Joseph Andrews Family Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Volume.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

Mr. Joseph Andrews, the hero of our ensuing history, was esteemed to be the only son of Gaffar and Gammer Andrews, and brother to the illustrious Pamela, whose virtue is at present so famous. (1.2.1)

In Richardson's Pamela, the heroine doesn't have a brother named Joseph. Fielding is spicing things up a bit by making his virtuous hero a dude at the mercy of a bunch of lusty ladies. By switching the sex of Richardson's main character, Fielding is not only spoofing the sexual double standards of his time, he's also making fun of Richardson's whole plot.

Quote #2

At ten years old (by which time his education was advanced to writing and reading), he was bound an apprentice, according to statute, to Sir Thomas Booby, an uncle of Mr. Booby's by the father's side. (1.2.4)

All of Joseph's family serves all of the Booby family. We've got a regular Downton Abbey going on here… except, you know, it's Booby Abbey.

Quote #3

[…] You know, Pamela, I never loved to tell the secrets of my master's family; but to be sure you must have known they never loved one another […]. (1.6.2)

Joseph's confiding some deep, dark secrets to his only sister. These are the kinds of things you can only really tell family about.