# Chapter XXI explained — The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman > Chapter companion for The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne. ## What happens Tristram reflects on the Shandy family's hereditary eccentricity, particularly through the story of Aunt Dinah's affair with a coachman, which becomes a source of conflict between Walter and Uncle Toby. Walter uses the scandal to support his philosophical systems, while Toby's extreme modesty—acquired from a wound at the Siege of Namur—makes him unable to bear mention of it. The chapter also includes a digression on climate, character, and the progress of knowledge. ## Themes in this chapter ### Family and Heredity Tristram discusses the Shandy family's original character and hereditary eccentricity, exemplified by Aunt Dinah's affair. ### Obsession and Hobbyhorses Walter's obsession with his philosophical hypothesis leads him to repeatedly bring up Aunt Dinah's scandal, while Toby's modesty is a defining hobbyhorse. ### Modesty and Obscenity Uncle Toby's extreme modesty, acquired from a groin wound, is contrasted with Walter's willingness to discuss a family scandal in mixed company. ### The Absurdity of Systems Walter elevates his hypothesis above family honor, leading to absurd debates where Toby's whistling becomes a counter-argument. ## Character check-ins ### Tristram Shandy Narrator; reflects on his own eccentricity and the Shandy family character. ### Walter Shandy Defends his philosophical system using Aunt Dinah's affair; argues with Uncle Toby over family honor versus hypothesis. ### Uncle Toby Extremely modest due to a groin wound at Namur; cannot bear hearing of Aunt Dinah's affair; whistles Lillabullero in response to Walter's arguments. ### Dinah Great aunt who was married and got with child by the coachman; her affair is a source of family conflict. ### Mrs. Shandy Mentioned as the sister-in-law with whom Uncle Toby exchanged few words. ## Key lines > all the Shandy Family were of an original character throughout:—I mean the males,—the females had no character at all,—except, indeed, my great aunt Dinah, who, about sixty years ago, was married and got with child by the coachman The Shandy men were all eccentric, but the women were unremarkable except for Aunt Dinah, who became pregnant by the coachman after marriage. _Tristram introduces Aunt Dinah's scandal as a key family event._ > my uncle Toby was a gentleman of unparallel'd modesty, which happening to be somewhat subtilized and rarified by the constant heat of a little family pride,—they both so wrought together within him, that he could never bear to hear the affair of my aunt Dinah touch'd upon, but with the greatest emotion. Uncle Toby's extreme modesty, combined with family pride, made him deeply upset whenever Aunt Dinah's affair was mentioned. _Explains Toby's emotional reaction to the family scandal._ > My father, as I told you, was a philosopher in grain,—speculative,—systematical;—and my aunt Dinah's affair was a matter of as much consequence to him, as the retrogradation of the planets to Copernicus Walter treated Aunt Dinah's scandal as a key piece of evidence for his philosophical system, just as Copernicus used planetary retrograde motion. _Highlights Walter's systematic obsession._ > What is the character of a family to an hypothesis? my father would reply. Nay, if you come to that—what is the life of a family? Walter argues that a hypothesis is more important than family reputation, even questioning the value of family life itself. _Shows the conflict between Walter's intellectual pursuits and Toby's sense of honor._ > My uncle Toby would never offer to answer this by any other kind of argument, than that of whistling half a dozen bars of Lillabullero. Toby's only response to Walter's absurd reasoning was to whistle a tune, expressing his shock or disagreement. _Illustrates Toby's non-verbal argument style._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters/xxi - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters