As Tristram Shandy narrates his life story, he is unable to explain anything simply. He must make explanatory diversions to add context and colour to his tale. Throughout his memoir, Tristram as narrator finds himself discoursing at length on sexual practices, insults, the influence of one's name, and noses, as well as explorations of obstetrics, siege warfare, andphilosophy as he struggles to marshal his material and finish the story of his life.

Laurence Sterne had read widely, which is reflected in Tristram Shandy. Many of his similes, for instance, are reminiscent of the works of the metaphysical poets of the 17^th century, and the novel as a whole, with its focus on the problems of language, has constant regard to John Locke's theories in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Arthur Schopenhauer cited Tristram Shandy as one of the greatest novels ever written.