The narrative follows the titular Tristram Shandy as he attempts to write his autobiography, only to be perpetually derailed by his own digressive impulses and the eccentricities of his family. Tristram struggles to recount the events of his life, beginning with his own conception, but finds himself constantly sidetracked by the complex histories of his father, Walter, and his uncle, Toby. The narrative framework is famously non-linear and self-referential, functioning as a meta-fictional exploration of the difficulty of communication and the subjective nature of time. The protagonist is constrained by his own obsession with detail, leading to a sprawling, chaotic account that prioritizes the process of storytelling over the actual progression of his life story.

Readers and critics frequently highlight the novel's status as a precursor to modernism due to its radical experimentation with form and structure. Discussion often centers on the balance between the author's comedic intent and the underlying melancholy regarding the limitations of human connection. The work is noted for its refusal to adhere to traditional plot progression, which some readers find challenging while others praise as a brilliant subversion of literary norms. Scholars often emphasize the importance of the text's visual elements, such as the marbled pages, in reinforcing the theme that a life cannot be fully captured through words alone. The enduring appeal of the book lies in its ability to remain both intellectually rigorous and consistently playful across centuries of interpretation.