  • Emma worries about Harriet and how she’ll feel.
  • Harriet arrives. She was caught in the rain at a store in town where she saw Robert Martin and his sister, who ignored her at first and then came to talk to her. Emma is worried about how excited Harriet is about this so she tells Harriet about Mr. Elton.
  • Before Mr. Elton comes back into town, rumors spread about his soon-to-be-wife, Miss Hawkins. Her first name is Augusta and she’s loaded. Emma thinks Mr. Elton is actually pretty slimy for grabbing Miss Hawkins, who has no parents and a ton on money.
  • Elizabeth Martin goes to see Harriet and leaves a note for her at Mrs. Goddard’s. Emma says Harriet should go see her and that she’ll give her a ride – that way she can make sure Harriet only stays for 15 minutes. Emma feels kinda bad about planning all this, but she does it anyway.

CHAPTERS 5 – 7

  • The visit goes as Emma planned. On the way back, Mr. and Mrs. Weston say that Frank will be arriving the next day and that they’ll bring him to Hartfield.
  • Frank is hot and well-mannered.
  • Emma wonders if Frank knows that the Westons want the two of them to hook up.
  • Frank goes to visit the Bateses and Jane, since he met her before.
  • Frank comes to Hartfield again with Mrs., Weston. As they all walk around town, Emma notices how suave and happy Frank is likes him.
  • They pass by the Crown Inn, where there used to be a lot of dances, and Frank is all into it.
  • Emma asks about Jane. Frank agrees with Emma about Jane being distant.
  • Just when Emma thinks Frank is a good guy, he goes all the way to London for a stupid haircut. How lame! But, since she thinks he might be starting to have a crush on her, she lets it slide.
  • George thinks the haircut thing just proves what a silly loser Frank is.
  • The Coles, who have new money but no class, plan a dinner party. In the past, Emma said she wouldn’t ever say yes to an invitation from them, but, now that she and her dad aren’t being included, she is pissed – all her friends are going.
  • Finally, an invite comes and Emma accepts.

CHAPTER 8

  • Frank returns. Emma doesn’t know exactly what he was doing but wants to act nicely towards him.
  • Emma tells George he’s a gentleman for bringing his carriage to the Coles’ party.
  • Frank sits near Emma.
  • Mrs. Cole says that a big piano was delivered for Jane, who was surprised.
  • Emma thinks it must be from the guy Jane worked for before and Frank quietly agrees.
  • After dinner, Frank talks to Emma. Mr. Cole comes over, too, and Emma sees Frank staring at Jane. Frank says he is looking at Jane’s hair and that he will go ask her about how it’s done.
  • Mrs. Weston says to Emma that George bringing his carriage has something to do with George and Jane getting together.
  • Emma is like, "No way!" She says George must not marry. Mrs. Weston hints that maybe George sent the piano.
  • Emma is asked to play piano and she and Frank sing.
  • Then Jane plays and Frank sings with her, too.
  • George and Emma talk – she thinks there’s no way he would send a secret gift.
  • Frank dances with Emma. Instead of asking anyone else to dance, George goes to talk with Mr. Cole.

CHAPTERS 9 – 10

  • The next day, Emma is really annoyed at how good Jane is at music, so Emma sits and practices.
  • Emma and Harriet go to Ford’s shop in town. Emma sees Mrs. Weston and Frank going to the Bates’ house. There’s a whole deal abut Frank visiting and seeing Jane’s piano. Miss Bates is surprised that Frank hasn’t finished fixing her glasses. Frank says that he was, umm, helping Jane fix her instrument, while Mrs. Bates was sleeping.
  • Jane plays and Frank talks to Emma about the piano. Jane smiles at some of what Frank is saying. Emma feels bad for her.
  • George rides up and Miss Bates talks to him. She thanks him for some apples he sent – he’s embarrassed and, after asking if he can get anything for them, rides off.

CHAPTERS 11 – 12

  • Frank and Emma decide to have a dance.
  • The next day, Frank comes over and says the dance will be at the Crown Inn. Mr. Woodhouse doesn’t like the idea, but Frank manages to convince him.
  • Franks says they need a group to help with the whole thing and that Miss Bates should be involved.
  • The Westons are psyched that Frank has asked Emma for the first two dances.
  • Frank gets permission to stay longer.
  • Emma is glad abut the ball but not about the fact that George could care less about it.
  • A couple days later, Frank finds out that Mrs. Churchill is sick so he has to go home. He says goodbye to Emma and she finds out that he’s already been to the Bates house.
  • Frank tries to say something to Emma but Emma sort-of glosses over the whole thing. Emma thinks he keeps stopping in mid-sentence because he loves her. Frank leaves with his dad.
  • Emma’s bummed. She decides she must be a little bit in love with him. She thinks George will be happy that the ball is called off, but he’s not.

CHAPTERS 13 – 14

  • Emma questions her feelings and the feelings she thinks Frank has for her.
  • Emma reads a letter that Frank writes to Mrs. Weston which mentions Harriet.
  • Everyone focuses on the Eltons.
  • Mrs. Elton shows up at church.
  • Emma goes to visit the Eltons. She thinks Augusts is no one special and way too casual for someone who is an outsider. When Augusta visits Emma, Emma decides Augusta is totally full of herself and thinks she knows everything.
  • When Augusta leaves, Emma’s all bent out of shape about the woman calling George "Knightley" when she’s never met him.
  • Mr. Woodhouse says he should have visited Mrs. Elton since she’s a new bride, but Emma says that he’s never been that into marriage anyway.

CHAPTERS 15 – 16

  • Nothing makes Emma change her mind about Augusta. Augusta doesn’t like Harriet, but latches onto Jane and wants to help her. Emma is surprised that Jane lets her.
  • Jane gets an invitation to go to with the Campbells in Ireland, the people she worked for before coming to Highbury, but she says no. Emma thinks there’s something up with this.
  • Mrs. Weston and George think that Jane should stay with the Eltons when she needs a break from the Bates house.
  • Emma asks George what he thinks of Jane. George says he’d never ask Jane to marry him and that she has a bad temper.
  • Emma feels good that he agrees with her.
  • The Eltons are the people of the moment. Emma feels like she has to have a dinner for them because everyone else is and she also invites the Westons, George, and Harriet, who doesn’t come – Jane takes her place.
  • John Knightley comes to dinner, too. Mr. Weston is out of town. John gets along with Jane, whom he had bumped into near the post office.
  • Mrs. Elton says Jane should not walk to the post office in the rain and that the servant will do it, but Jane really wants to get her mail herself.
  • Emma wonders about Jane’s many walks to the post office and thinks that Jane must have someone special who writes to her a lot, but doesn’t say anything because she doesn’t want to hurt Jane’s feelings.

CHAPTERS 17 – 18

  • After dinner, Augusta is all rude and ignores Emma. Jane and Augusta talk about finding a governess job for Jane, even though Jane doesn’t want one yet. Augusta goes on and on about it anyway.
  • Mr. Weston comes back and joins the party. This amazes John who doesn’t get wanting to go to a party after business when staying in sounds better.
  • Mr. Weston says Frank is coming soon. Mrs. Weston is glad, George is not, neither is Mr. Woodhouse, and Emma doesn’t know what she feels.

 

VOLUME 3

CHAPTERS 1 – 2

  • Emma is pretty sure she feels nothing for Frank but she feels a little excited that he’s coming to Highbury.
  • When he comes to Hartfield, Emma thinks Frank is less into her than he was. It’s his only visit for 10 days.
  • The dance is back on since the Churchills have moved closer.
  • The day of the dance, Emma goes to tell the Westons what she thinks of the Crown Inn.
  • Frank stands near Emma but is all anxious. Other people show up to give their opinions about the place.
  • The Eltons show up and send their carriage off to get Jane and Miss Bates.
  • Frank and Mr. Weston escort Jane and Miss Bates inside and Augusta decides she likes Frank.
  • Frank whispers to Emma that he doesn’t like Augusta.
  • Emma has to let Augusta start the ball. Emma is disturbed because George isn’t dancing. He watches Emma.
  • Harriet has no one to dance with and Mr. Elton disses her. Augusta thinks this is a good thing while Emma thinks it’s awful. George steps in.

CHAPTERS 4 – 5

  • Harriet comes to see Emma and gives her a bunch of weird stuff like an old pencil that was Mr. Elton’s. She burns it all.
  • Harriet likes someone Emma thinks it’s Frank so she encourages her.
  • Jane stays another two months with the Bateses.
  • George really doesn’t like Frank – he thinks Frank is messing with Jane Fairfax.
  • One night, Frank says some bit of gossip that he could only have known from Jane. The same night, George watches Jane and Frank play some word game that lets her know he slipped up with the secret thing.
  • Emma thinks George is wrong about Frank and Jane and says she knows how Frank feels. This makes George be quiet and leave.

CHAPTER 6

  • Mrs. Weston is pregnant.
  • Emma and Mr. Weston plan a trip. Augusta wants to go so Mr. Weston says they should all go together. Emma doesn’t want to, but she says okay. When there’s a problem with one of the horses, George suggests that Augusta come to his house instead. Augusta wants to invite people over and tries to be all bossy until George tells her that he calls the shots with his own house – unless he were married in which case his wife could invite people over.
  • Augusta makes an ass of herself trying to be funny.
  • Emma goes to Donwell (George’s house) and looks around and thinks about how George’s nephews will inherit the place.
  • Everyone sits in the shade eating strawberries except for Frank.
  • Augusta annoys Jane with more talk of her finding a job until Jane takes a walk.
  • Emma watches George and Harriet walking by themselves.
  • Emma stands alone when Jane tries to leave the party and walk home. After she leaves, Frank arrives, saying he saw Jane on his way.
  • Emma is glad not to like Frank anymore. Frank says he wants a change of pace and needs to get away from England, but if Emma wants him to stay and go on the trip with everyone else, then he will. Emma smiles.

CHAPTERS 7 – 8

  • Everyone goes on the trip to Box Hill. When they get there, Emma goes off with Frank and Harriet. Frank is boring and dumb and then all flirty with Emma.
  • Emma hurts Miss Bates’ feelings by saying something about how much Miss Bates rambles on and on.
  • George tells Emma how bad it was that she hurt Miss Bates.
  • Emma says she’s sorry but tries to laugh it off.
  • George is serious though and reminds Emma of how poor Miss Bates is and how needy.
  • Emma is mad at herself and then pissed that she listened to George’s lecture.
  • Emma and Harriet ride home together and Emma cries at her bad behavior.
  • Emma plays backgammon with her dad that night and feels like crap.
  • She goes to visit the Bates house the next morning to try and make up.
  • Things are weird until Emma asks Miss Bates about Jane and she then talks as normal – Jane has taken a job, thanks to Mrs. Elton, and is leaving in two weeks, Frank is leaving to see the Churchills.
  • Emma thinks about woman and their roles and what they are meant to do in life.

CHAPTERS 9 – 10

  • Still thinking when she gets home, Emma finds George and Harriet there. George is about to leave for London and he’s still pissed at Emma.
  • The next day, people find out that Mrs. Churchill has died.
  • Emma wants to give Jane some attention now that she’s going away, especially since Emma thinks Harriet is about to get a lot of opportunities, but Jane declines Emma’s invitation to Hartfield.
  • Mr. Perry says that Jane has a headache. Emma offers to send her carriage but she is negged again.
  • Later, Emma finds out that Jane is fine, she just didn’t want to accept any kindness from Emma.
  • Emma makes herself feel better by thinking that at least George will feel that she did something for the right reasons.
  • Days later, Mr. Weston shows up and wants Emma to come see Mrs. Weston about some big deal.
  • Emma learns that Frank told the Westons that he’s been engaged to Jane. Mrs. Weston is really relieved to find out that Emma doesn’t like Frank.
  • Emma blames Frank for being so dishonest. Even though Frank was slimy, he didn’t know about Jane taking that job, so he decides to come to Highbury.
  • Mr. Weston brings Emma back and decides that Frank getting married is probably the best thing for him. Emma thinks it could just as well have been Harriet.

CHAPTERS 11 – 12

  • Emma’s worried about Harriet and how she’ll react to Frank’s engagement. She thinks Harriet’s really attached to frank, but Harriet couldn’t care lass.
  • It turns out that Harriet has been interested in George.
  • Emma is shocked. Much to her surprise she blurts out that George Knightley can’t marry anyone but herself.
  • Harriet tells why she thinks George likes her, too. Emma thinks it might be true and feels crappy.
  • When Harriet says she deserves George, Mr. Woodhouse comes in and the discussion ends.
  • Alone, Emma is miserable. She wonders how long she has loved George. She wishes she hadn’t gotten involved with Harriet. She feels like an idiot for not encouraging Harriet to marry Robert Martin and also for trying to control people’s lives.

CHAPTERS 12 – 13

  • Emma never knew how much of a role George played in her life. She decides if she knew he would never marry, she’d be okay.
  • Emma feels that because she takes care of her dad, she can’t marry.
  • Emma and Harriet stop hanging out.
  • When Mrs. Weston stops by and talks about Jane, Emma is all nice because of the way she treated Jane in the past.
  • The weather sucks, Emma’s bummed, and the house is empty – Mrs. Weston will be at home with her baby, Jane and Frank will be gone, and if George got married, it’d be even worse.
  • Emma is even more upset when she realized that she brought most of the suckiness on herself.
  • When the weather clears the next day, Emma goes outside. George shows up and they go for a walk.
  • Emma says she should have listened to him about the whole Jane/Frank situation. He takes her arm and they bitch about it together.
  • Emma says she was never into Frank. George says nothing. Emma describes what role she played for Frank and George says Frank is lucky.
  • Emma worries that they’re about to see Harriet so she doesn’t ask what George means by that.
  • As they talk, it becomes clear that George loves Emma and tries to get the words out. She is really happy.
  • Even though he didn’t start out asking her to marry him, George and Emma walk back into the house and she is his.

CHAPTERS 14 – 15

  • Back in the house, Emma’s all excited. She doesn’t know what to do about her dad and Harriet.
  • Emma decides that while her dad is alive, she and George can only be engaged, and that the least she can do for Harriet is to write her a latter and get her an invitation to stay with the Knightleys in London.
  • At breakfast, George brings a letter from Frank to Mrs. Weston which excuses his bad behavior – he says that he thought Emma knew about him and Jane and that he sent the piano. He says only good thing about Emma. George reads the letter and they both feel better about Frank.
  • George says that the only way he can not make Mr. Woodhouse unhappy is by coming to live at Hartfield. Emma thinks about it since it makes since.
  • Emma worries about Harriet.

CHAPTERS 16 – 19

  • Harriet is glad to be asked to London for a couple of weeks, especially since it means she won’t have to deal with Emma.
  • Emma visits Jane but Mrs. Elton is there and is her usual bitchy self. Augusta waits for Elton to pick her up after some meeting with George that Emma says isn’t until tomorrow. Mr. Elton is all pissed off when he gets there.
  • Emma smiles because she knows George is waiting for her at home.
  • Emma and Jane make up and Emma says that things are better when they are out in the open.
  • Mrs. Weston gives birth to a little girl.
  • George and Emma don’t talk about Harriet much and Emma’s upset that she can’t really be open abut Harriet.
  • Mr. Woodhouse is told of Emma and George’s engagement. First he tries to get her not to want to, but then he begins to see that it might not be a bad idea.
  • The London people arrive.
  • Emma dreads seeing Harriet until one morning George announces that Harriet is going to marry Robert Martin, who proposed in London at the Knightley’s.
  • Emma assures George that she isn’t against the marriage.
  • Emma and George meet up with Jane and Frank. Frank says he’s sorry about that stuff in the past.
  • When she compares the two guys, Emma is glad she got George.
  • Harriet and Emma spend some time alone and Emma knows Harriet is over Mr. Knightley. Also, Emma realized that Robert Martin is a good guy.
  • Robert and Harriet get marred first in September. Frank and Jane pick November. Emma and George want to get married in October, but Mr. Woodhouse complains.
  • After a bunch of chickens are stolen from Mrs. Weston’s chicken house, Mr. Woodhouse decides he feel safer with a Knightley male around. Since John is leaving for London, Mr. Woodhouse gives his consent so that George can move in.
  • The wedding happens and George and Emma are happy.

 

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