Sentimental Journey

Sterne in his A Sentimental Journey, seems to be setting a standard for the novel, though he might not have done so with full intention. The story goes smoothly, almost like a gentle lull as if the words are being spoken softly (at least to my ears). I think that this reading is mellow and a lot less "bouncy" than most of the other readings we have had in this class.

The story is about a traveler who takes the time (and lets us know that he is doing so) to define the title he attributes to himself. He lets us know why we are to consider him a sentimental traveler. The voice of the narrator is evident, but unlike Behn or even Fielding, it is not loud and imposing. The narrator's voice rather seems to be calmly authoritative. The reader is told the events of the story, but does not seem to be told what to think. It almost seems as if the record of the narrator as provided by the narrator seems to be the only believable version, and it does not seem like we are given any reason to either doubt or question the voice. There also seems to be this underlying sense of immense appreciation. It is almost as if the narrator evaluates everything he encounters as if the sights are new, and the people are all unique. The narrator seems to be in awe. This has me wondering if the author could have achieved the same effect if he had chosen to make his main character a king or an ex-convict. I think that the fact that Yorick is a parson influences the tone of the story.

The narrator does not really spend a lot of time ruminating on the nature of the road he travels upon or on the number of houses he sees for instance,as is typical with Defoe, emphasis instead is on the select moments the narrator chooses to expatiate upon, and the people he chooses to bring to light. For instance, the author zeroes in on the story of the dead ass. He tells the story and concludes by saying that if only humans loved one another like the man loved his donkey, the world would be a better place in essence. With Richardson, it seems like we are being instructed in the way we should act and how we should approach problem situations, as exemplified by Pamela. With Sterne, however, it is almost as if the reader can hear the wistfulness in the narrator's tone. The reader is not being told that he/she is uncaring, even though the reader is obviously included in the narrator’s wistful generalization.. Instead, it seems that the narrator is lamenting what is, and what is prevalent. There seems to be an identification of the issue, but unlike Richardson or Fielding, it seems to be left there, as a suggestion.

There is definitely present in the story the theme of travel as well as self-discovery as a result of travel. Yorick not only leaves England but he steps out of his comfort zone and learns to see the world differently, as it is, or at least as he chooses to see it. This is seen in his relation to individuals of different socio-economic status.

There are also a number of references to emotions and feelings and sentiments. As others have already pointed out and we have briefly touched on in class, there also seem to be inherent references to gender differences. Would Yorick be considered manly for paying attention to the things he does?