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1. The prefatory chapters to each book tend to indicate how we are supposed to read the novel. Their content is largely theoretical. What are some of the most salient aspects of the theory they present? How far is this theory actually applicable to Tom Jones? How far is it applicable to other novels? Does the tone employed by Fielding in these chapters enhance the theory expounded? How?

The narrator of Tom Jones is such an elaborate character itself that one should take into consideration every single stop he makes to specifically address the reader. The first Chapter of each book is an introduction that theorizes and reflects upon what it is that we are reading, and how we should read it. Even before the novel actually begins, the narrator already makes a statement regarding his role. The subtitle of the Chapter I, Book I reads as follows: Containing as much of the Birth of the Foundling as is necessary or proper to acquaint the Reader with in the Beginning of this History(I.I.1) and that for this reason, whatever it is he tells us is only because it is necessary for the reader to know.Thus, the narrator has explained that he will tell what he wants, when he wants, and only as much as he wants, but that the reader should not despair. Tom Jonesgives an example of narrator in many novels. Narrators usually withhold information for a specific purpose; such is the power they have over the reader. They accumulate tension, mystery, and conflicts in order to get to a climax and keep the reader hooked. The ends of characters, that is, their deaths, marriages, imprisonments, victories (if the novel includes some sort of battle) are usually left until the end. When they do, these narrators function like the one in Tom Jones, where story narrated is straightforward an linear. When they do not, the climax of the novels move from the traditional point. For example, in Crnica de una muerte anunciada by Colombian author, Gabriel Garca Mrquez, the opening sentence reveals the end of the protagonist: El da en que lo iban a matar, Santiago Nasar se levant a las 5:30 de la maana para esperar el buque en que llegaba el obispo (7). With this sentence, Garca Mrquez challenges the conventional way in

which novels are narrated from TomJoness moment on, for this is no longer a narrator that withholds information to keep the reader waiting until a climax. It brings forth the climax, conflict resolution and denouement all at once to the opening sentence, leaving no doubt that Santiago is going to be murdered. In Tom Jones, point A, the first few chapters, is followed by a long series of subplots and secondary events, journeys, discussions and characters that one must read in order to get to point B, when Tom and Sophie finally reunite (presumably until their deaths). One must go through all of that in between if one wants to find out what happens in the end. In accordance with the narrators own food analogy in Book I, Chapter 1, those subplots function as appetizers before the main course. However, in novels like Crnica the subplots are the main course, because then the reader is no longer eager to find out whether if Santiago was to get killed, but instead the reasons behind the murder itself. The narrator in Crnica, then, goes back and forth in time, revealing the identities of the murderers, the life of many characters in the town, the motives behind the murder, and a little gossip here and there. One of the most recurrent topics in the opening chapters, at least of the first few Books, is the attempt of the narrator to define what Tom Jones is: that is, a story, a fable, or a History. Actually, he very well clarifies that it is a History, and that being it so, he will only tell the most exciting moments of the life of Tom Jones rather than stop at every single point of his life. if whole Years should pass without producing any thing worthy his Notice, we shall not be afraid of a Chasm in our History; but shall hastenon to the Matters of Consequence, and leave such Periods of Time totally unobserved (II.I.76). The narrator is very clear that sometimes years will pass in a book, whereas sometimes they will only be hours. For this reason, he clarifies that he will not be accountable to any Court of Critical Jurisdiction whatever: For [he is] the Founder of a New

Province of Writing(II.I.77) so he is at liberty to do what he please.He explains this because there is a moment, in Book III, where he jumps straight to when Tom is fourteen years of age. The way in which these instructions affect the reading of Tom Jones is that now he or she is aware that the narrator is withholding the information. He is narrating in past tense, which means he is narrated when all the events in the book have taken place. He could start by saying that even though no one noticed Tom Jones was the child of Bridget Allworthy. However, if that were the case, the moment of the presumably incestuous affair between Tom and his alleged mother, Mrs. Waters, would not have the effect of shock in the reader, which appears in the novel so as to create a narrative tension, but also to that same effect of wanting to know what happened after that. Of course, eventually, the readers tensions would be released once Tom Joness real mother was revealed. This creates a narrative tension, for as the reader wants to find out what will happen, the narrator takes deviations and sometimes the characters, like Partridge and Tom will have discussions that, pleasant as they may be for the reader, they could be part of what the narrator says is not important. In that sense, the narrator is really not living up to his warning about the chasms.