Montaigne/Austen Essay

David Foster Wallace believed that literature does not do our vast, rapidly moving minds justice. Words are menial when compared to the almost limitless, time oblivious thinking that goes through our heads every second of everyday. Montaigne exemplified Wallace’s quote in his collection of essays that merely scratched the surface of a wide breadth of topics, seemingly writing whatever came to his mind in a particular instant. There is a bleak difference between Montaigne’s scattered thoughts and Jane Austen’s methodical, well organized style of writing.

Montaigne’s essays serve as an almost fossilized representation of his deceased mind. Personality and opinion come through in almost every line of his vast collection of writings. A somewhat pioneer of the stream of consciousness technique, Montaigne’s essays feel as though you are inside his head listening to his jumbled thoughts. Constant topic changes, are common and he often strays far away from the previously intended subject. Although brilliant quotes and gems are sprinkled throughout his writings, they are often buried by what seems like irrelevant rambling. Montaigne is the master of barely brushing the surface on just about everything there is. From smells to education, Montaigne provides opinions and thoughts on everything although professing to not be an expert in anything. Rather than going in depth on one subject, Montaigne thinks as he goes allowing his mind to stray following it wherever it pleases. There seems to be no method to the madness, no planning and no big picture. Choppy sentences, run on sentences, cursing, sexual references, political opinions, controversial thoughts are common for Montaigne as for us all, he just chose to expose himself by putting it on paper.


The sporadic rambling of Montaigne’s text is in stark contrast to Jane Austen’s romantic, picture perfect writing. In Austen’s writing things seem to fall perfectly into place, all the pieces fit together. She puts her pen to paper with a plan, and an intricate plot in mind. Although dialogue is prevalent in Austen’s writing, her characters are often times too preoccupied with what others think of them to truly express their minds. Because Pride and Prejudice is written, in third person omnificent point of view we do see the characters in their most exposing states of mind. However, even the characters in their most vulnerable states seem to have censored, watered down thoughts. Unlike Montaigne, Austen and her characters seem to have boundaries on what they choose to share with society. The characters' pruned thoughts fail to support Wallace’s theory that our minds are too wild and active to tame.

Austen and Montaigne are at two different sides of the spectrum when it comes to styles of writing. Montaigne is the text book example of David Foster Wallace’s claim, while Austen contradicts and proves that harnessing the mind is possible, at least for her and her characters. Methodical vs. madness, it’s the battle of the minds.