Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Joseph Andrews, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Hypocrisy
Lust vs. Chastity
Social Class
Religion and Charity
Summary
Analysis
Abraham Adams begins his conversation with the hunter by reassuring him that he’s an honest man. He tells about how local politicians want his nephew’s vote, since his nephew is an influential community member, and Adams has a lot of influence over his nephew. Eventually, his nephew dies, and Adams finds it harder to earn a living. While Adams doesn’t have the same influence as before, he still tries to serve his country as best he can by inserting the occasional passing reference to politics into his sermons.
Adams is playing a corrupt role in local politics (by using his own influence over his nephew), but he rephrases things to make them sound more positive. By the end, Adams’s language has gotten so grand that he seems to believe his minor political gestures in sermons are equivalent to actually serving in public office or even the military.
Themes
