Volume III of Emma

Thus far in Volume III of Emma, I am sensing a great change in several characters. For one, Emma does not come across as naïve as she once was in Volume I, for instance. However, one thing that still bothers me is the fact that she is so obsessive with Frank Churchill, when he is clearly not the man she perceives him to be. In fact, I think Frank is secretly a cynical and scheming trickster who is just trying to mislead Emma by acting like a decent and good-mannered gentleman. Evidently, Emma has grown a great deal, as she now exhibits signs of a cautious and observant young woman, rather than the wildly imaginative girl she used to be.

In Chapter 37, the commencement of Volume III reiterates the fact that Emma has greatly matured by revealing her honest feelings towards Frank in a very logical and realistic manner. Unlike previously, when Emma flattered herself by believing that Frank was madly in love with her, she now calmly admits that “it was not for herself she was feeling at all apprehensive or embarrassed—it was for him” (299). Thus, through Emma’s point of view, Austen exposes Emma as a vastly dynamic character. There is a great change in her perspective and thoughts, which makes me wonder…has Knightley finally gotten through to her? Before, Emma only expressed her affection for Frank because he gave her attention and always complimented her on trivial things. However, now Emma realizes that “her own attachment had really subsided into a mere nothing,” and that her feelings for Frank were really superfluous and meaningless. Thus, even on the first page of Volume III, we see a huge transformation in Emma and her character, as her imagination that once clouded her insight is slowly beginning to dissipate. Also, the ball in Chapter 38 is also a subtle indication of Emma’s change in personality. Austen depicts Emma as more attentive and appreciative of others rather than her own status and beauty. Emma’s growth is contrasted directly with Mrs. Elton’s self-centeredness as she “was evidently wanting to be complimented herself” after “a good many compliments to Jane on her dress and look” (307). At the end of the chapter, Emma and Mr. Knightley exchange a mutual appreciation of each other’s opinions, as they both admit their wrong preconceptions about Mr. Elton and Harriet. Emma’s civil acceptance of her own mistakes is also an indication of her growth as a polite young lady, since she no longer insists that only her opinion is the correct one.

Moreover, Emma’s advice to Harriet in Chapter 41 is also significant to the novel and the bildungsroman that Austen so cleverly develops. When Harriet divulges the truth about her little remembrances of Mr. Elton to Emma, Emma is very wise to carefully advise the meek and unassuming Harriet that she ought to “consider what [she is] about” and to “check [her] feelings while [she] can: at any rate [to not] let them carry [her] far” (324), which is extremely valuable advise if Harriet chooses to take it. Overall, I am impressed by how mature Emma is and how much she has grown since Volume I. Although Emma has grown quite a lot, she still possesses qualities of an unassuming girl living in a bubble. This is because when Harriet tells Emma that she has a crush on someone, Emma automatically assumes it is Frank Churchill, when it is really Mr. Knightley. Thus, we can conclude that Emma’s imagination is not completely inhibiting her perception of reality, but it is still a slightly encumbering factor in her character’s beliefs.