Here's the deal...
Posted by Kali on October 16, 1997 at 13:51:01:
In response to clearer objection, written by Sherry on October 16, 1997 at 12:11:08
Now why would this tip Emma off to Knightly's true feelings? Here is a guy who has been lecturing her on responsiblity and sense since she was born. Just another lecture to Emma I'm sure, not to the reader of course.
Here is my problem... If Emma is supposed to be so preoccupied with everyone elses love life that she misses the handwriting on the wall so to speak, Doesn't there have to be some handwriting for herto see in the first place? You cannot overlook something that isn't there.
Mr. Knightley has been known to scold and lecture, but, as a "cheerful man," does not normally dead-end his lessons or complaints to Emma in such severe vexation as he does during the "duty" scene and the pianoforte scene, when he mutters about Frank. I think it's patently obvious that these reactions are not entirely grounded in Mr. Knightley's usual impartial good sense and logic - when Emma accuses him of being "determined to think ill" of Frank, and "prejudiced," his final, conversation-stopping words on the subject are, "He is a person I never think of from one month's end to another." This implies two things - he DOES think of Frank Churchill very often these days, and jealously, though he won't admit it, and that Emma does too, and it bugs him to death.
And considering that Emma is always reading so much (wrongly) into the words, actions, and situations of others, it seems ridiculous that she'd miss the only obvious and true indicators in the one person she knows whose generally open temper would never purposefully lead anyone astray. You dont' need a grammarian, mathematician, or linguist to figure out that Frank, in thought or conversation, = extreme vexation on Mr. Knightley's part. And why? Because Emma's so obviously intrigued by him.
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