e is truly "all worthy," a wealthy and wise landowner and magistrate who uses his money for philanthropic projects. Allworthy indeed adopts Tom, not knowing that the boy is really his nephew, and he treats him as a son. The novel is structured on such ironies. Most of the characters have one or two main traits that define them, and sometimes these traits are also emphasized by their names. Squire Allworthy fits this latter description. Other characters are not so closely identified with their character traits as to be named after them, but still they are clearly understood as being figures marked by one particular trait. Tom is lusty and imprudent in his actions, though he will learn the folly of being imprudent. Squire Western loves to hunt and drink. His wife acts as if she knows everything there is to know on nearly any subject. Partridge is cowardly and a poor scholar. Sophia is innocent and honest. Blifil is greedy and evil. The characters are not well-rounded at all but two-dimensional, representing types and interacting with one another in terms of their particular character trait. In this way, Fielding is able to create a comic picture of society and of the interaction of his characters.
Ian Watt discusses Fielding's characterizations and states,
The fact that Fielding's characters do not have a convincing inner life means that their possibilities of psychological development are very limited. Tom Jones's character, for example, exhibits some development, but it is of a very general kind. Tom's early imprudences. . . lead to his disgrace. . . At the same time his good qualities, his courage, honor, and benevolence, all of which have been glimpsed at the beginning, eventually combine to extricate him from the nadir of his misfortunes, and restore him to the love and respect of those who surround him.
Watt feels that the character traits by which Tom finally triumphs have actually been there all the time...