Volume 3Tom Jones is greatly admired not only for the meticulous craft with which it was written, but also for its humor, objectivity, and penetrating psychological depth. It is without a doubt one of the great contributions to the English novel, and as such will always maintain a place of honor in world literature. Through the minute examination of the motives of his characters, Henry Fielding revealed many universal truths about human nature. That he could do so by employing the comic style of mock-heroic literature is all the more extraordinary.
In Volume 3, we find our hero in London. Everything now comes to a crescendo of furious activity and comic missteps. Tom actively pursues Sophia, whom he loves desperately. However, his feelings are misrepresented to her by the wiles of Lady Bellaston, who desires Tom for herself. As other incidents pile into the plot, Tom finds himself becoming ever more estranged from his beloved Sophia. And when Squire Western and Blifil arrive, things look bleak indeed. However, it is always darkest before the dawn, and all's well that ends well.
