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Book 1, Chapter 14
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Joseph Andrews, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Hypocrisy
Lust vs. Chastity
Social Class
Religion and Charity
Summary
Analysis
Betty tells Mrs. Tow-wouse that she believes Joseph Andrews must be a gentleman, given his pale, soft skin and his familiarity with the gentleman Mr. Abraham Adams. The surgeon continues to treat Joseph and becomes more hopeful about his condition. He eventually leaves Joseph with the parson Adams. Adams doesn’t have much money, but he offers Joseph whatever he can and gets Joseph a good meal for dinner.
Betty understands that the best way to make Mrs. Tow-wouse and the others start to care about Joseph’s well-being is to convince them that he’s a gentleman. Shortly after the gentleman Adams recognizes Joseph, the surgeon predicts that Joseph’s condition is improving, suggesting that Joseph’s new higher status makes the surgeon more eager to protect his life.
Themes
The next morning, the surgeon and Mr. Barnabas come back to the inn to make sure the thief sees justice. Because there’s no lawyer in the area, the surgeon and Barnabas compete with each other to see who can prove his own legal authority, with half the town supporting the surgeon, and the other half supporting Mr. Barnabas. The narrator takes a moment to curse the power of vanity.
The novel returns many times to the idea of what constitutes justice and who should be allowed to make that decision. This passage humorously pits science against religion.
Themes
Literary Devices
