# Chapter XXIV 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

The narrator defends his method of revealing Uncle Toby's character through his Hobbyhorse, describing the unique bond between a man and his hobbyhorse as akin to electrified bodies. He praises the singularity of Uncle Toby's Hobbyhorse and promises to explain how Uncle Toby came by it.

## Themes in this chapter

### Obsession and Hobbyhorses

The chapter explores the nature of hobbyhorses and the intimate connection between a man and his hobbyhorse, using Uncle Toby's singular hobbyhorse as a central example.

## Character check-ins

### Uncle Toby

The subject of the chapter; his character is to be revealed through his unique Hobbyhorse.

## Key lines

> A man and his Hobbyhorse , though I cannot say that they act and react exactly after the same manner in which the soul and body do upon each other: Yet doubtless there is a communication between them of some kind; and my opinion rather is, that there is something in it more of the manner of electrified bodies,⁠—and that, by means of the heated parts of the rider, which come immediately into contact with the back of the Hobbyhorse ,⁠—by long journeys and much friction, it so happens, that the body of the rider is at length fill'd as full of Hobbyhorsical matter as it can hold;⁠⸺⁠so that if you are able to give but a clear description of the nature of the one, you may form a pretty exact notion of the genius and character of the other.

The narrator suggests that a man and his hobbyhorse have a communication akin to electrified bodies, where prolonged contact fills the rider with hobbyhorsical matter, so that describing the hobbyhorse reveals the rider's character.

_This passage establishes the metaphorical framework for understanding Uncle Toby's character through his hobbyhorse._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters/xxiv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters