Sophia Western

She is the charming and beautiful daughter of Squire Western. Extremely lady like feminine, as well as sensitive. She is also amazingly strong. Her father is misled by the ineffable Mrs. Western into thinking that Sophia loves Blifil, not Tom Jones. Though in reality Sophia is madly in love with the hero Tom. Her father insists that she get married to Blifil and she protests violently. But on seeing that the odds are against her Sophia flees from her home and from the fate of marrying the detestable Blifil. She exhibits in her running away a courage that we might not have credited her with. She takes along with her Mrs. Honour her maidservant. Together they manage to reach London. Here Sophia manages to find shelter. By this time she hates the thought of Tom Jones as she hears that he had criticized her as being desperately in love with him while he had no such feelings. She is further disillusioned when she learns that he was bed partner to a certain Mrs. Waters at an inn. Interestingly while revealing the story to her cousin Mrs. Fitzpatrick she does not divulge her love for Tom. The only reason that she gives for running away from home is that she was being forced to marry a man whom she hated. Sophia may be delicate and straightforward but she isn't a fool either. She knows the art of tact and she can understand the enormous intrigues of others around her.

She has far more control over her passions than her lover Tom Jones. It is with curiosity that we observe that Sophia forgives Tom his many infidelities and affairs. And she does this with the grace and charm that are an integral part of her persona. When Tom realizes that Sophia is attainable he abandons all physical passions.

Sophia, as the heroine is not as colorful as Tom, she is the more serene of the two. She has her head about her shoulders and is firm in her convictions. She detests Blifil and loves Tom passionately. She does not approve of infidelities. Sophia is the quintessential woman, delicate and yet full of verve and spirit.

Sophia and her cousin Harriet Mrs. Fitzpatrick have much in common. They have both lived together with their aunt Mrs. Western. Both are young and beautiful, both are at odds with their family over the choice of a husband, both flee dynamical males. When they meet fortuitously on the road and exchange recent histories both omit any mention of the men who engage their hearts. The similarities between Sophia and Harriet serve to intensify our sense of the differences, which are comically heralded by the nicknames the young women had earlier given each other--Miss Graveairs (Sophia) and Miss Giddy (Harriet).

Squire Allworthy

Squire Allworthy is a kind hearted and wealthy widower who lives in Somersetshire. He was the favorite of both Nature & Fortune for both of these contended on which should bless and enrich him most. He was an agreeable person with a sound constitution, a solid understanding and a benevolent heart. He was also the master of one of the largest estates in the country.

It is he who finds Tom Jones abandoned as a baby. He adopts the little one and brings him up as his very son. He has great affections for Tom Jones but cannot oversee the latter's gross mistakes. His mind is further poisoned by Blifil Thwackum and Square who condemn Tom JonesÂ’s many follies. This entire affair ends up with the Squire throwing Tom Jones out of his estate. It is interesting to note that Allworthy, who had watched Blifil and Tom Jones from infancy and who should be in a better position to judge, is hopelessly misled.

On the other hand Sophia is the wise one and is quick ot distinguish between Tom Jones and Blifil. She detests Blifil and loves the wonderful young man, that is Tom Jones. Squire Allworthy realizes his adopted son's value only at the end of the book. It is then that he banishes Blifil after learning his villainy. For all his goodness, Allworthy takes time to discern the truth.

As for his role in the narrative, while he is not a part of the background throughout; he is important in that it is he who sets the ball rolling by adopting Tom Jones. It is in his house that the drama begins and also reaches its happy end. Squire Allworthy is responsible for Tom Jones' fate to a large extent. It is he who has the power to raise Jones to the position of a rich heir or to drop him to the level of a homeless pauper. And it is on Tom Jones financial position that his marriage with Sophia also depends. Ultimately the Squire is benevolent to Jones and thus so is JonesÂ’s own fate.

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