The theme of social status and society is predominant in the novel of Emma, ​​through the characters Emma, ​​Mr. Knightley, Mr. Churchill, and their situations and perspectives on life. Austen describes Emma as “beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy, with a comfortable home and a happy disposition, seeming to unite some of the best blessings of life; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or upset her” makes her view different from that of characters such as Harriet (Austen, Emma 3). Immediately through her description, Austen indicates Emma's haughty view of society by referring to her friends as the "first group" and the "second group". Through Emma's classification of her friends according to their social status and importance, with the first group being the superior and the second group being the inferior and the alternate, the reader can gain insight into Emma's view of society and its classes. (Knowledge notes). Emma once again portrays the theme of social status and society through her views on people in classes lower than her, such as Harriet and Mr. Martin. After Emma first meets Harriet, she immediately decides that "Harriet's gentle blue eyes, and all those natural graces, should not be wasted in the inferior society of Highbury and its relations" (Austen, Emma 20). Due to the difference in social class between her and Mr. Martin, Emma considers him inferior and advises Harriet to refuse his proposal. She states that although “his appearance was very neat and he looked like a sensible young man, his person had no other advantages; and when he was compared to a gentleman, she thought he must lose all the ground..." (Austen, Emma 27) and that Harriet deserves someone more advantageous...... in the middle of paper......this The theme for people in Emma's society was confined to their social class and if one strayed too far from one's class, "inappropriate connection did not produce much happiness" ( Austen, Emma 12). As President Lincoln once said, “Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow.” The shadow is what we think it is and the tree is the real thing”, too often humanity is too quick to judge others on their appearance rather than on who they really are (good reads ). Often people judge themselves not only on their character, which is the true indicator of who they are, but also on their reputation or appearance. Throughout Jane Austen's novel Emma, ​​themes of appearance versus reality, women's marriage and childbirth, and social status are depicted through characters such as Emma, ​​Harriet and Mr. Knightley..