Emma's personal development in the novel is immense as she learns through her own experiences and the many revelations thrown at her (for example, when Harriet tells Emma that she loves Mr. Knightley, Emma realizes that she, herself, has been in love with him all along). A clear difference is seen between the Emma at the beginning and the Emma at the end of the novel. The novel begins by saying that Emma `seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence' because she is `handsome, clever and rich'. The word `seemed' suggests that Emma is not perfect; in fact, she is vain and snobby, with Jane Austen declaring that Emma Woodhouse is a heroine `whom no one but myself should much like'. However, Emma undergoes a change of personality as the novel progresses. We see that by the end of the Emma, the self-professed bachelorette who...