Both Emma the novel, and Clueless the film, is rich mediums for semiotic analysis. In the novel, we a

With my weight of evidence, what must be noted is the fact that both Emma and Clueless collaborate both visual and language text in order to create identical themes and idea‘s. We can see that while Austen is mainly limited to language in creating meaning, Heckerling has a wide variety of cinematic techniques as an advantage. Heckerling has simply adapted Austen’s ideas to her context, still producing the same message as did Austen but placing this message within the 20th century context, one in which audiences may succumb to the understanding and appreciation of Jane Austen’s masterpiece.

In the film Clueless, the meaning is created as much through visual language as through words. The relationship between the linguistic and the images of the film are said to be “complementary“, where both visual and verbal text are needed to make sense of the story. Therefore, it is then true to say that the visual images of the film are of “informational value”. Thus, it becomes essential to have an understanding of the grammar of cinema language. This film narrative differs from Emma’s novel in that Clueless has been generated meaning through a combination of story and production elements. Nevertheless, Austen’s use of third person narration she is able to convey Emma’s thoughts and idea’s, which is particularly relevant when she is in a reflective mood. In, clueless, Heckerling is able to achieve a similar effect by the extensive use of the voice-over technique, where Cher is able to express her thoughts aloud for the benefit of the audience. An example of this is in the opening montage where Cher exclaims, “I actually have a way normal life!” while onscreen this is contradicted by images of her computerised wardrobe that selects an outfit for her from millions of designer clothes. This voice-over allows the audience to gain an insight into Cher’s thinking. The camera shot connotates the detachment between Cher’s perceptions and reality. Furthermore, the addressing of Tai and Miss Geist in the film is depicted as the camera pans upwards from the feet, where the audience has no difficulty deciding what Cher’s opinion will be. The camera and the particular perspective it takes expresses Heckerling’s message in that, Cher considers Tai and Miss Geist as outsider’s who do not fit the mould of social acceptability. Cinema, through it’s process of production represents exterior states, and it is only through techniques such as the lighting, camera shots, framing design, costuming and music that interior states can be revealed in Clueless.

In addition, the process of transformation of Jane Austen’s nineteenth-century novel Emma to Amy Heckling’s twentieth century film Clueless has been dramatic but at the same time retained the essential ideas of the original text. This means that while the original plot of Emma has been altered in Clueless, the themes are still the same. Problems of human relationships and the importance of social structures are present in both texts. Heckerling’s characters may use the language of the 1990s and have modern-day interests and occupations, but they depict similar types of people with the same traits as Austen’s characters: They display self-interest where both Emma and Cher have a disposition to think a little too well of themselves. Vanity is seen in Emma as well as Cher due to their indulgent fathers, status in the community, and there own self-importance has meant that they succumbs easily to the flattery of others. Frank Churchill is convinced that his charm will overshadow his deception. Christian, too, has obvious pride in his suave manners and good looks. Both similarly practise deception, which is highlighted when Cher decides she is in love with Christian and invites him to watch videos in her bedroom, like Emma who becomes emotionally attracted to Frank and decides she is in love with him, assumes the feeling is mutual, as he pays so much attention. H

Some topics in this essay:
Emma Woodhouse, Knightly Austen’s, Furthermore Emma‘s, Cher Elton’s, O’Shaughnessy Stadler, Augusta Hawkins, Jane Austen’s, Heckerling’s Clueless, Nevertheless Austen’s, Eighteen Hundreds, jane austen’s, create meaning, austen’s emma, social purpose, emma cher, jane austen’s emma, written text, nineteenth century, visual language, film clueless, twentieth century, little distress vex, distress vex her”, limited tool language, austen mainly limited,