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Synopsis: Joseph Andrews, Book 3
Ch. 1 — Fielding again begins a new book with a comment about the art of writing novels. He criticizes the ability of both pure biography and pure fantasy to create “true” characters — he prefers (his) middle way, which is to tell a story with fictionalized but recognizable “types. “ At the same time, he cautions the reader not to try to puzzle out which real-life figure is symbolized by which stereotypical character.
Ch. 2 — Joseph, Adams and Fanny are still walking as night falls. In the total darkness, they sit down to rest, and Joseph takes the opportunity to cuddle innocently with Fanny. Adams, however, is alarmed by mysterious lights, and fears ghosts (an ironic fear for a clergyman). They hear angry voices and the sound of a violent struggle and run away. They approach the lights of a house and are allowed in by a gentleman and his wife, who give them a drink and carefully try to ascertain whether the group is friendly or dangerous. A knock at the door alarms them for a moment, but then they find out that Parson Adams’ “ghosts” were merely sheep-stealers, who have been apprehended. Adams proves to his host with his knowledge of Greek and epic poetry that they are who they appear to be, and the gentleman happily invites them to eat and spend the night. Fanny goes up to bed and the men remain at the fire to talk.
Ch. 3 — The gentleman, Mr. Wilson, relates his life story — a tale of foolishness, waste and selfishness. Having inherited his father’s fortune at a young age (16), Mr. Wilson proceeds over the course of several years to squander it on all the vices of London — fashion, gambling, whores, mistresses, and the doctor’s bills for the three cases of venereal disease he contracts. His worst crime, he admits, is that he seduced an innocent young girl and set her up as his mistress (causing her mother to die of a broken heart); when she left him, she became a prostitute and died in prison. Some of his money is stolen by his women, some he loses in a lawsuit by a husband whose wife he had stolen, some is squandered on his attempts to get his own bad play produced, and he spends his last pennies on a lottery ticket. However, he is forced to give the ticket to a cousin in exchange for food, and is in debtor’s prison, helpless, when the ticket comes up a winner. He is shocked when he receives a letter from Harriet, the daughter of the (deceased) cousin, who shares some of the winnings with him. Paying off his debts, he leaves London and goes to find Harriet to thank her, and they fall in love and marry. After a failed attempt to take over her father’s wineselling business (Wilson is too honest to turn a profit), he and Harriet buy a small farm and retire from the world to raise children. Wilson’s only sorrow in life is the loss of his first child, stolen by gypsies.
Ch. 4 — Wilson ends his story by telling Adams that the child he lost has a birthmark shaped like a strawberry on his breast. The next morning, he shows off his simple garden to Fanny, Joseph, and Adams, and they all discuss the pleasures of a plain and simple life. They meet the remaining Wilson children, but the happy mood is spoiled when the pet dog of one of the daughters is shot by the son of the local Squire, for no reason but cruel sport. The trio leave sadly, full of admiration for the kind Wilsons.
Ch. 5 — As they walk, Joseph and Adams discuss Mr. Wilson’s life story. Adams offers the opinion that the root of all evil is the education rich people receive in English “public schools” (actually, exclusive private schools). He believes that private tutoring is the only way to go. Joseph disagrees, having observed that lots of privately-tutored country gentleman are just as wicked as those who went away to school. They stop by a river for a picnic lunch and discover that Mr. Wilson has also given them some money for their journey.
Ch. 6 — Joseph wonders at length why charity is so rare, and why most rich people seems so unkind. Adams falls asleep during this speech. Suddenly, a pack of hounds and hunters chasing a hare run past; the hunters try to cross the river and fall in. Meanwhile the hounds catch up with the hare close to the sleeping Adams, and in trying to tear the hare apart the dogs begin ripping Adams’ clothes off, too. Joseph heroically defends Adams with a stick as the hunters look on and laugh. The Squire (the head of the hunting party) then angrily accuses Joseph of injuring his dogs, but when he sees Fanny, becomes friendly and invites them to dinner.
Ch. 7 — Parson Adams dines at the Squire’s table; Joseph and Fanny (as servants) eat in the kitchen, but the Squire has given his staff orders to get Joseph drunk. The Squire’s biography is told; he exemplifies Joseph’s opinion about education, because he has been taught by a private tutor but has developed all the vices we have begun to associate regularly with the rich. His main characteristic is a lack of respect for anything serious; this is displayed when he and his friends ridicule Adams behind his back and play practical jokes on him through the whole dinner. Adams makes a speech about Respect, and the Squire makes a show of apologizing to him. One of the guests proposes that Adams participate in a mock-philosophical debate and sets up a “throne” on which Adams will sit and play the part of Socrates. Adams, drunk by now, agrees, but the throne is a contraption that dumps Adams into a tub of water. Adams, however, pulls the Squire in with him, and then grabs Joseph and Fanny and leaves.
Ch. 8 — They walk until they find an Inn at which to spend the night (meanwhile, the Squire has sent his friends to pursue and bring back Fanny). There, Adams enters a conversation with a Catholic priest (who is traveling in disguise, as Catholicism is illegal at this time) about the joys of poverty; the priest then asks him to loan him enough money for his tavern bill. Adams discovers that he has lost the money Wilson gave them.
Ch. 9 — Joseph hears knocking at the door of the Inn; the Squire’s friends have arrived and tell the Host that Fanny has been abducted by Joseph and Adams. Adams and Joseph defend Fanny; there is a huge fight, and Joseph defends Adams by hitting the leader of the group (a soldier called the Captain) over the head with a full chamberpot. However, Joseph and Adams are eventually subdued and tied up, and the men run away with Fanny.
Ch. 10 — Two of the Squire’s gang left to guard Joseph and Adams — one a playwright and the other an actor — debate what makes a good play.
Ch. 11 — At the Inn, Joseph loudly mourns the loss of Fanny, and Adams counsels him to behave like a good Christian and accept misfortune calmly. Joseph does not find this advice comforting.
Ch. 12 — Along the road, meanwhile, the Captain advises Fanny to let the Squire seduce her and give her presents, rather than force him to rape her. Fanny calls out to two men escorting a carriage that she’s being abducted; one of the men recognizes her and forces the Squire’s friends at gunpoint to give her up. It turns out that the carriage belongs to Lady Booby’s butler, Peter Pounce, who takes her back to the Inn (with the captured Captain) where Joseph and Adams are imprisoned. Joseph, joyously reunited with Fanny, beats the Captain. They all begin to ride back to Booby Hall.
Ch. 13 — Adams and Peter Pounce debate about Charity — Adams believes it’s the responsibility of the rich to care for the poor, and Pounce believes that the poor can take care of themselves, especially in the country. Adams, offended, gets out of the carriage and walks the last mile to Booby Hall.
