Joseph Andrews follows the virtuous footman Joseph as he navigates a series of misadventures and moral tests while attempting to reunite with his beloved Fanny Goodwill. Joseph, accompanied by the eccentric and learned Parson Abraham Adams, encounters a variety of social archetypes that expose the hypocrisy and vanity of 18th-century English society. The narrative employs a third-person omniscient perspective, frequently pausing for authorial commentary on the nature of writing and human character. The physical world is defined by the hazards of the road, where the protagonists face physical assault, legal entrapment, and social rejection, all while maintaining their moral integrity. Shamela, presented as a companion piece, utilizes an epistolary format to invert the moral posturing of contemporary sentimental novels through a sharp, cynical lens.

Discussion often centers on Fielding's role in establishing the formal conventions of the English novel. Readers frequently highlight the sharp contrast between the earnest, often naive goodness of Joseph and the biting, cynical wit found in the parody of Shamela. Critics emphasize the effectiveness of the picaresque format in allowing the author to survey a wide spectrum of social classes. The balance between slapstick humor and serious moral inquiry remains a primary point of interest for those studying the evolution of prose fiction. Many readers appreciate how the author uses these early works to refine the comic techniques that would later define his more expansive narratives.