I think JA's sly sense of humor is evident in "Emma" more than in any other book. She laughs with and sometimes at her characters, but always in a gentle way. When Mr. Woodhouse refuses to believe the "rumor" that Perry's children were seen with Mrs. Weston's wedding cake in their hands, or when Emma takes out her unfinished drawings of her sister's family and offers all sorts of excuses for why they don't really look like their subjects (all small children look alike, they won't sit still, the arm of the couch is very well drawn), it's enough to draw a smile or a chuckle.