I believe it's universally agreed upon that Emma had faults. But, while some readers find Emma's faults distracting, making her easy to be disliked or difficult to be liked, some readers, myself included, don't see her faults dominating her characters, are very willing to look beyond her blunders and flaws and to appreciate her very good and teachable nature.

As Mr. Knightley had said about Emma so beautifully, Nature gave Emma understanding, Miss Taylor gave her principles. The principles in Emma had set a boundary in her that had kept her from going astray, no matter how conceited at times Emma was, she would never go so far as being spiteful or hurtful (Box Hill was the only exception, even then I don't think Emma had set out to be purposely mean to Miss Bates), and Emma's innate understanding was the guiding light that helped her realize her own mistakes as soon as she made them, and gave her a heart to repent genuinely without delay.

One lesson that I have learnt from Emma, the book and the heroine, is that I could either choose to be like Mrs. Elton, who was vulgar, self-absorbed, who saw her way as the RIGHT way, or I could be like the very teachable heroine, who might have some prejudice, a little conceited, a little spoilt, have committed many blunders, but who had the capacity to regret, to humble herself, the willingness to learn from her mistakes, and to change and repent.