Montaigne/Austen Essay

David Foster Wallace wrote that “what goes on inside is just too fast and huge and all interconnected for words to do more than barely sketch the outlines of at most one tiny little part of it at any given instant.” In a much more simple explanation, Wallace states that everything is just so colossal, the never-ending space and the vast ocean, that what is seen are just glimpse of the outermost layer. Michel De Montaigne’s Essays completely oppose and contradict Wallace’s remarks. Montaigne’s use of stream of consciousness not only allows the reader to view the outermost layer, but also the core ideas (the specks of dusts) that make up his interpretations of the world around him.   

Montaigne’s use of stream of consciousness results in an opposition to David Foster Wallace’s remark. Although one would argue that stream of consciousness is “a depiction through a continuous flow” and should therefore condone to Wallace’s words, it is a continuous flow that digs deeper to the core of the subject at hand. Montaigne not only talks about the big picture, but continuous on his stream of thoughts to expand and branch off to the root of the subject. His essays aren’t the perfectly glossy, and clear type that one would often find, but has the charm of jumbled words that connect to a deeper sense of meaning. He especially likes using quotes, seen especially in the subject On Cannibals, to continue on his train of ideas and further develop and exemplify his literary expression. Montaigne used anecdotes, woving it with biographical accounts, to present a very detailed account of his perspective.

Unlike Montaigne’s Essays, Jane Austen’s work in Pride and Prejudice condones to Wallace’s remark with her use of fiction. Both Montaigne and Austen use a degree of realism within their literary works. However, the use of realism is conveyed differently by the authors; Montaigne uses a smigget to bear fruit his philosophical view of human life, whereas Austen uses it to portray 18th century women. Austen also uses dialogue to project and visualize events being portrayed which occur often between Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Contrary to Austen, Montaigne hardly uses dialogue, instead opting for descriptive words to help the readers understand his personal perspective.