Fake Smiles Have you ever faked a smile in an uncomfortable situation or about a joke that is not funny whatsoever? The honest answer for most people is yes. You flash a fake smile for a few seconds and then the awkwardness goes away. Imagine having to force a smile on your face every day to hide how you feel. In the novel, Emma, Miss Bates has a façade to conceal her many insecurities and true unhappiness. She is an outcast in the town of Highbury because she no longer has high social status and wealth. Despite being a cheerful and talkative person, she is lonely and crumbling inside. Miss Bates has “sunk from the comforts she was born to” and her “situation should secure [anyone’s] compassion” (Austen 324). She is nothing but kind, so no…show more content… At the Box Hill party, Emma Woodhouse, who is a snobby and self-centered young lady, publicly insults Miss Bates saying, “pardon me, but you will be limited as to number – only three at once” (Austen 320). Miss Bates ignores the remark and acts as if nothing happens when Emma later goes to her home to show she is sorry for her unnecessary outburst. She is extremely forgiving and tells Emma that she is “always kind” (Austen 329), and she is happy to see her. It is surprising that Miss Bates is not as angry as most people would be after being humiliated, but her not responding says a lot about her character and who she is as a person. Miss Bates shows a high level of maturity and self-control in the heat of the moment. She is a “happy woman” whom “no one named without goodwill” (Austen 15). Miss Bates is constantly upbeat because she does not want her weak and vulnerable side to be shown. If she pretends to be happy people will never guess her life is a disaster, and she can eventually convince herself that she is as happy. Miss Bates genuinely loves everyone and chooses to see the best in people, which is an admirable…show more content… She does not have many true friends and family, besides her mother, Mrs. Bates. She also is not the most well liked person in town as a result of her non-stop chatter. She has never married, and most likely does not have enough status now to marry. She is “interested in everybody’s happiness” and is “full of trivial communications and harmless gossip” (Austen 15), but that does not mean she is happy. There are insecurities and embarrassment that Miss Bates feels deep down. She is not popular, unlike Emma, and she is not seen as the prize. Miss Bates wishes that she is wealthier, so she could feel secure without constantly worrying about money. She also does not have a best friend or someone to confide in, making her sad and feeling alone. She has a countless number of things she could complain about, but she keeps it bottled up inside. Miss Bates is a ticking time bomb waiting to