Montaigne/Austen Esaay

                                              Montaigne/Austen Essay

                In Montaigne's writing his style is usually familiar. It's full of concrete images and lively or humorous digressions. Montaigne's essays have been widely read abroad and have greatly influences English Literature. Montaigne had a horrible childhood as a child and he showed it through his writing. I feel that Montaigne's topics and techniques do support Foster's notion and do not contradict it.

              Montaigne had a difficult childhood thus he expressed it through his writing. He used many forms of techniques. David Foster Wallace was suicidal. He did not have a happy life and he would have connected to Montaigne because he did not either. Montaigne’s style provided a window into David Foster Wallace’s thinking by seeing a brighter side in life. Montaigne used humor as a technique and it got him out of a dark place.  

  Austen’s style in Pride and Prejudice is romanticism. Jane Austen also uses irony. Something ironic in Pride and Prejudice is how Darcy and Elizabeth do not like each other in the beginning but end up falling in love. Also how Mr. Darcy prevents Bingley from marrying Jane because of her family, lack of real affection, lower status etc. but then proceeds to ask for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage when she is in the same family, and Elizabeth clearly has no affection for him. Those were a few examples I found ironic from the novel.

            Jane Austen uses romanticism and irony while Montaigne uses humor as their writing styles. They really cannot be compared considering they are two very different things. Austen talks about contradictions while Montaigne speaks of humor and concrete imagery. Montaigne also created quotes. They both use very different writing styles and techniques.

            In conclusion, Montaigne’s writing style is familiar while Jane Austen’s is ironic. I feel that Montaigne’s techniques and topics support Foster’s notion rather than contradict it. They both had tough lives and David Foster Wallace could really look back on Montaigne’s writing and could connect to it. Austen and Montaigne did not have a big connection in their writing because they were very different writing techniques. Those are some ideas dealing with the prompt.