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Book 10, Chapter 5
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Virtue vs. Vice
Marriage, Romance, and Economics
Appearance vs. Reality
Coming of Age
Storytelling, Literature, and Structure
Summary
Analysis
As it passes five in the morning, people begin to wake up and come to the kitchen. Everyone drinks a toast to King George, except Partridge, who is willing to follow Tom into battle on George’s behalf but is not willing to drink to him. Meanwhile, Tom goes back to his chamber. There, Partridge finds Sophia’s muff, which has fallen off the bed, and he hands it to Tom. Tom is shocked to see her name on it. He learns from Partridge that Sophia and Mrs. Honour have already left and are probably several miles away. Tom curses both Partridge and himself before rushing downstairs to leave.
While the novel is critical of some characters’ hypocrisy, here it presents the contradictory opinions of Partridge about King George more playfully. Partridge is willing to fight in battle with Tom on George’s behalf but refuses to raise a toast to him, showing how sacred drinking rituals like toasting could be to people like Partridge, who is very superstitious.
Active
Themes
Meanwhile, earlier, Mr. Maclachlan and Mr. Fitzpatrick take a coach together, in the very same four-seat coach that is also carrying Sophia and Mrs. Honour. Mr. Maclachlan overhears from the coachman that a fine woman is staying at a nearby inn, and he suggests to Mr. Fitzpatrick that this woman might really be his wife, Mrs. Fitzpatrick. This leads them to investigate the inn in search of Mrs. Fitzpatrick, with no luck.
Active
Themes
