Carol Raterman's Blog :)

I laughed more at the scene from Emma when I watched it. The scene was a lot easier to follow and to understand seeing the actors and actresses faces. As Emma said to Miss Bates, “But there may be difficulty. Pardon me- but you will be limited as to number-only three at once.” She was laughing because she was making fun of how boring of a personality Miss Bates has.
In the movie, Miss Bates, at first, shows that she is not bothered by what Emma said; but that is because she did not fully understand what she said. Miss Bates shows her pain after a few moments because she finally understood what Emma was talking about. The audience laughs at the fact that we are not the one in the situation. We are laughing at the fact that Miss Bates is the ‘boring’ one who is being picked on by Emma. Emma wants to bring back the attention to her when she is first making the game and then the cruel comment.
The quote by Thomas Hobbes reads, “It is incident most to them that are conscious of the fewest abilities in themselves; who are forced to keep themselves in their own favour by observing the imperfections of other men.” This means that the person is looking for the flaws in other people to be happy with who they are as people. When a Emma laughs at Miss Bates, Emma laughs because she wants to be happy with who she is. The quote then says, “And therefore much laughter at the defects of others is a sign of pusillanimity. For of great minds one of the proper works is to help and free others from scorn, and compare themselves only with the most able.” Hobbes is saying that people laugh because they do not have the other person’s problems. Emma laughs at Miss Bates because Miss Bates has a quality that Emma is happy she does not have.