Many of Montaigne's ideas may seem scatterbrained, constantly changing from topic to topic, but this is not always the case. There are times when he applies a more structured style of writing. As far Foster's notion goes, Montaigne supports it to an extent. His essays cover a multitude of different subjects, yet there are sophisticated and well written.
As a writer and philosopher, Michel de Montaigne's style and writings often reflect his thinking and personal opinions. He approaches topics with skepticism and expresses himself with brutal honesty. To him, humanity will never reach certainty and have no reason to believe themselves to be more intelligent than animals.
It would be far more easier to describe the differences between the styles of Montaigne and Jane Austen than to explain their similarities. Montaigne was a French philosopher during the 1500's, while Austen was an English novelist born more than two hundred years later. Austen focused on romanticized fantasies with female protagonists to be the showcases of her feminist ideals, and Montaigne viewed the world as it is.
Surprisingly enough, sometimes there similarities that transcend time. Both authors reveal their opinions on subjects such as society, morality, and religion through their writing and characters. Common styles include irony and realism.
Austen's novels might look more refine and uniform than Montaigne's essays, but in fact her character's often go through confusing situations and conflicts. Her full-length books resemble barely outlined sketches more than Montaigne's short essays. While short, Montaigne's essays manage to say everything that is needed to be said.
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