Amy Heckerlings adaptation of Jane Austens Emma has transformed a 19th century classic English novel into a teen flick romcom film of the 20th century entitled Clueless. Despite the vastly different historical settings and societal values of the two texts, Amy Heckerlings Clueless still retains the essential values of the original text by adapting these values into a modern society of our time and a modern audience of our age. Comparatively through the themes of class and social structure and the attitudes towards love and marriage, a greater insight can be gained of the context in which it appropriates further enhanced by the use of satire and irony employed by both composers.
Emma by Jane Austen was written in the Regency period of the 1800s; a time of inequality as it featured a wide gap between the rich and the poor while at the same time a rise in the merchant middle class. In response to this context, Austen tends to satirise the common source of power by creating a microcosmic world of a genteel community evolving round a handsome, clever and rich young woman who "seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence." The irony is implicit in both Austens opening sentence and in those that follow as were to discover the real evils in deeds of Emmas character (that she has the tendency to think too highly of herself and the power of having too much of her own way.) These traits are significantly illustrated upon Emmas consistent arrangements to secure Harriet and her further hurtful response to Miss Bates at the Box Hill picnic. Only after Mr Knightlys reprimand of the box hill incident was Emma starting to be aware of the fact that there are other women in her society who are not as fortunate as Emma herself.
Amy Heckerlings Clueless on the other hand, tends to satirise the common source of popularity over power by adapting Emma into a rich, self-satisfied teenage girl whose life is humorously depicted as economically over-privileged but intellectually vacant. Like Emma, Cher also undergoes humiliating experiences until she perceives Joshs disapproval of her behaviour towards those socio-economically beneath her in which he suggests Cher to use her popularity for a good cause. Here Cher learns that charity begins at home, with people like Travis and extends to the world like organising the Pisco Beach Disaster Relief which exemplifies the idea of the supposedly American egalitarian society of the composers time.
Austens omniscient narration of a naive upper middle class protagonist also challenges the aristocratic hierarchy of her time. Despite Emmas superiority in her own village, she was never aware of the changing world round her. In Emmas world, only good families connected themselves to other respectable families based on wealth and landed gentry. However the Coles is a case where they earn their wealth not from land inheritance but through trade and industry. This has earned the coles some respects in the highbury community but not so much for the superior families to consider a visit as Emma plans to refuse the Coless dinner party invitation along with her pique at not being invited.
Emmas cognition of her relationships between members of her second set and families such as the Perrys and Coles, will indirectly connect her to the people she considers "vulgar." Indeed while Emma continues to visit the Bates as a form of social responsibility, she often dislikes these visits as such visits will put her "in danger of falling in with the second and third rate of Highbury" (E 155). This has reflected Emmas social attitudes towards a class of low-origin which reinforces the importance of birthright and wealth in Austens times.
On the contrary, Heckerling challenges popular culture of her time; a fast-moving society driven by the means of consumerism and materialism. Through use of music, fashion and designer brands, Heckerling has subtly reminded the audience of the importance of the values placed on ones social status in a high popular culture by ironically satirising their meanings such that shopping are buyers remorse and Chers nonchalant comment that her mother died during a routine liposuction procedure.
Chers naivety and lack of self-awareness just like Emma also reflects the existence of social classes in a contemporary culture. Instead of class differences that springs from historical connection, social groupings based on common image and shared interest is present in the film such when Cher introduces Tai to the schools clique and showing her the vital importance of this hidden class system. Thus the film creates both parallels and transformations of class issues, ironically pointing out to the audience that class still exists but only changes its names and boundaries when transfer to the larger culture of Western materialism and to the smaller cultures of teenage life.
Relatively, contemporary culture is not shown be to as rigid as however as one portrayed in Austen text through the presence of Dionne and Chris. Dionne being African-American is not exclusively identified by this throughout the film as she and Cher are best friends whore both wealthy and live in a popular culture. Similarity Christian makes no secret of his gay identity although is lost to the naive of Cher. Together with Dionnes identity, Clueless has showcased the racial and sexual diversity of the contemporary culture.
Comparatively the attitudes towards love and marriage throughout both texts can heighten an audiences perception of the extreme polarities of an approach to such issue over time. Emma largely refers marriage as a tool use by which women and men gain financial security and status and hereby its practicality often transcends the need for profound affection and relationships. This is demonstrated in Emmas desire to set up Harriet for Elton as he would provide a comfortable home for Harriet and Emma imagined a very sufficient income from Elton who was known to have some independent property. Mr Elton however sees Emma as an eligible marriage partner compared to Harriet due to their birthrights while Emma seeks much higher for a suitable partner like Mr Knightly. All these considerations have portrayed marriage as a calculated and somewhat superficial act which reflects the social convention of Austens time.
Heckerling however takes on a contemporary approach in contrast to Emma by adding the concept of sexual intimacy as the main goal of a womens life. The conversation with Dionne and Tai in a caf replaces the conversation Emma has with Harriet about marriage as Chers dilemma is not whom to marry, but with who she should lose her virginity. Ironically marriage is still presented as the ultimate goal for a woman which is indicated in the last scene of the film where a determined Cher captures Miss Geists bridal bouquet. Marriage in the late 20 century is no longer seen as a mean to financial security but also seen as disposable in the case of Mel and Joshs mothers divorce. These examples have represented the social values within a context can impose upon texts and demonstrated how these values may evolve over time.
In conclusion, both texts present a satirical microcosmic view of the world and the complexities of timeless human values. Through the universal themes of class and social structure and the attitudes towards love and marriage that centre around the self-development and maturity of a central character, Heckerling has successfully transposed the values from the classic Emma into a contemporary teen flick in the rocom genre. By exploring the values and social conventions arise within the context of both composers times, a greater understanding of the transformation between the two texts can be gained as one can evoke the parallels and contrast in the values evolve under the influence of the context of its time.
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