The Narrator/Reader Relationship in Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones

*I will refer to the narrator as “he” assuming (perhaps wrongly) it is Fielding himself.

            I am interested in the narrator’s relationship with the reader in Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones. The narrator in the novel is a conscious narrator who often directs statements to the readers in order to guide their reading.  The narrator sometimes pauses for a moment to ensure readers are reading “correctly.” The narrator teaches readers how to view certain situations or characters, but claims to keep a distance at the same time, allowing readers to discover meanings on their own. The narrator says, “though we will always lend thee proper assistance in difficult places, as we do not, like some others, expect thee to use the arts of divination to discover our meaning, yet we shall not indulge thy laziness where nothing but thy own attention is required” (534). The narrator is clearly distancing himself from past authors who were not active in leading readers through the story, while also making it clear he expects readers to pay attention. In the many instances where the narrator does speak directly to readers, it seems that he is guiding our perception of morality.

            At the start of Book X, the narrator places readers into two possible categories: “learned in human nature as Shakespeare himself was” or “no wiser than some of his editors” (453).  The narrator makes it clear that some of Shakespeare’s editors misunderstood Shakespeare and to ensure that readers do not fall into this category, the narrator proceeds to warn the reader from being biased against the work. Throughout this short chapter, the narrator informs readers that true talent is not in likening two characters, but in distinguishing them, and warns readers not to quickly assume that a character is bad just because the character is not “perfectly good” (453). The narrator’s presence is obvious in this novel; by guiding the readers, the narrator establishes himself as one who will teach the reader how to interpret the text (by cautioning them) while maintaining distance and allowing readers to make their own decision. It is important to keep in mind that the narrator is teaching readers how to read this new genre which we today call the novel, thus implying that as authors were experimenting with this new form of writing, they were nonetheless conscious of how readers will approach this genre. The relationship between the narrator and the reader is complex; this chapter begins with a harsher tone and ends a bit friendlier as is illustrated by the narrator’s initial calling of readers as “reptiles” and then ending the chapter with “friend” instead (455). The reader may now proceed with the history, but keeping in mind the narrator’s teachings.

            Another interesting moment where the narrator makes his presence clear is in the scene where Mr. Fitzpatrick finds Jones and Mrs. Waters in bed.  The narrator indicates that it is only with “shame and sorrow” that the narrator is “obliged to proceed” and give us details of the bedroom scene (457).  Knowing that it is with “shame” that the narrator gives us these details, as readers we are then expected to view this scene as shameful as well. The narrator shows up in the middle of the narration to ensure that our perception of a scene is similar to what the narrator intends it to be. What could the narrator want us to conclude as shameful, exactly? It is shameful that Jones is sexually involved with other women while claiming to be in love with Sophia, for example. Or perhaps the narrator is reminding readers that there exists a "proctor" within the reader/novel dynamic as well. Does this then cause readers to question their own morality? Whether this is the narrator’s intention or not, his presence implies he is there to teach the readers something.

            Moreover, the narrator makes clear his opinion on several characters in the novel, namely Sophia. When discussing her departure from her father, the narrator says “It is now time to look after Sophia, whom the reader, if he loves her half so well as I do, will rejoice to find escaped” (485). There are other instances where the narrator even defends Sophia and Jones from possible accusations (525, 452).

            The narrator makes his presence apparent in this novel. At times he pauses to ensure we have not misread anything, often directing us to the “truth,” and even stepping away from the scene to allow us to assess it. I think the narrator plays an active role because authors of the eighteenth century were still creating standards for this new type of genre that we today call the novel and want to ensure that readers learn how this new genre is to be read.