Our boy Joseph might as well be singing that Sister Sledge song about family. Yeah, he's that proud of his darling sister, Pamela. He should be: she was a big-time celebrity in the eighteenth century. But when that strawberry-shaped birthmark shakes things up at the end of the book, Joseph has to deal with having everything he knows about family ripped out from under him.
That's not to say everything is bad. Joseph gains a pretty nifty new father in Mr. Wilson, plus an inheritance that would make Paris Hilton blush. Most importantly, he gets to maintain a family connection to Pamela—after all, she's now revealed to be Fanny's sister. Following us so far? Family is always complicated in Joseph Andrews, but it's always portrayed as a positive force in our fave characters' lives.
Questions About Family
- Why does it matter that Joseph maintains a family connection to Pamela?
- Why don't we hear much about Fanny being an orphan? Does Joseph care that she's parent-less (at the beginning)?
- How does Parson Adams advocate family values?
- Do Sir Thomas and Lady Booby consider their servants as family?
Chew on This
The people who care most about family in Joseph Andrews are not interested in how family connections can improve social status.
Parson Adams is a sort of father figure to Joseph.