Jacques the Fatalist

The picaresque novel Jacques the Fatalist, partially inspired by Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy, is an ironic critique of the morals of the time. While on the surface the novel might seem to be a simple narrative of humoristic events, adventures, and intrigues—down deep it is an interesting philosophical exploration of free will, determinism, and morality. In addition, this novel contains a continuous dialogue between author and readers. Much like Henry Fielding in Tom Jones, Diderot puts forth his views on writing techniques. Through this dialogue readers can appreciate the inner springs of the mind of a novelist in action.