The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

The many inns and hired lodgings in the novel speak to the reality of accommodations in the 18th century, especially for travelers, visitors, and those who could not buy property of their own. The evolution of Tom’s lodgings also signifies his journey toward maturation. In his youth, he is sheltered by Allworthy’s generosity, while as an active young man, he spends as much time at Squire Western’s house as his own: a presage to his future with Sophia.

When he is first cast out of Allworthy’s house, he lies on a riverbank, outdoors and in the wild, and thus his utter lack of lodging shows the lowest state of his distress. As his journeys commence, the inns become progressively more accommodating. Similarly, his night visiting the Man on the Hill is a side journey that shows Tom what his fate could be if he does not manage to reintegrate into society, and when he hires a room at Mrs. Miller’s in London, he is brought into a proper domestic circle and realizes what home life could be for him. When he chooses to forego these lodgings for bachelor premises with Nightengale, where he will not be reproved for entertaining lady callers, Tom ends up in jail, and that particularly disastrous place of “lodging” is the one that finally forces him to reflect upon his poor choices and vow to make better ones in the future. By improving his life and winning Sophia, Tom ultimately gains a home that is his own to govern, complete with wife and children. While the hired lodgings represent the stages of his coming-of-age journey, acquiring an estate of his own signifies his maturity and secure social standing in terms of both class and wealth.