C. How the Minor Characters Affect Emma’s Character Development
According to Forster, a character is developed if she or he experiences a change from some aspect of disposition, personality, or outlook. He is not the
same person as he was at the beginning of the story. He changes into a new character. The changing depends on the condition and experiences as it is in the
story 1974: 54. Through Forster’s theory on character development, the writer found that Emma’s character has been developed. She is not the same person as
she was at the beginning. The minor characters in the novel give contributions toward Emma’s character development.
1. Changing Emma into a Modest Type of Person toward the Lower Class People
Firstly, Emma is told as a young woman who is arrogant. Emma’s sense of arrogance can be shown in the way she treats the lower class people. Emma
born in a respectable family. Her social position as the highest class person makes her to be an arrogant and snobbish towards the lower class people.
When the Coles, a family who involved in trading, invites her to have dinner, Emma thinks that she should refuse it. As the author states
The regular and best families Emma could hardly suppose they would presume to invite – neither Donwell, nor Hartfield, nor Randalls. The Coles
were very respectable in their way, but they ought to be taught that it was not for them to arrange the terms on which the superior families would visit
them Austen, 1988: 163.
From Emma’s thought, it is very improper if the Coles would invites her for dinner because they are not from her class. In Highbury society, the higher
ranked families prescribe the rules of their acquaintance. The Coles are new rich and Emma does not want to accept them in her circle. As a women in a high
place in society she may decide her own social circle, not the Cole family, although they are wealthy, but should not determine the society in which they
are interact with the higher members of the society. The author continues describe Emma’s feeling.
She felt that she should like to have had the power of refusal; and afterwards, as the idea of the party to be assembled there, consisting
precisely of those whose society was dearest to her, occurred again and again, she did not know that she might not have been tempted to accept
Austen, 1988: 166.
When Emma does not want to accept the invitation while Mr. Woodhouse and the Westons did, she is not happy with that either. Mr. Woodhouse and the
Westons have different respons toward the invitation. Mr. Woodhouse says You will make my excuses, my dear, as civilly as possible. You will say that
I am quite an invalid, and go no where, and therefore must decline their obliging invitation; beginning with my compliments, of course. But, you
will do every thing right. I need not tell you what is to be done. I know what worthy people they are. My dear Emma, we must consider this. I am sure,
rather than run the risk of hurting Mr. and Mrs. Cole, you would stay a little longer than you might wish Austen, 1988: 167-168.
Because of her father’s advice, Emma starts to make up her mind and finally she decides to accept the invitation. By attending the Cole’s dinner party, it
indicates that she shows a little bit of modesty.
Emma’s character changing also shown when she invites Jane Fairfax to the party. Formerly in the previous part of the analysis, the writer tells that Emma
dislikes Jane Fairfax, a niece of Miss Bates, because she equals to Emma in beauty, education, and talent. Therefore, the presence of Jane Fairfax in
Highbury makes her jealous. But then, Mr. Knightley reminds Emma that Jane Fairfax become friends
with Mrs. Elton because nobody pay attention to Jane, except Mrs. Elton. To make the situation better, Emma decides to have a dinner party at Hartfield and
she invites Jane. The Eltons, Harriet Smith, and Mr. Knightley also invited to the party. Although it is obvious that Emma dislikes Mrs. Elton, she is forced to
invites her. But she invites Jane sincerely. The author describes. She was delighted with the fortitude of her little friend – for fortitude she
knew it was in her to give up being a company and stay at home; and she could now invite the very person whom she really wanted to make the eight,
Jane Fairfax. Since her last conversation with Mrs. Weston and Mr. Knightley, she was more conscience-stricken about Jane Fairfax than she
often been. Mr. Knightley’s words dwelt with her. He had said that Jane Fairfax received attentions from Mrs. Elton which nobody else paid her
Austen, 1988: 231.
From the quotation, can be seen that Emma’s character has changed. She becomes more modest toward lower class people such as Jane Fairfax. She also
becomes sociable and spends time with more people. Emma also tries to visit Jane Fairfax when she was ill and wishes her to get better. She also help Jane by
goes to the Maple Grove. She feels pity on Jane because she was ill and must go to be a governess for Mrs. Smallridge in Maple Grove.
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