Style = how does the medium transforms the text.
Analyse style for individual, society and themes
Values
Heckling has taken Austen’s Emma because it still speaks to us today, but she has
reinterpreted the text with new set of social values, a new medium and a new
audience. Therefore, Heckling still shows the negative and positive images of
individuals and society, but means of different techniques. She shows the changed
ideologies and values by transforming the town of Highbury to the microcosm of
Beverly Hills. Heckling usees Emma because it still shows the conflict between
the individual and society. In Emma, the individual needs are regarded as
subordinate to social needs; it is a place where utilitarianism is valued. In
Clueless, although Heckling critiques the emptiness of the post-modern life,
through the transformation of Cher, she points out that a strong individual can be
freed from superficial social conventions to look beyond artificiality and find true
happiness, ultimately achieving individuality. Through the presentation of values
in characters, Austen and Heckling both condemn and endorse the values within
an individual as well as the values of society.
INDIVIDUAL- BAD
In both texts, the authors present the dichotomous values of the condemned and
endorsed presentation of individual. The condemned values of the individual in
Emma include egocentricity, deception and neglect for one’s actions. Whereas in
Clueless, the condemned values are more materialistic, the negative embodiment
of the individual includes values such as consumerism and superficiality.
Egocentricity
Austen’s critique of Emma’s egocentricity and assumption that she is always right
is shown in her manipulation of talking Harriet out of marriage. ‘Emma could not
have desired a more spirited rejection of Mr. Martin’s prose’’ shows the rejection
is much orchestrated by Emma’s preferences. Using Mr. Knightley, Austen
strongly voices the reality that Emma fails to see, ‘Men of family would not be
very fond of connecting themselves with a girl of such obscurity”. Unlike Emma,
Harriet’s unknown birth means that marriage is the vital ticket to solidity and
acceptance. Hence, Emma’s manoeuvring has detrimental effect on the naïve
Harriet’s future; who even assumes all women will marry. Mr. Knightley’s anger
in ‘you have been no friend to Harriet Smith, Emma’ shows Austen’s
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condemnation of such selfish acts that might even result in the disruption of social
structure, which is strongly valued in the early nineteenth century.
Deception
In Emma, The virtue of deception is also rendered under a negative light. Austen
highlights the negativity of this secret by presenting Frank Churchill to be careless
of his actions. For example, Frank Churchill does not only flirt with Emma but he
also isolates himself from Miss Fairfax in the public. Furthermore, Frank’s
irresponsibility to attend promised functions such as numerous dinners and parties
shows him to be deceptive and not a man of his words. And the fact that his
virtues don’t improve in the end, shows Frank Churchill to be Austen’s archetypal
individual that she condemns.
Whereas in Emma, the reason for these condemned values largely spurs from the
restrictions of the nineteenth century bourgeois paradigm, the negative values in
Heckling’s Clueless are mostly results of the emptiness of the post-modern
society.
Superficiality
In Clueless, Heckling strongly attack the superficiality within the individual. Her
attempt to attract Christian’s attention by doing what a ‘normal girl would do’
such as sending herself love letters, flowers, and candy, reasoning that it ‘just so
he'd see how desired I was, in case he didn't already know’ clearly shows Cher’s
advancement on Christian is not encouraged by sentimental values; rather her
need to attract Christian is through materialistic items. Her superficiality is further
criticised by her failure to see the reason why Christian was not interested her.
Instead, she blames the letdown of the night as results of her flat hair and bad
lighting. Furthermore, her conclusion of ‘I suppose it wasn't meant to be, I mean,
he does dress better than I do.’ we see that her view is blurred with superficiality
as she fails to see the real situation.
Consumerism
The consumerism in Clueless is also clearly established in the opening shot - a
spinning overhead shot of a group of girls having fun in a white jeep, other items
such as the hand-held camera and plasters on face after cosmetic surgery is
satirised through the soundtrack of ‘Kids in America’. This conspicuous
consumption and misperception of the ‘real world’ is exampled by the
obfuscation in the highway scene as well as the ridiculousness of Cher’s appalling
ability in driving the Jeep. These all show the utopian dream-like world of this
teen flick.
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INDIVIDUAL – GOOD
In Emma and Clueless, the male heroes, Mr. Knightley and Josh embody the
desired values within the individual. Respect and honesty are two key values.
Respect
In both texts, Mr. Knightley and Josh have respect for the society. Mr.
Knightley’s show of respect is via his concern for the lower class such as sending
apples to Miss Bates, which shows his cooperation and support for the class
system. Clearly, Austen values a balanced society in which the social class can
triumph. Josh’s respect takes on a more social dimension such as Amnesty,
Breast Cancer and watching international news, Heckling shows the caring
individual who is not only worried about the community (tree planing), but also
international matters such as the war in Middle East.
Honesty
Mr. Knightley’s expressions of honesty through long lectures are transferred into
Josh’s quick and sharp pip talk. Another contrast of the perceived exemplary of
individualism is seen through the relationship of the males with the protagonists
of the texts. Exaggerated hyperbole such as ‘you are such a superficial spacecadet’ and ‘if I ever saw you do anything that wasn’t ninety per cent selfish I’d
die of shock’ clear demonstrate the breakdown in the perception of the perfect
role model.
Through his caring ways, the dorky Josh who has the habit of drinking out of a
carton who can’t dance and arguably can’t dress (at least from Cher’s point of
view) is the twenty-first century prototype of Austen’s knight in shiny armour. It
is through Heckling’s transformation of Mr. Knightley and the perfection of
Austen’s individual to Josh and his personal flaws, both composers present the
applauded qualities in the individual of her context.
SOCIETY
CLASS
In Emma, one’s class and social hierarchy is determined by birth and family
associations, whereas in Clueless, class is all determined by the materialistic
assets. In Emma, one was never considered a true member of the gentry unless
they were born into it. Mel and Cher, however, enjoy their social superiority from
the wealth derived not from inheritance, but Mel’s hard work as one of the top
litigators in LA. These elements are far easier to alter than birth and thus, hence
movement between classes is also easier.
Social Structure
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Just like Emma’s physical setting as an embodiment of social structure, the setting
of a rich Beverly Hills high school is the microcosm of social structure. This is
not only evident in the difference in costumes and speech, but it is particularly
evident when Cher explains to Tai the different types of groups in school.
Moreover, by associating popular and unpopular groups with objects such BMWs
and skateboards, Cher commercialises and materialises wealth as the determinant
of one’s social hierarchy. This is in contrast to the nineteenth century idea of
wealth, which is based on one’s background and family connections.
In addition, in the abundance of intertextextuality, class structure can be seen in
character’s knowledge. While Christian eloquently talks about the like of sculptor
Laus Oldenberg, Tai is given the role of singing a mouth freshener advertisement.
MARRIAGE
In Emma, marriage is a fundamental value of society. In Emma’s world, the
French Revolution was beginning to question social hierarchy this is shown in
Emma’s isolating view on marriage, ‘I have none of the usual inducements of
women to marry’. But Austen restores the transgression of social norms by using
Mr. Knightley to comment “she always declares she will never marry, of course,
means just nothing at all”. Moreover, Emma’s marriage to Mr. Knightley in the
end just reassures that marriage and social structure in marriage are still
fundamental values in the bourgeois society.
In Clueless, marriage is far more subjected to personal freedom and sentiment
than Emma’s context. The ironic voice over: “As if! I mean I…m only sixteen and
this is California not Kentucky.’ does not show marriage to be essential in the
modern context. And more realistically, Heckling present a clearer depiction of
the importance of individual fulfilment in marriage by the liberalisation through
divorce. Mel’s sharp statement of ‘You divorce wives, but not children’ presents
divorce as an accepting and a comfortable parting. Hence, being individually
fulfilled in marriages is as important as securing class in Emma’s context. .
AUDIENCE/THEEMS
The theme in Emma is based around the concept of utilitarianism. It is when
Emma abandonees her ‘progressive ideological values such as egocentricity and
not marrying, she is rewarded with Mr. Knightley (her equal) and their marriage.
Social order and status quo is further restored when Austen shows little of Harriet
in the end.
In contrast, Heckling shows that utilitarianism does not work in Cher’s world. It is
all about looking beneath the surface of people. It is when one look beneath the
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surface of people, and then they can be happy. Thus it is when Emma realises that
Christian …and Dion and Murray….. Emma becomes truly happy with herself;
this successful search of self-definition has nothing to do with society. This is best
illustrated by Cher’s donation of skis for the Pismo Beach disaster.
Because the context of Emma and Clueless still shares the values of the bourgeois
society therefore some of the values in the two texts are similar. Themes such as
empathy and tolerance still remain. But with the wakening of the self in the
Romantic period, the idea of individualism in Emma is criticised by Clueless.
Emma starts out being an individual, but in the end she conforms to the norms of
society.
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