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The amalgamation of Emma, written by Jane Austin in the context of England in 1815, with the movie Clueless, directed by Amy Heckerling and set in the Beverly Hills context of 1995, results in transformations. These transformations indicate the difference in style between a written text and a movie yet similarities in context such as social setting and entertainment must be acknowledged. The contexts of Emma still exist in Clueless but in a different form. It was transformed from Emma into Clueless through characters and themes.

Transformation is a key factor which leads to the reflection on these two different mediums. It is clear at first glance, that Emma is a written text composed by Jane Austen in the early Nineteenth Century and Clueless is a movie set in the mid-nineties. Being set so, in their respective text types, the question of strengths and weakness arises. The ability of Amy Heckerling to exploit film techniques makes for the strength of the film. Instant impact is achieved from the moment of the opening credits through movement, colour and music. ‘Kids In America’, by The Muffs, is a fast upbeat song played in the opening scene. It sets the tone and mood whilst emphasising teenage life. The camera illustrates the wealth of Cher’s family through mis-en-scene of her vast house and her amazing wardrobe. Much of the classroom atmosphere is provided by the camera as it pans around the room demonstrating the strength of the visual and the lesser importance of dialogue. Throughout the rest of the film, techniques of dialogue and voice-over enhance the telling of the story and expressing the message.

As Austen is dealing with an entirely different medium, she did not have access to such techniques; nonetheless, her writing skills overcome this barrier. The style of the writing, then, has a major impact. Austen uses satire and wit, combined with a variety of writing techniques, to depict her characters and further the story. Opening the story with “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home…” clearly indicates an in-depth description that Austen successfully uses right through the novel to describe a character, or event. Furthermore, extensive use of authorial intrusion allows Austen to create realistic characters and provide the readers with more of an understanding with what is being presented in the novel.

Although transformation reflects the difference in style, it also exemplifies the paralleling context between the two. The social setting of Emma’s era revolved around a rigid hierarchy that ultimately existed to distinguish between the upper and lower class. Divisions towns people of Highbury also existed. Mrs Bates, the wife of a former of rector of Highbury, held position within the social structure because of her late husband occupation but this position was several places lower than the Woodhouses. Emma did not enjoy visiting Mrs and Miss Bates because she did not wish to be seen “falling in with the second and third rate of Highbury.” The position of the Coles family also caused Emma some consternation. Business people and common artisans, although blessed with money, did not have the pedigree to allow them to mix in Emma’s circles, in fact, she resented the Coles attempts to improve their social status. The England of 1815 was very much a class orientated society.

The social setting of Clueless revolved more around social status based upon appearance, habits, and ability to consume. Groups within Cher’s high school existed. She has definite views on who is socially acceptable. Tai, meeting Travis and expressing an interest in him, instantly leads to Cher’s disapproval and response of, “Tai, you don’t want to start off on the wrong foot now do you?” This points out Cher’s denunciation of a long-haired, drug-smoking skateboarder. Position within a wealthy American high school of 1995 was an important key role in determining social status.

Entertainment is an important aspect of both societies as it is a source of relaxation from everyday life. Back in Emma’s day, entertainment was limited to functions set up by respective families, such as dinners, balls, parties and pleasurable country walks. As was the custom of the day “the ladies returned to the drawing-room after dinner”, leaving the gentlemen in the dining room. It is here where Mrs Elton begins to question Jane. Her comments about finding a position are tactless and degrading and make Jane feel very conscious of the inferiority of her position. Parties were a popular leisure activity in times when entertainment was limited and they gave young people the opportunity to mix. “Their love for society, and their keeping dinner-company; and a few parties…” show how the Cole’s held such functions of entertainment not only as a means for people to come together and have fun, but also as to climb the social ladder that existed in Highbury.

Being set the mid-nineties, entertainment exists in all forms in Clueless but the main forms of entertainment are shopping and being with friends. For Cher, watching the news is just incomprehensible, but watching “Rein and Stimpy” makes much more sense. Apart from watching television, another form of unwinding is shopping at the Mall. Not only does the Mall serve as entertainment for Cher and her friends, but for Cher, the Mall offers something more. Cher’s voice-over, “I felt impotent and out of control…I need to find sanctuary in a place where I could gather my thoughts and regain my strength” illustrates the importance and influence that the Mall has on her.

Emma is transformed into Clueless through characters. From Austen’s context, Mr Woodhouse is introduced as a gentle, “valetudinarian… everywhere beloved for the friendliness of his heart and his amiable temper.” This introduction by Austen is severely contrasted by Heckerling’s introduction of Mel Horowitz. Cher’s voiceover, “My daddy’s a litigator. They’re the scariest types of lawyers…our maid is terrified of him,” coincided with a scene featuring a terrified looking maid running away from him, effectively portraying Mel’s aggressive and assertive character. Mel’s blunt manners are depicted through the screenplay when he greets Tai with “Get out of my seat,” and Christian with “I got a 45 and a shovel. I doubt you’ll be missed.” Heckerling’s transformation of Mr Woodhouse’s gentle personality into Mel’s aggressive manner portrays the changing perception of what is considered as appropriate social behaviour. Mr Woodhouse resembles the noble gentlemen manners in Austen’s context while Mel reflects the abolishment of such protocols in a contemporary materialistic society.

A key transformation explored in both texts is the theme of the position of women in society and marriage. The two societies different perceptions on marriage are symbolic of the greater freedom and power enjoyed by young women living in Heckerling’s contemporary society. The freedoms of women were severely limited in Austen’s era, where it was unusual for two people of the opposite sex to visit each other anytime they wished. This is portrayed through Mr Woodhouse’s explanation to Mr Knightley, “I leave an excellent substitution in my daughter. Emma will be happy to entertain you. And therefore I think I will beg your excuse and take my winter walk.” The explanation is perhaps a social commentary on the necessity of such an excuse for the company between Mr Knightley and Emma to be seen as socially valid. Such social barriers are eradicated in Clueless, which opens with a variety of fast moving, camera shots of young girls carelessly flirting with boys at pool parties. The soundtrack, ‘Kids In America’ accompanying these shots, generates a sense of wild freedom and lack of restriction that bound women in Austen’s context.

The distinguishing of the different text types between Emma and Clueless undoubtedly reveals the similarities in context of social setting and entertainment between the two. Transformation from Emma into Clueless is achieved effortlessly through characters and themes. Emma and Clueless unquestionably clarify the understanding that change is a process, the passage from one position to another.