Protagonist

Character Role Analysis

Tom Jones

Can you guys think of a book or movie named after one of its characters, where that character isn't the protagonist? Iron Man is about Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man. The Harry Potter series? All about Harry Potter.

What we're getting at is that you would never name a whole book after an insignificant, minor character that appears in one chapter of your novel and then quickly disappears. And this book is no exception: the novel is called Tom Jones because our protagonist is none other than Tom Jones. Tom's life, from his mysterious birth to his ultimate achievement of happiness with Sophia, forms the basic plot of this book.

Sophia Western

At first, it seems like Sophia's primary role in Tom Jones is as our hero's love interest. After all, her life appears pretty set: she has a loving father and a fortune at her disposal. What obstacles could she possibly have to overcome?

But by Book 6, when Sophia has to think of ways to escape an unwanted marriage with the awful Mr. Blifil, she starts coming into her own as a main character, alongside Tom himself. Not onlydoes she run away from home, bravely traveling the roads with no one but her extremely annoying maid Mrs. Honour, but she also finally gets to choose her own husband, in spite of intense family pressure, verbal abuse, and even threats of violence in favor of Mr. Blifil and Lord Fellamar. We think Sophia's self-determination and strength of character give her protagonist status, even if her name isn't the novel's main title.