The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1
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Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, emotional abuse, and gender discrimination.
Women’s Independence and Financial Autonomy
In The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1, Beth Brower dismantles the Victorian ideal of patriarchal protection, arguing that true female independence is forged through financial control. When the men entrusted with Emma’s security—namely her cousin-in-law Archibald Flat—prove to be incompetent or malicious, her true situation is revealed: Her apparently genteel dependence is actually a state of financial crisis. Her subsequent actions demonstrate that for a woman of her time, autonomy is a hard-won battle requiring legal assertiveness, financial astuteness, and a radical reframing of her own capabilities in a world designed to render her powerless.
The novel establishes Emma’s initial vulnerability through the failure of established patriarchal systems to protect and provide for her. For three years, she has worked as a companion to her cousin Matilde under the agreement that her salary, paid by Archibald, would be saved for her into a “Tidy Sum.” Upon arriving in London, however, she finds herself stonewalled by Archibald and eventually learns that Matilde refuses to pay, baselessly accusing Emma of stealing silver. This betrayal of a labor agreement leaves Emma penniless and dependent, despite the fact that Archibald’s house and income are actually hers and just under his guardianship. The situation escalates dramatically when she visits the bank and discovers that Archibald has systematically squandered her fortune, leaving her with barely enough money to survive for a year. Archibald’s guardianship, a combination of gross negligence and targeted malice, obliterates the notion that her male relatives can be relied on for stewardship, forcing Emma to recognize that her survival depends entirely on her.
Brower offers a path forward out of patriarchal dependence, illustrated through Emma’s actions: Faced with imminent ruin, she seizes the financial authority that’s rightfully hers. Her confrontation with the banker, Mr. Penury, is a significant turning point. After discovering Archibald’s treachery, she demands that control of the accounts be turned over to her “effective immediately.” She follows this by confronting Archibald himself, informing him that he “may no longer draw any funds from the bank” and must apply to her for all expenditures (79). By taking control of the money, Emma reverses her situation, becoming the legal and financial head of the household and reassigning Archibald as dependent. She’s no longer subject to his whims; she’s instead his superior, dictating terms and demanding accountability. Claiming her financial power is an important step toward securing her full independence.
Emma and her friend Mary Bairrage also exemplify the pursuit of financial autonomy through means that were unconventional at the time. Recognizing that her remaining funds are insufficient, Emma devises a plan to generate income by renting out Lapis Lazuli Minor. This move into real-estate management is a proactive, entrepreneurial solution to her crisis. Similarly, Mary works as a typist for the Edison Telephone Company, a position in a “radically new” industry that offers economic independence outside the traditional paths of marriage or domestic service. Together, their stories illustrate a new model of female self-sufficiency, one rooted in business acumen and modern employment. Through their stories, Brower illustrates that the key to women’s independence lies in control of their financial situations.
Seeking Refuge in Literature
Throughout the novel, classic literature is far more than a pastime or an escape for Emma; it’s an essential tool for survival and emotional fortification. For her, texts by John Milton and William Shakespeare are frameworks for understanding her reality, offering a language to articulate her suffering and a lens through which to process injustice. By mapping her personal struggles onto grand literary narratives of fallen angels, epic battles, and enchanted islands, she elevates her personal conflicts and finds the perspective necessary to endure them. Her reliance on literature demonstrates that for an intellectually hungry and isolated individual, a well-stocked library can be both a refuge and a source of inspiration.
The most immediate example of this is Emma’s use of Milton’s Paradise Lost. Upon her arrival at Lapis Lazuli House, she’s exiled to the dusty, neglected garret by the tyrannical Archibald. She exclaims, “Victory!” when she finds a worn copy of the epic poem, and she immediately uses its language to contextualize her situation, framing Archibald’s petty cruelty as part of a larger, timeless struggle between good and evil. This intellectual exercise culminates in a direct confrontation where, after being denied her owed salary, she accuses him of deceit by quoting Milton’s description of Satan. She declares, “So spake the apostate Angel” (59), transforming a squabble over money into a moment of righteous, literary condemnation. By casting Archibald as a devilish figure, Emma reclaims a sense of power.
Literature is also an essential link to Emma’s heritage and a source of emotional comfort. The recovery of her father’s illustrated edition of Shakespeare’s complete works is a key moment in her narrative. The collection is a sacred object to her, containing her father’s own artwork and handwritten notes, representing a direct connection to the parent she has lost. The book is a physical manifestation of her intellectual and emotional inheritance, and like Paradise Lost, it becomes an escape and a way to understand her circumstances. After the shock of her financial ruin, Emma chooses to begin reading The Tempest. She explicitly notes her intention to start her reading on an “enchanted island free from the worries of this world” (89), consciously using the play’s themes of exile and magic to process her own feelings of isolation and powerlessness within Lapis Lazuli House. This act, a form of self-soothing, demonstrates her ability to find solace and a sense of companionship within the pages of a book.
This literary worldview also extends into Emma’s relationships, forming a shared language that strengthens bonds. When she and her cousin Arabella conspire to deceive Aunt Eugenia, Arabella bolsters Emma’s courage by quoting Lady Macbeth: “[S]crew your courage to the sticking place” (14). This shared literary reference solidifies their alliance and emphasizes the gravity of their scheme, emphasizing literature as a communal resource and source of connection. For Emma, literature is the primary means by which she navigates her world; it provides the intellectual and emotional architecture she needs to withstand the hardships that define her life.
Building Community Around Local Culture
In The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1, the London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s is defined by its peculiar customs, but the novel argues that these are not mere quirks. Instead, its shared eccentricities—from a resident ghost to an honor code for returning lost items—function as the foundation of a powerful and protective community identity. Brower presents these oddities as the building blocks of social cohesion, creating a system of mutual trust and loyalty that protects and connects its inhabitants. The seemingly bizarre rules and lore of St. Crispian’s are, in fact, a robust support system that fosters belonging and collective responsibility among its residents.
One prominent illustration of this sense of community is the neighborhood’s “Rules for Items Personal” (68), a highly organized system for managing the strange local phenomenon of wandering objects. Rather than causing chaos, this peculiarity is governed by a “system of highest honour” that requires residents to either return labeled items to their owners or deposit them at a central clearinghouse in the Reed and Rite tea shop (69). This communal practice, which has been upheld for generations, turns a potentially disruptive force into a ritual of mutual trust and civic duty. It presupposes and reinforces the honesty of every resident, even the scullery maid who returned the ruby tiara. This shared commitment to an unusual problem solidifies the neighborhood’s identity as a place with its own distinct and respected social contract.
Beyond formal rules, the collective identity of St. Crispian’s is fortified by its shared history and local figures, both living and spectral. The community’s casual acceptance of the Roman, a centurion ghost, is treated as a noteworthy but normal part of neighborhood life. His appearances are reported as local gossip, integrating the supernatural into the fabric of the community’s lore. Similarly, the residents share a collective admiration for their unconventional vicar, Young Hawkes. His spellbinding sermons, which blend scripture with Romantic poetry, are a source of local pride and a shared cultural experience. This embrace of unconventional figures, whether a ghost or a vicar, demonstrates a community that defines itself by its unique characters and stories.
This tight-knit social fabric offers a tangible and protective loyalty that Emma feels immediately; when she returns after a three-year absence, she’s welcomed back into the fold. A neighbor, Mr. Green, greets her warmly and expresses the community’s shared concern for her well-being while she was away, revealing an almost familial protectiveness. His immediate promise to have his wife send over “jam dodgers” is a small but meaningful gesture of reintegration and support. With the unique community of St. Crispian’s, Brower illustrates that belonging is a matter of participation in a community’s unique culture to find a loyal and lasting home.
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