Values, in relation to culture, are the thoughts within a certain society of what is regarded as acceptable and what is not. These values are reflected in changing contexts, because over time they change. Some of the values reflected in Emma are marriage, manners, and wealth. Heckerling had to adjust the values of Emma to suit the twentieth century, where values are more open to drugs, homosexuality, different races, and sex before marriage.

Throughout her novel Emma Austen shows various traits that her society valued. Marriage, manners, education and wealth were amongst these. Woman who had no chance of getting married and winning economic security had to depend on charity or would have to work as a governess; therefore most young ladies spent all of their time and effort looking for a suitable husband. If a husband was of a lower social degree, it was seen as a...