The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman Literature and Writing Quotes

By this point in the book, it seems like narrator-Tristram has absolutely no idea how to write a novel—he can hardly finish a sentence, let alone a book. This claim sets us up for a big laugh at his expense. But it does turn out that Tristram fulfills his promises. He writes about everything he says he'll discuss, even if it's a few chapter or a few hundred pages later. Nice follow-through, buddy.

Here, Tristram suggests that the digressions are the whole point of the novel. It's not that the digressions get in the way of the story so much as the story gets in the way of the digressions. Who needs plot when you can listen to Tristram go on and on about noses?

Truth, Tristram says, ain't always pretty (listen up, Mr. John Keats). He doesn't claim to be presenting an absolutely correct representation of events, and he's perfectly happy to fancy up a scene or manipulate the story in order to produce something more aesthetically pleasing. More proof that Tristram really does have a plan in mind.