Abraham Lincoln once said, “Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow.” The shadow is what we think and the tree is the real thing” (Good Reads). According to the president, people often mistake things for what they appear to be and not for what they actually are, but this quote can also be interpreted to mean that people are too often judged by their reputation rather than their character. The misconception of others is a recurring theme in many literary works as well as the themes of marriage and the confinement of women and society. In Jane Austen's novel, Emma, ​​the themes of appearance versus reality, marriage and female confinement, and social status are addressed in her novel through characters such as Emma, ​​Harriet and Mr. Knightley. Austen emphasizes the importance of appearance over reality through the characters Mr. Elton, Harriett, Mr. Knightley, and Frank through their relationships and disposition. When the reader first meets Emma, ​​Austen is quick to inform that Emma is rich and is often prejudiced and superficial through her point of view and preconceived guesses about people. After Emma decides to make Harriet her protege and discovers that her new friend is considering a proposal from a poor man, Mr. Martin, Emma takes matters into her own hands. She persuades Harriet that she deserves better than Mr. Martin, manipulates Harriet into rejecting the proposal, Emma then attempts to match Harriet with a man named Mr. Elton. Mr. Elton, according to Emma, ​​is a gentleman of impeccable manners, said to be "most proper, quite a gentleman himself, and without base connections" (Austen, Emma 29-30), but Emma's prejudices prove completely inaccurate when Mr. Elton completely changes gentleman... middle of paper ...... two people together: he ventures too far, assumes too much, makes fun of what should be serious, of something that should be serious be. simple. She was very worried and ashamed and resolved not to do such things again (Austen, Emma 122). Harriet also helps Emma realize that she is in love with Mr. Knightley and cannot imagine him with anyone else, "it went through her like an arrow, that Mr. Knightley was not to marry anyone but herself” (Austen, Emma 370) and she even begins to regret having met Harriet (Master). Austen depicts the theme of appearance versus reality through the character of Harriet and her friendship with Emma by making it seem like Harriet benefits the most from their friendship as Emma makes her more elegant, refined and connects her with a suitor of higher status, while Emma is the one who actually benefits the most.