[HPforGrownups] SHIP: ?Emma?, Twists, and HBP

[Anita Hillin]

No: HPFGUIDX 136669



Pat <5682574 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
[a little off the top, then...]

"The best twist ever in literature is in Jane Austen's Emma. To me she is the target of perfection at which we shoot in vain."


[a wholesale cut here]


Considering that Emma is her favorite book, it`s full of
zigzagging shipping, and the twists in it are her target of perfection, I firmly believe JKR put one or more Emma-like twists in HBP, question is, where?

[followed by Pat's cogent argument that JKR is setting us up for an "Emma"-like twist to a H/Hr ship]

First off, I'm so happy Jane's made an appearance again!  Lo these many posts ago, I did a quick and dirty comparison of the romance (if you can call it that) between James and Lily in "Snapes Worst Memory" to Elizabeth and Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice."  Now, on to the first Austen I ever read...

While I concede you've done an excellent job with your argument, I would suggest that we can also use "Emma" to follow the trajectory of Harry and Ginny.  Emma takes Mr. Knightly for granted throughout much of the book, although she values his opinion and listens to him when she refuses to listen to anyone else.  She only realizes her own feelings when she hears from Harriet Smith that she cares for Knightly and believes him to return the regard.  JEALOUSY is what drops the scales from her eyes.  Likewise, Harry values Ginny's friendship, and she's able to reach him when no one else can in OOP, but it's not until he's faced with the reality that she's kissing someone else that his jealousy is aroused and he realizes how he feels.

You argue that Mr. Knightly thinks of Emma as a friend and no more prior to her interest in Frank Churchill, but I would argue that he has always loved her, but he was a bit diffident about telling her, given his relationship with the family and that he's had no signal that she returns his love.  This would compare with Ginny's decision to step back, since she has no reason to believe Harry cares for her, and she'd rather be his friend than ruin their relationship by pressing the issue.  

Good authors purloin whatever works for them, and JKR couldn't steal from a better author, IMHO.  Whether your take or mine proves to be the case, I think you're onto something with the comparison.

akh, who probably repeated someone else's argument, but there are too... many... posts... {gasp!}





Before posting to any list, you MUST read the group's Admin File!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/files/Admin_Files/HBF_Text

Please use accurate subject headings and snip unnecessary material from posts to which you're replying!





SPONSORED LINKS 
Half-blood prince Adult education Organizational culture 

---------------------------------
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 


    Visit your group "HPforGrownups" on the web.
  
    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
 HPforGrownups-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
  
    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 


---------------------------------



		
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
 Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]