The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

Tristram Shandy is the narrator of the novel and the protagonist, though the stories he tells tend to focus on characters other than himself. As the narrator, however, Tristram is the driving force of the novel and the dominant personality. Tristram’s absence from the novel is deceptive. While he beguiles the reader through his constant digressions and flashbacks, he nevertheless makes his presence felt. He is in constant communication with the audience, often addressing the audience directly to absolve himself of the responsibility of staying on track. His metafictional narrative style is the key to the novel, the key to Tristram’s character, and the key to the message that Tristram is trying to convey. Life, Tristram believes, is incredibly complex. To fully understand a person requires immense amounts of context, so much so that any attempt to write a complete biography of a person results in constant digressions and distractions. By removing himself from the narrative in the first part of the novel, Tristram sketches himself via negative space. His descriptions of his family and the chaotic situation into which he was born provide the reader with an understanding of the environment that shaped Tristram.