Spatial Barriers

In Jane Austen’s Emma, there is a strict sense of social barriers confining individuals to stay within their class or possibly trying to hang out with those a class above themselves. This novel seems to be expressing the social restrictions that were the norm in the 19^th century. Emma is not even open to the idea that her best friend marry, Harriet, marry Mr. Martin because as she states “The yeomanry are precisely the order of people with whom I feel I can have nothing to do with" (30).

Emma seems to have her mind made up in the fact that social class is everything. Social class governs their time, determines where you are and determines who you can hang out with. It is a social barrier and in turn becomes a spatial barrier just by the fact that in Emma’s time class decides space. Trying to compare this idea to our time is partly difficult. Our world in the 21^st century seems to be less interested in class and more in the fact of whether or not you have the money. In the 19^th century one was born into a social class and, like Emma implies in her quote, one will always be the class they were born into. She makes it seem like there would be no chance for Mr. Martin to change. So instead she advises Harriet to look at a rich man born into wealth, surely a fine candidate for marriage during the time.

Over time our culture has assimilated in a sense and gotten used to the fact that one may be born into a social class but it is not the controlling factor. It seems that in today’s world there are so many more factors that can add to or take away from your total net value. Today you have you internet value, you monetary value, your property value, etc. In the 19^th century all you had was your name and your land. Hopefully you have a name with a rich heritage. But also if you had the most land in the town you were considered the wealthiest. During that time it would have been very difficult to get land any means other than passed down by the family.

What makes this so interesting is the way this book can capture culture in a relatable location 200 years ago. One can see what culture was like and draw connections seeing how far we have come and figured out. Humans have the ability to change their situation nowadays. One can be working to minimum wage jobs living on the south side barely getting by. In the 19^th century people had no means to get out of a hole like this once they were in it but in the 21st century if you can scrape together a little bit of money, it can go a long way: inventing, investing in stocks, lottery, schooling, etc.. Our culture makes it easier to get out of that hole and never ending cycle of trying to get out of debt.