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Book 2, Chapter 2
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
Stepping back in time to when she lived with the schoolmaster as a servant, Jenny eventually comes to know many of the lessons better than her master. The schoolmaster, Mr. Partridge, has never been particularly good at learning and lives in modest conditions with his wife (Mrs. Partridge), a kitchen servant of Allworthy’s that the schoolmaster married for her fortune of 20 pounds.
The fact that Jenny learns the lessons better than the schoolmaster himself shows how she is clever in spite of her humble background. While some characters, like Allworthy, effectively live up to their class positions in society, others aren’t what they appear to be on the surface and may be more capable than their low class makes them appear or undeserving of their high place in society.
Active
Themes
When Jenny still lives with the Partridges, after a certain point, Mrs. Partridge becomes suspicious of how attentively Mr. Partridge teaches Jenny. One evening at dinner, Mr. Partridge says something to Jenny in bad Latin, causing her to smile. Mrs. Partridge gets angry at Jenny, accusing her of being a “whore” with Mr. Partridge and throwing her out of the house, in spite of Jenny’s protests that she was innocent. Mr. Partridge eventually comes around to supporting his wife’s decision to kick Jenny out, believing that all Jenny’s learning was making her impudent.
Active
Themes
