Driven Wild Universe: Difference between revisions

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Related to the "Life is Never Easy" theme is the idea that life is a continuous struggle that you have to be willing to engage in so as to get the best out of it. Even "redeemed" characters are neither perfect nor permanently redeemed. One obvious example is the coupling of Amy and Joel; although they appear to be closer by the end of "Memory Road," it would be a mistake to assume that they are headed for an untroubled life. In the unfinished novella, The Winter Chill (a sequel to the Driven Wild Universe), stong hints are left that Amy is feeling overwhelmed by her new life with Joel and their child. Another example within the Driven Wild Universe is Helen's new self discovery. While one would think that after separating from Jake, she might revel in her newfound freedom and independence, she is instead fearful and sad, and more focused on keeping things normal than on sculpting or dating. That is not to say that Helen will never find happiness, and there are signs that she is adapting to single life toward the end of "Tomorrow Never Knows." Wild finds "happily ever afters" to be boring and unrealistic, and is bothered by the number of episodes in Daria Seasons Four and Five that suggest a character has achieved a permanent state of happiness or maturity (such as suddenly newly mature Quinn of "Lucky Strike").

===It's Not That Bad===

Just as Wild finds happy endings to be unrealistic, she is also not fond of excessive angst and, with a few exceptions, avoided applying it too thickly in the Driven Wild Universe. Wild holds what might be considered a "pragmatist's" or "realist's" view of the world that when even in the darkest situation, it was possible to take the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Myth_of_Sisyphus Sisyphus] approach and make the best of it, or at least try to find a way out of it. That does not mean that a character cannot express his or her anger, but Wild believes that characters who wallow in angst are choosing to adopt a mindset of passiveness, passive aggression, and perpetual victimhood. In "Memory Road," Helen calls Amy on this behavior, telling her, "And you, Amy Barksdale, are so convinced you're the martyr -- well I don't buy it! Martyrs are victims, and whether you like it or not, you have some control over your life."

==Controversies==

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 Related to the "Life is Never Easy" theme is the idea that life is a continuous struggle that you have to be willing to engage in so as to get the best out of it.  Even "redeemed" characters are neither perfect nor permanently redeemed.  One obvious example is the coupling of Amy and Joel; although they appear to be closer by the end of "Memory Road," it would be a mistake to assume that they are headed for an untroubled life.  In the unfinished novella, <i>The Winter Chill</i> (a sequel to the Driven Wild Universe), stong hints are left that Amy is feeling overwhelmed by her new life with Joel and their child.  Another example within the Driven Wild Universe is Helen's new self discovery.  While one would think that after separating from Jake, she might revel in her newfound freedom and independence, she is instead fearful and sad, and more focused on keeping things normal than on sculpting or dating.  That is not to say that Helen will never find happiness, and there are signs that she is adapting to single life toward the end of "Tomorrow Never Knows."  Wild finds "happily ever afters" to be boring and unrealistic, and is bothered by the number of episodes in <i>Daria</i> Seasons Four and Five that suggest a character has achieved a permanent state of happiness or maturity (such as suddenly newly mature Quinn of "Lucky Strike").
+===It's Not <i>That</i> Bad===
+Just as Wild finds happy endings to be unrealistic, she is also not fond of excessive angst and, with a few exceptions, avoided applying it too thickly in the Driven Wild Universe.  Wild holds what might be considered a "pragmatist's" or "realist's" view of the world that when even in the darkest situation, it was possible to take the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Myth_of_Sisyphus Sisyphus] approach and make the best of it, or at least try to find a way out of it.  That does not mean that a character cannot express his or her anger, but Wild believes that characters who <i>wallow</i> in angst are choosing to adopt a mindset of passiveness, passive aggression, and perpetual victimhood.  In "Memory Road," Helen calls Amy on this behavior, telling her, "And <i>you</i>, Amy Barksdale, are so convinced you're the martyr -- well I don't buy it! Martyrs are victims, and whether you like it or not, you <i>have</i> some control over your life."
 ==Controversies==