The narrative begins in the household of the benevolent squire Allworthy, who discovers an abandoned infant in his bed and resolves to raise him alongside his own nephew, Master Blifil. The foundling, named Tom Jones, grows into a generous, high-spirited, but remarkably reckless youth, constantly falling into scrapes while possessing an intrinsically good heart. In stark contrast, Blifil is cultivated, pious in appearance, and relentlessly calculating, earning the favor of the local divine Thwackum and the philosopher Square.
As the boys mature into young men, Tom becomes deeply attached to Sophia Western, the charming daughter of a neighboring squire, though his genuine affection is complicated by his secret entanglement with Molly Seagrim, the gamekeeper's daughter. Blifil and his tutors continually poison Allworthy's mind against Tom through systematic deceit and malicious interpretation of his actions. Matters reach a crisis when Tom takes the blame for poaching to protect the gamekeeper, and subsequently sells his personal possessions to feed the man's starving family.
Following a series of manufactured scandals and mounting injustices engineered by Blifil and the vindictive tutors, a heartbroken Allworthy banishes Tom from his home. Stripped of his inheritance and cast out into the world, Tom begins a perilous journey across England, encountering robbers, soldiers, and various eccentric travelers. Throughout his wanderings, he remains fundamentally loyal to his ideals while slowly learning the harsh necessity of worldly prudence and circumspection.
Meanwhile, Sophia flees her home to escape an arranged marriage with Blifil, determined to find independence and remain true to her feelings for Tom. Her father and various pursuers chase her across the countryside, leading to a convergence of characters at a remote country inn where past secrets begin to unravel. Misunderstandings multiply, and true identities are obscured by layers of malicious gossip and mistaken circumstance.
As the plot reaches its climax in London, the hidden truths behind Tom's birth are gradually brought to light through the confession of dying participants and recovered documents. The genuine malice of Blifil is finally exposed to Allworthy, shattering the illusion of his saintly perfection. The narrative resolves as justice overtakes the deceitful, clearing Tom's name and restoring him to his rightful place and inheritance.
