Realsim in Tom Jones

Realism is a literary form that emerged in the eighteenth century, in opposition to Romanticism and Idealism. It demands a certain loyalty to reality and is dedicated to presenting the reader with what could be mistaken for real life. Realism only gives us an illusion of reality and so, characters don’t have to be real but they have to behave as they would if they were. This form focuses on the common human experience and thus there is no room for the exaggerated or the extraordinary. Henry Fielding, an English novelist and dramatist, is known for the Realism of his work, and since his aim was to criticize the corrupted and hypocritical society in which he lived, that is to be expected. He did a wonderful job of faithfully replicating this society in his novel: “The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling.”

 The first indicator of Realism in Fielding’s “Tom Jones” is the setting. The story does not unravel in fictional places such as Hogwarts or Narnia but in real locations such as Somersetshire, which is a country in South West England, and London, which is, as everybody knows, the capital of England. The setting refers to reality, reminding the reader that the events of the story could happen to them or could be occurring this very minute in their neighbor’s house or maybe in the same hotel they’re staying in seeing as “Hercules Pillars”, the inn described in the novel, is also an existing place in Western London. The accuracy of the locations adds to the believability of the events. An example of the description of these locations can be found in the second chapter of the first book, where the story actually starts:

“In that part of the western division of this kingdom which is commonly called Somersetshire, there lately lived and perhaps lives still, a gentleman whose name was Allworthy…”

               

When writing a novel, the author usually shines the light on his protagonist. They do not elaborate on characters like maids or the help in general. A rich man will wake up in his mansion with his clothes clean and fresh and his breakfast prepared to his taste. But we barely get to see the people who worked to make said rich man’s life so luxurious. However, in Realism, which should show the small and the unnoticeable, these characters are given a voice. Food doesn’t cook itself and socks won’t stop stinking by themselves, and making this loud and clear strengthens the authenticity of the reality described. Deborah Wilkins is an example of this. She gets her spotlight and her voice is heard. Her character is well developed from the very beginning as her shrewdness is implied by her actions:  she takes the time to dress before responding to her master’s urgent call. And her opinions are expressed and understood while she speaks to her Master and his sister. Her point of view is clear but she changes her words to agree with her masters, showing that she is a dishonest and hypocritical woman. She is cold towards the baby and his mother, which signifies her piety and her conformity to the corrupt society she lives in that would condemn an innocent child whose only sin is being born.

 Probability is an important aspect of any plot, and it is especially important in Realism. What is improbable is often unrealistic. If someone has an advanced case of cancer it is very probable that they will die. A doctor finding a cure for an incurable disease just in time to save him is a highly improbable scenario, and it is also highly ambitious and far from reality. Realism follows life as it is, without exaggeration or stylization, so a story like the aforementioned one would not count as Realism. But that does not mean we can’t have plot twists, they just have to be believable. For example, Mr. Allworthy comes home at night, he is tired and wants to sleep, but he finds a random baby in his bed. In a house filled with people coming in and out like his, this wouldn’t be such a crazy scenario. Another example is Bridget being Tom’s mother. After being lead to believe that Jenny Jones is the mother of the bastard, it is revealed that the true parent is Bridget Allworthy. This too, is not so improbable. After all, Bridget had been repressed all her life, it’s not strange that she slipped once, and considering her brother’s fortune, it couldn’t have been that hard to convince Jenny to take the fall so she could save herself. These events make logical sense and can have cause-effect relations. To portray reality the sequence of events needs to be logical.

In conclusion, “The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling” is a work of Realism. It captures life as it is and feeds it to the reader without seasoning. Such satire can only be achieved through the accurate depiction of life which Fielding has successfully attempted. There are many elements that imply Realism and we can certainly find most of them in this novel.

- Mada El-Horr