Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Tristram Shandy, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Truth, Fiction, and Storytelling
Language and Comprehension
Travel, Space, and Time
Sexuality and Propriety
Science, Technology, and the Enlightenment
Summary
Analysis
Chapter 11. Tristram argues that writing is just another form of conversation and should leave some things to the imagination. This being the case, Tristram intends to leave Dr. Slop to the reader’s imagination for the time being, urging them to picture Dr. Slop’s anger toward Obadiah. Dr. Slop, now cleaned up, realizes that he forgot his medical instruments and home, and so Walter sends Obadiah out once more to fetch them, promising him a crown for his services—and Toby promises him another.
Tristram emphasizes once more the need for the reader to actively participate in the narrative and fill in gaps in the story for themselves. As he makes this claim, however, he is indirectly narrating exactly what he asks the reader to imagine for themselves, once again highlighting the ambiguous relationship between reader, writer, and narrative.
Themes
Chapter 12. Toby returns to his previous reflections, telling Dr. Slop that his arrival reminded him of Stevinus, a favorite author of his. Walter correctly bets that Stevinus is an engineer and asks Toby what Dr. Slop’s arrival has to do with fortification, attempting to prevent a lengthy discourse on Toby’s part. Despite his brother’s and Dr. Slop’s jokes, Toby launches into an extended speech until Walter angrily interrupts him. Toby, though offended, refuses to retaliate. To demonstrate Toby’s gentle character, Tristram recalls a time when Toby, bothered by a fly at dinner, took it in his hand and released it outside, refusing to harm it. This element of Toby’s moral character should serve as instruction for parents, Tristram suggests.
Toby’s immediate reversion to discussing fortifications demonstrates how his hobby-horse shapes his thinking and leads him to interpret the world in particular ways. The reader will never learn why Dr. Slop reminded Toby of Stevinus; as Tristram has already argued, the relationship between human reason and passions is mysterious and opaque. Tristram’s recollection shows how Toby literally would not hurt a fly, underscoring his kind nature.
Themes
Tristram emphasizes how well this argument about Stevinus exposes his father’s and his uncle’s characters, revealing Walter’s prickliness as much as Toby’s meekness. Walter, however, is not insensitive to the offense he has caused his brother by attacking his hobby-horse and quickly begs for forgiveness, which Toby happily grants him.
One’s hobby-horse is a deeply sensitive subject, and as much as Toby’s hobby-horse may annoy Walter, he realizes this and does not intend to Toby. This is but the first of many clashes between the two brothers, who make up and forgive each other each time.
Themes
Chapter 13. Toby suggests that Walter argues so fiercely out of principle. Dr. Slop responds with the saying “In a family-way,” which Walter brushes off.
Dr. Slop plays with the two meanings of this phrase: a lack of pretense around family and close friends, and pregnancy.
Themes
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Chapter 14. Sitting back down, Toby rings the bell for Trim and orders him to go fetch his book by Stevinus, a subject he refuses to drop, wanting to show Walter that he is not offended. Toby then explains that Dr. Slop made him think of Stevinus because Stevinus developed the famous sailing chariot. Dr. Slop says he saw this chariot himself while traveling. In fact, he walked miles out of his way to see it. Toby is unimpressed, noting that Peireskius walked 500 miles to see the chariot. Dr. Slop waves this off, mocking Peireskius, which prompts Walter to defend Peireskius’s pursuit of knowledge. Dr. Slop nevertheless commends the sailing chariot and wonders why the English do not make use of it. Walter responds by pointing out that as wind is free, such a device would not bring any economic benefit to the country. Then he launches into a longer speech.
The difference between Walter and Toby’s characters is underscored once more, as Toby shows his brother that he not offended by returning to precisely the subjective that prompted Walter’s offensive outburst in the first place. Dr. Slop’s dismissive attitude toward Peireskius, one of Toby’s intellectual heroes, reveals his own disagreeable character. Walter’s argument for the economic unviability of the sailing chariot is a satirical vulgarization of popular economic doctrines of the eighteenth century and their theories of wealth creation.
Themes
Chapter 15. Walter’s speech is interrupted by Trim, who has returned with the Stevinus book, though the conversation has moved past the need for it. Walter, however, insists Trim read about the sailing chariot. As Trim flips through the book a sheet of paper falls out, which turns out to be a sermon. Toby is perplexed by how it got there and Walter, whose curiosity has been aroused, suggests that Trim read the sermon to them while they wait for Obadiah’s return.
Walter’s mercurial nature is evident when, after angrily scolding his brother for mentioning Stevinus, he insists that Trim read from the book, now that the subject has caught his interest. The mysterious sermon excites Walter even more, as he hopes to stumble upon unexpected ideas to serve as fodder for new Shandean theories.
Themes
