4 stories from Jane Austen in Latin America

Writer Amy Elizabeth Smart traveled through several countries to see how Austen translated across cultures. Here are 4 of her stories.

4. Disdain for Emma in Paraguay

When Smith held a discussion group on "Emma" with three women in Paraguay, all the participants had only scorn for the titular protagonist. "Once she made her friend reject her proposal, to do a thing like that to somebody–" one commented. "'When she'd step in and make decisions for somebody, she'd say, 'What a great thing I just did! That was wonderful! That was my good action of the day!' Alicia and Ana María broke into laughter at Lorena's mincing Emma imitation: 'Boy am I great!... 'She couldn't work, though,' Ana María pointed out, reining in her laughter. 'So what could she do?' 'Run other people's lives, I guess!'"

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