Outcome

The outcome is a positive one. All misunderstandings are cleared up and the protagonist Tom Jones' reputation is restored. A major disaster is averted when Tom Jones is released from jail. Mr. Fitzpatrick recovers and confesses that he was the aggressor, not Tom. Thus, Tom is free again. The quarrel with Squire Allworthy is cleared and the former accepts Tom Jones as his heir once again. The young man inherits Squire Allworthy's entire estate and is once again restored to the respectable position he had enjoyed before. Thus, all's well that ends well. Tom Jones succeeds in worldly affairs, despite his carelessness and naiveté.

Most importantly, Tom is reconciled to his love - Sophia Western. He manages to explain to her that the marriage proposal to Lady Bellaston was simply to push the Lady into ending her affair with him. Sophia forgives him his many indiscretions and accepts him despite his other past affairs. Thus, the two major characters are united after overcoming many misunderstandings. The romance of Sophia and Tom Jones is fruitful and the lovers are united in marriage. Lord Fellamar too finally comes to term with the fact that he cannot attain Sophia. Lady Bellaston gives up Tom as well.

Throughout the narrative, Tom and Sophia are shown as fighting conventional society, embodied in the character of Blifil. They manage to turn around their dismal situation and that is the reason why we accept Fielding's comic view of life. At the end, poetic justice seems to be in action. While the so- called good characters are rewarded and earn happiness (Tom Jones, Sophia, Squire Allworthy, Squire Western, Partridge and others), characters such as the manipulative Blifil find themselves punished and rightly so.

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