One in the Cradle, or Finding Tom in Fielding's "Tom Jones" Anonymous 11th Grade

Henry Fielding, in his 1749 picaresque novel “The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling,'' comically relates the reactions of a master and his servant to finding an infant in his bed. Upon discovering an abandoned child, master Mr. Allworthy and servant Mrs. Deborah Wilkins discuss the fate of the child, and to Mrs. Wilkins’ surprise, her master intends to keep it. Through descriptions of their reactions to the child and their interactions with each other, both in dialogue and action, Fielding is able to develop the disparate characters of Mr. Allworthy and Mrs. Wilkins.

Fielding begins with the reactions of Mr. Allworthy, and develops his character through his various actions. When Mr. Allworthy beholds the child, Fielding uses many words with very positive connotations, such as “sweet...sleep.” All of these descriptions serve to relate the child to innocence. The awe that Mr. Allworthy demonstrates signifies his compassion and basic goodness: The man spends very little time wondering even how the child appeared in his bed, and instead chooses to focus on the beauty and sweetness of intimacy. Paired with the child’s obvious social status (as evidenced by its being wrapped in coarse linen and referred to as a “little wretch”), Mr....