Insensitive Character of Emma Woodhouse
When Emma afterwards heard that Jane Fairfax had been wandering about the meadows, at some distance from Highbury, on the afternoon of the very
day on which she had, under the plea of being unequal to any exercise, so peremptorily refused to go out with her in the carriage, she could have no
doubt – putting everything together – that Jane was resolved to receive no kindness from her. She was sorry, very sorry. Her heart was grieved for a
state which seemed but the more pitiable from this sort of irritation of spirits, inconsistency of action, and inequality of powers; and it mortified
her that she was given so little credit for proper feeling or esteemed so little worthy as friend Austen, 1988: 310.
The minor characters affect Emma’s character development also happens when Emma was in a public sphere. There is a party at Box Hill. Mrs. Weston
and Emma wanted to go to Box Hill for a long time, so they are planning to go there.They only want two or three more people to join them. But, at the same
time, Mrs. Elton is planning to go to Box Hill. Therefore, Mr. Weston proposes to combine the two parties.
When the group arrives at Box Hill the whole party is a bit dull at least Frank Churchill and Emma think so. Both of them are a bit bored and that
makes them reckless. Their action could even be called flirtation. However, this bothers the others a lot because it was very improper to flirt so openly.
To amuse her, and be agreeable in her eyes, seemed all that he cared for – and Emma, glad to be enlivened, not sorry to be flattered, was gay and
easy too, and gave him all the friendly encouragement, the admission to be gallant, which she had ever given in the first and most animating period of
their acquaintance; but which now, in her own estimation, meant nothing, though in the judgement of most people looking on it must have had such
an appearance as no English word but flirtation could very well describe. “Mr. Frank Churchill and Miss Woodhouse flirted together excessively.”
They were laying themselves open to that very phrase Austen, 1988: 291- 292.