IndexNature of the studyMethodsRelated literaturePrimary sources (in-text citations)Secondary sourcesAnalysisPresentation of dataResults/findingsHistorical contextRole of womenSocial hierarchy and financial situationMannersecHecFashionConclusionWorks CitedNature of the study“The imagination of a ma'am you are very quick; jump from admiration to love, from love to marriage in an instant.” Through her use of linguistics, these wise words effortlessly display the balance, sense of love, and feminism of revolutionary woman Jane Austen. The 18th-century English writer, one of the creators of modern romanticism, wrote literary works ahead of her time on issues that are still entirely relevant today. Generations of readers have been delighted by some of her famous works such as Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma, each featuring independent-spirited and admirable heroines. Her novel, Emma, tells the story of a beautiful, wealthy young woman who worries about arranging dates with her peers and being quite intrusive into the love lives of others, even though she is well-intentioned. Paramount Pictures released Clueless, a pure modernization of Emma on July 19, 1995, targeting teenagers as a specific audience. Their cast was made up of mostly unknown actors, had a moderate budget, and wasn't expected to achieve anywhere near the success it has now, earning more than $105.7 million in today's market. One of the highest-grossing female directors in Hollywood history, the genius behind Clueless, Amy Heckerling is able to breathe new life into the classic story. This essay intends to explore with in-depth analysis: “From Jane Austen's 19th century tale of Emma to Amy Heckerling's 20th century pop culture film, Clueless, how they manage to change the story in context and use of literary devices of intercultural communication". keep the film relevant in contemporary culture?" Clueless follows a similar plot to Emma but with significant geographical, historical and social changes. Clueless perfectly illustrates the idea of a privileged, popular and bold teenage culture through the life of heroine Cher Horowitz. The difference in cultural background has a strong impact on the character's use of linguistics as it leads to the portrayal of a different social environment. However, Amy Heckerling brilliantly preserves the distinctive traits of particular characters and situations by creating parallels between each and some events in his film. It has become one of the most loved films for its unforgettable clothing items and also for iconic quotes Without abandoning the main plot and character elements, this essay aims to analyze how: “From the classic story of Jane Austen's Emma to Amy Heckerling's pop culture film, Clueless, how does the changing story in context and use of linguistic devices of intercultural communication keep the film relevant in contemporary culture?” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Methods A range of sources will be used to create a detailed comparison between the two literary texts. The primary source I will collect first hand includes direct extraction of texts and dialogues from the original novel and film as supporting evidence, as well as in-depth analysis of the film as a visual text Extraction of excerpts from the two texts must be done appropriately using appropriate quotes from MLA 8 and it should be interpreted in a useful and significant way for this investigation since not allinformation found in the primary data would be useful or relevant to this investigation investigation. Analysis from the original source is advantageous because it provides a detailed overview of the story, told at different times, with different characters and using different linguistics. By reading the novel/screenplay directly or by watching the film, it offers the reader topics and concepts to analyze firsthand without being influenced by external sources and interpretations. The two texts that will be analyzed can be considered a form of art and art is open to interpretation. However, communication problems are likely to occur if 21st century people read the novel now as they are likely not to understand some of the linguistics used as the language has evolved and developed over time, following the trends of globalization. In addition to this, secondary sources from the Internet such as interviews with Amy Heckerling, novel and film reviews, as well as criticism will be collected which will help achieve a more in-depth analysis. Secondary sources can provide background information about the story and open the audience to new interpretations and opinions about the story. Interviews with the director, Amy Heckerling, can help audiences gain context about the film, Clueless, and understand its intentions and effect on viewers. Everyone has different preferences and these opinions can be shown by critics through novel and movie reviews. Reviews of novels and films can be beneficial since they can clarify to the viewer some concepts that were previously unclear, but they can also damage the viewer's perception towards the story, whether it is positive or negative, since either case would result in a loss or in a loss. diminished originality in opinion. However, secondary sources must be credited appropriately using the MLA format 8. Related literature Primary sources (in-text citations) The primary sources that will be used are the novel Emma by Jane Austen, the screenplay of Clueless by Amy Heckerling from script. com as well as his Clueless dictionary full of his made-up slang and words and phrases that '90s teenagers would have used. Posted under the username "qmonroe" on the website "darling.reverie", it provides examples and explanations for each of the unique slangs created and used by Amy Heckerling. A collection of interviews with Amy Heckerling will also be used to further contextualize this investigation. It is important to take note of Amy Heckerling's intentions and the execution of her ideas because they determine the entire story and how it is perceived by the audience. The interviews will be taken from the source "The True Confessions of a Female Director" by Lindsay Zoladz and "This is an Amy Heckerling Interview", by Kolleen Kelsey. Both interviews provide insight into the Clueless director; his ambitions, hopes and dreams about the film and the future of his career. Secondary Sources Particular secondary sources that will be used are novel and film reviews to see how others interpret each of the works and their opinion towards it. Specifically, Sir Walter Scott's review of Jane Austen's Emma on onlyanovel.wordpress.com and Roger Ebert's review of Clueless on rogertelbert.com will be studied and evaluated to see the different perceptions towards the story and how their opinion on the linguistics used in both literary works. Research will also be carried out on the literature of the Victorian era to provide a more historical context, which may be useful when analyzing the linguistic aspects of this story. Websites such as Britannica.com and will be used for this purposeVictorian-era.org.Presenting Data AnalysisThe Victorian era of literature flourished during the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. Changing social norms and upheavals heavily influenced literary elements and characteristics. of this era. The presence of social injustice has pushed writers to express their thoughts through the development of new elements in literature. Female consciousness arose after Victorian writers began writing about female emancipation and emancipation. Realism has also been explored when writers incorporate recognizable situations into their works. Writers of this period, including Jane Austen, revolved their stories around relationships, gender politics, class, and emphasized how strong their sense of place in society was. The characters of Emma and Cher undoubtedly have a very distinct way of communicating due to the large gap between the time periods. 19th century English was correct; everyone was expected to be polite and absolutely respectful, speaking perfectly structured sentences, with extensive use of vocabulary. 20th century English became lazier, in a sense, as technology advanced and trends changed rapidly. Cher Horowitz and Emma Woodhouse, the main heroines of the story, were quick to judge Travis and Robert Martin by their social status, a drug addict and a drug addict. farmer, respectively. “It's one thing to turn on a doll and get belted at parties, but it's another thing to be fried all day... Loads usually hang on the grassy knoll over there. Sometimes they come to class and say stupid things, and we all laugh of course, but no respectable girl goes out with them (Amy Heckerling). Cher tells the story by providing background information about Travis, who is a friendly skateboarder with a low social standing. He was challenged by Cher as an unsuitable partner for her friend Tai because he was notoriously associated with drugs. Her bad habits push Cher to find Tai, someone better. By “light up a doobie and get hooked up at parties,” he was referring to drug use and by “loadies,” he meant drug users. Being "fried all day" meant he was constantly teased because of stupid or "boneheaded" comments he made. «He is very simple, undoubtedly ~ extraordinarily simple: ~ but this is nothing compared to his total lack of kindness. I had no right to expect much, and I did not expect much; but I had no idea it could be so clownish, so completely airless. I had imagined him, I confess, with a degree or two approaching nobility” (Jane Austen). This excerpt expresses Emma's thoughts about Robert Martin and how Emma's influences lead Harriet to reject Robert Martin's marriage proposal. Due to the clear class disparity in Emma's time period, Emma was concerned about Harriet's reputation. Emma uses repetition to emphasize how simple it is and how much she overestimates it. She comments on his lack of kindness, which is rude, but to some extent, said politely. Another example is when Elton and Mr. Elton reveal that they would not want to pursue any romantic relationship with Tai and Harriet respectively. Elton responds to Cher by saying, “You know, I don't understand you, Cher. You flirt with me all year... Tai? Why should I go with Tai? …You don't even know who my father is?” (Amy Heckerling). Elton is the snobbish son of a powerful and wealthy music industry executive father. He becomes very offended towards Cher because he thought he would be interested in someone like Tai, who was a "nobody" popularized by Cher. He evidently shows his cocky sidewhen he emphasizes his high social position by saying, "do you even know who my father is?" making it clear that he thinks he deserves much better treatment and respect. Mr. Elton instead responds to Emma by saying: “Never, madam”, he exclaimed, offended in turn: “never, I assure you”. I think seriously about Miss Smith! Miss Smith is a very good girl: and I should be happy to see her settled respectably. I wish her well: and, no doubt, there are men who may have no objections... each has his own level: but as for me, I am not, I think, all that perplexed. I need not so completely despair of an equal alliance, as turn to Miss Smith! - No, ma'am, my visits to Hartfield have been for you alone; and the encouragement I have received~” (Jane Austen). Mr. Elton is a handsome, proud, superficial "gentleman" who is invited to many events due to his popularity. He declines Emma's suggestion to give Harriet the chance to love very politely. He first begins by complimenting Harriet and then wishes her the best in her future love life, but then proceeds to say that they are not on the same level. She says that he "need not so completely despair of an equal alliance", which means that he sees himself in a much higher hierarchy than she, and therefore is not interested. Both men are superficial, rude and disrespectful to women's rights. They were in love with Cher and Emma and believed that they should be together due to their similar family status and social circle, thus breaking the young and naive girls' hearts. Findings/Findings Historical Context Jane Austen was one of the first authors to suggest that women should marry for love and not for wealth or greater social standing, which was a big and controversial deal for a 19th century woman. It offers readers a glimpse into the lifestyle, customs, morals and representation of women in society. Jane Austen stood out because she gave her strong female characters the right to be happy in their own way while fighting their respective battles. To meet the interest of modern audiences, Heckerling notes the shift in values between these time periods to make the story more relevant. Heckerling's version depicts a major departure from all other iterations of Jane Austen's Emma in that it does not replicate the mannerisms, fashion choices, values, or language of the original text but rather modernizes them to create something fresh and original. Knightley is a respected landowner and Emma's brother-in-law through her sister's marriage. Josh is a college student and Cher's ex-brother. During Cher's dramatic scene of self-realization, she recounts the thoughts in her head; “It's just like this snail hanging around the house… What am I stressing about? This is, like, Josh! Okay, okay, it's kind of Baldwin. But what does he want from Tai? She couldn't make him happy. Josh needs someone with an imagination, someone who cares about him, someone who laughs at his jokes, just in case he ever makes any. Oh my gosh, I love Josh. I am major, totally, crazy in love with Josh!” Cher finally realizes how much she really loves Josh, and in a romantic way. She describes her feelings in valley girl language while occasionally using slang to convey her emotions. He describes Josh as a "slug", meaning a person with lazy tendencies. He also mentions how he's kind of "Baldwin" and this refers to the handsome Baldwin brothers, who were popular in the 90s, which therefore serves as a compliment. He repeatedly uses the word “someone” to emphasize how he needs a specific person to be with him regarding himself. Him tooThe adjectives Cher uses to describe her love are very informal: "above all, totally, madly in love with Josh." Emma's version of self-actualization involves having a third person express her thoughts. “Until now, when she was threatened with losing him, Emma had never known how much her happiness depended on being first with Mr. Knightley, first in interest and affection. ~ Satisfied that it was so, and feeling it was her duty, she had enjoyed it without thinking; and only in fear of being supplanted did he discover how unspeakably important he had been. She herself had been first with him for many years. He hadn't deserved it; she had often been negligent or perverse, scorning his advice, or even willfully opposing him, insensitive to half his merits, and quarreling with him because she would not acknowledge his false and insolent regard for her. The sentences are structured beautifully as the flow offers greater sophistication. Mr. Knightley and Josh both act as contrasting characters to Emma and Cher, as they both underestimate the two women's abilities. They are the only people who are openly critical of Emma and Cher respectively, as they are not afraid to point out their mistakes. But they also often guide them through genuine concern and care. In the end both are well-matched because their partners challenged and felt comfortable with them, and they guided the girls to do the right thing. The Role of Women A key concept both stories achieve is how they reflect the role of women in their respective societies and time periods. Emma and Cher both lost their mothers at such a young age, which influenced both of these young women to take on a bigger role in their family and make their mothers proud. In the time when Emma was dominated by men, women were expected to marry, have children and be responsible for their own family, while Emma refuses to find love or get married, which was quite strange for her time . Furthermore, women were not allowed to have relationships with the opposite sex unless they married or at least were not engaged to them, which leaves rather limited options and chances of finding a suitable partner. Being single is considered quite normal these days, especially at such a young age. Marriage is not a priority, but women are expected to get an education and find a job on their own. Boyfriends and premarital sex weren't all that shocking among teens in the '90s, so this time period allowed for more flexibility and time to find the right partner. Gender roles also changed slightly as Emma, who was a confident and self-assured young woman, was trapped in a male-dominant society that prioritized marriage. However, Emma, like Cher, wasn't afraid to say no and stand up to guys she didn't like. But there is more of a sense of equality shown in Clueless because Cher takes more leadership in her life choices. Social Hierarchy and Financial Position Both works reinforce the social expectations and conventions of their time. In Clueless, the specifics of dating are not only determined by social class but also by common interests and intelligence. Cliques like rich kids, jocks, nerds, drug addicts, etc. they are all placed in different social rankings. But their social position can also be changed through sudden popularity and the number of people like you, which shows that it is not based solely on financial status and Tai provides perfect supporting evidence as she was transformed by Cher and transformed into Miss Popular regardless of her. dark past. In Emma's world, the situationFinancial is crucial in determining a person's position in the social circle. Emma often behaves reluctantly towards social class and simply associates with people belonging to the lower hierarchy, which is defined purely in financial terms, making her open-minded and timeless extremely materialistic. MannersecHec Behavior and etiquette were a significant theme in Emma. Everyone was polite, regardless of their social and financial standing, and no one was overly rude, although some may have been subtle about it but it was still expressed in a kind manner. The teenagers portrayed in Clueless mostly showed a lack of manners as they were still young and etiquette was not as important or as strict as it was considered in Emma. Respect is often strongly correlated with social position. For example, Emma did not show much respect for Mr. Martin compared to Mr. Elton due to his low social position, although Mr. Martin is personally a much better and more humble man than him. Cher was considered a classy person and was very popular, but some teenage boys still don't know how to respect her. Respect for people of low social status or people with a bad reputation was not really practiced where drug addicts like Travis were extremely looked down upon in the 90s. created popular styles such as plaid and layering of specific pieces, making them iconic, easily recognizable and intertwined with the film. Fashion choices in Emma haven't received as much attention as Clueless but in both versions, the character's clothes and the way they present themselves still indicate their social status. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion Amy Heckerling's attempt to please modern audiences has proven to be a huge success through her sizzling and emotional film, Clueless. Jane Austen's reinterpretation of Emma from literary to cinematic still brilliantly achieves similar character dynamics and twisting plot scenarios, capturing its original essence. Jane Austen and Amy Heckerling are so respected because they maintained complete control of their material, which shows that the subject matter it focuses on does not need to revolve around grand themes to be relevant. Both works remind us of the importance of relationships, growth and self-fulfillment. Both stories remain timeless, where Clueless can be seen as a fun trip down memory lane, while Emma shows a classy historical take on the story. Because Emma is set in an early historical period, it offers modern audiences a more challenging and less relatable story to read than a story set in the 1990s. Many Jane Austen adaptation films were released in the 1990s, but most took a more traditional route instead of making something fresh and new out of it. Heckerling successfully modernized the characters, plot and dialogue in very imaginative ways, where his success influenced other directors and writers to use a modern twist on other Jane Austen novels, hoping it would reach or perhaps surpass the love and the popularity of Amy Heckerling's Clueless. he received. The success of Clueless proves that adaptations of the originals really help determine the true greatness of the work. Jane Austen's legacy will continue to fight for centuries to come thanks to the honesty of her work, which will always push people to discover the truth about themselves and the people around them. Works Cited Cao, Caroline. "Celebrating Jane Austen: CLUELESS, The24.
tags