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At first sight the narrator seems to treat all of his characters with deference, but on closer inspection, we notice Fielding's irony toward his characters. For example, Fielding slyly undercuts Partridge's authority by describing Partridge as a "Pedagogue" rather than as a "teacher." The names Fielding chooses for characters are also parodies, following the eighteenth-century custom of using names that magnify the essential qualities of each character. Allworthy, for instance, is a genuinely worthy man, a moral yardstick against which the other characters should be evaluated. However, Book II introduces us to Allworthy's greatest flaw, which is that he is unable to perceive the cunning and conniving of others. While this may be a minor flaw, one that stems from virtue rather than vice, Allworthy's inability to sport the machinations of others drives much of the plot of Tom Jones. It may seem contradictory that Fielding has constructed this character with a flaw, but Allworthy's characterization is consistent with the narrator's stated refusal to believe that anyone can be perfect. This attitude was a precocious one in the eighteenth century, and distinguishes Fielding from authors such as Samuel Richardson, who intended for his novels to be read as instruction manuals for morality. Fielding desires to record life more accurately, and this desire demands the creation of imperfect characters. The lack of perfect characters in Tom Jones does not mean that the novel is devoid of morality. Indeed, Book II centers on Allworthy's kindness to the foundling child, Tom. Many of the characters, particularly Captain Blifil and Mrs. Wilkins, condemn Allworthy's decision to keep the boy, arguing that he is thereby supporting "Vice." Yet the narrator subtly reveals how the characters most critical of Allworthy's decision to raise Tom are driven by questionable motives in their own right. In such a way, Fielding allows questions of morality to take the form of debates among his characters, rather than writing dogmatic authoritative lectures. The lengthy debate between the Captain and Allworthy on the topic of "Charity" indicates Fielding's interest in solving moral dilemmas through philosophy rather than religion. Philosophy, Fielding implies, presents a variety of questions but no definitive answers.