Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Reading the SPIN book - Emma by Jane Austen.





There are 55 chapters in Emma. So if I read 5 chapters per day, I should be able to read the whole book in 11 days. This is good, as the deadline is May 15, and that is 5 weeks from today. Plenty of time to read, write and recover.

I did read the first five chapters of Emma today, and made plenty of notes - mostly noting down all the passages that I thought were demeaning towards women or men!!!

Up until today I have not watched any movie or TV series named Emma. Although I have just discovered that the comedy movie CLUELESS is a modern day version of Emma.

I did not like Clueless at all. These teenagers were ditsy and dumb and all they cared about were clothes, makeup and boys.  They were not all blondes - although the leader named Cher was definitely a dumb blonde.

There are 2 movies based on the book called Emma by Jane Austen. Both movies were made in 1996. One was released on TV and other was released in the movie theatres.

The TV movie starred Kate Beckingsale and was filmed in very low lighting. I could not even watch it on Youtube, because it was just so dark!!

The mainstream theatre movie starred Gwyneth Paltrow. This movie was made several years before her Oscar win for Shakespeare in Love.

The Paltrow movie was much nicer in cinematography. Very light both indoors and outdoors.That is all I can say that was good about it. I am only referring to clips seen on Youtube.

But again, I refuse to watch ditsy girls talk of nothing about men and boys and gossiping about their prospects.

All these 18th century girls ever think of, is men and money. They do not wish to marry poor men. They are determined to marry only rich men or men who will inherit money or land.

There is nothing mentioned of feelings or of love.

I have also discovered a recent Mini-Series called Emma made in 2009. This one starred Jonny Lee Miller (from the 1995 movie Hackers) and Romola Garai (whom I have never heard of). I don't plan to be watching this either.


If I were born in 1764 instead of 1964, I guess I would have been considered an old maid by the time I was 25. I actually did not get married until I was 36 years old!!  In the late 1700's that is practically old age, Indeed, some women at age 36, could easily be grandmothers by that age!!!

My father adores Jane Austen's books. I need to ask him why he likes them. And which is his favourite.




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