Tom Jones Character Sketches of Sophia and Molly

In the novel Tom Jones, two female characters had a great impact on

the story. They were Miss Sophia Western and Miss Molly Seagrim who

differed in very many ways. These traits became distinct when matters

concerned with physical appearance, family, and their feelings about things

as well as the people around them were discussed.

Both girls were comparable in that they were beautiful, but this

was where their similarities stopped. The ways in which they were

beautiful were different. Molly's beauty was described as being not

exactly feminine but more of the "amiable kind". She had a handsome

face and "youth and florid health had a very considerable share in the

composition" (137). Sophia's beauty was described as more of the

fragile kind. "Her shape was not only exact, but extremely delicate"

(122). Sophia's beauty was made apparent to the reader by

explaining, in detail, the perfection of her forehead, eyebrows, eyes,

nose, mouth, and teeth. In short, she was the picture of perfection.

Molly was the second of five children while Sophia was an only

child. People in the novel who are clergymen are associated with

being poor. Molly's mother's father is described as such. In contrast,

Sophia's father was a rich, well known Squire. In Molly's family, it

seemed they were often against her. After the occurrences at the

church, instead of consoling her after the punishment she received

from the other women at church, her family scolded her for her

actions and called her a hussy, a slut and told her that her pregnancy

had brought much shame to the family. In an attempt to stop Tom

from finding Molly with Square her mother lied to him. She was

motivated, however, not by love but by some "profits" she would

be receiving because of her daughters relationship with Square.

Her sister was not as motivated by these "profits" and ended up

telling Tom in order to be spiteful. Sophia's father was