Yet, the caste system cannot be a viable excuse for one human being to envision another as a mere utility.  Unfortunately, Emma becomes friendly with the young, naïve Harriet for more or less the sake of utility.  In the former quote, Emma’s abusing liberties are concentrated on Harriet for the purpose of someone to listen to her; however, later, Emma, without a tincture of guilt in her thought, confesses that on their initial meeting she thought Harriet might prove useful in her matchmaking endeavors with Mr. Elton.  Miss Woodhouse is so bitterly ripe with conceit that her conscience never twitches as to give an inkling of thought to anyone else’s desires but her own, while she blindly continues with her underhanded enterprises.  She literally assimilates this poor girl’s thinking facilities with her own wants and desires. Emma treats Harriet not unlike her own paintings.  Harriet to Emma is merely a medium such as canvas to a painter or even more appropriately, as clay is to a sculptor.  Moreover, to illustrate that Emma never makes a true discovery, she eventually displaces Harriet when she no longer has use for her, sending her away to London, in order to have Mr. Knightley all for herself.