Tom Jones - Henry Fielding

The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling (Fielding, 1749)

What a literary feast!  Fielding employs his rare wit and humor in this epic picaresque novel that sets out to chronicle Human Nature in all its lumps and bumps.

One day, good Squire Allworthy finds a baby left in his house, with a note asking him to take care of the child. Raising Tom alongside his nephew and heir Blifil, Allworthy loves the boys as if they were his own sons. But when Allworthy's sister (Blifil's mother) dies unexpectedly, Blifil poisons Allworthy's mind towards Tom, who is kicked out into the world to fend for himself. Secure in the knowledge of his innocence to Allworthy, yet pining for the hand of the beautiful Sophia, Tom travels the roads of England, encountering comic setbacks, unexpected bounties, and wild circumstances on his road to reconciliation.

The plot of this book really is outstanding, especially since, like all good picaresque novels, it doesn't seem to have a plot at all.  Tom and his friend Partridge go from episode to episode, stage to stage, yet very little is wasted in Fielding's narration, and everything circles back in consequence as we reach the end.  The twist at the finale probably inspired all of Dickens' melodramatic concluding scenes and revelations, yet in Fielding the twist is not only believable, but it should have been obvious from page one. Seeing everything fold into place makes for a very enjoyable reading experience.

The characters are no less delightful. Fielding skillfully exploits the foibles and idiosyncrasies of human nature, and in the process, he makes his characters real: the sweet yet strong Sophia; her conniving lady's maid Mrs. Honour; the mock-pretentious schoolteacher Partridge; gruff, hot-tempered Squire Western and his urbane, dictatorial sister; the insidiously sneaky Blifil; and Tom's warm-blooded good nature all make the pages breathe.

Of course, Fielding's considerable wit practically makes the pages shake.  I laughed out loud several times while reading, whether at his knowing asides in the narrative, or more often at his comic metafictional intrusions, where he lambasts critics and playfully analyzes the art of writing and storytelling. When I was younger, I probably would have hated those chapters as interruptions of the story, but they provide a unique outlet for the author to speak candidly and hilariously, straight to the reader.

Since this novel was written in 18th century England, there are plenty of ribald jokes and bawdy incidents, all cloaked with the intention of enjoining good morals, but delivered with a wink and a nod.  And though it looks for awhile as if Tom's sins and indiscretions have sunk him into the pit, he ultimately emerges unscathed, with previous indiscretions filed under "wild oats". That's the only weak part for me, but Fielding claims his subject matter as his defense - he will not whitewash or polish his characters, but rather portray them as they are, in the most hilarious way possible.

Arbitrary rating: 4.5 out of 5 comic metafictional intrusions