Dystopian Warnings

The popularity of movies and television shows like The Hunger Games, Doctor Who and The Walking Dead reflect a renewed interest in dystopian themes. Even Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, has seen a spike in sales in recent months. The irony, of course, is how closely these dystopian societies reflect the world we live in.

Let’s begin by examining the meaning of dystopia. Often seen as the direct opposite of utopia, dystopia refers to an imaginary place in which everything is unpleasant or bad. It is typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded state in which the population is oppressed by corrupt leadership.

In literature, a dystopian society is usually characterized by those beliefs which are contrary to the author’s real feelings. For example, the author may portray a future society where mass poverty, public mistrust and suspicion, a police state or oppression are the norm. The author will then use the story to explore reasons why things are that way as an analogy for similar issues in the real world. Dystopian fiction is speculative in nature and provides a framework for mapping out the future. It extrapolates elements of contemporary society and thus can be read as political warnings.

In dystopian fiction, society itself is the antagonist.  It is society that is actively working against the protagonist’s aims and desires.  This oppression frequently is enacted by a totalitarian or authoritarian government, resulting in the loss of civil liberties and untenable living conditions, caused by a number of circumstances, such as world overpopulation, laws controlling a person’s sexual or reproductive freedom, and living under constant surveillance” (Adams, 2011). The interesting point is that some people within a dystopic society may not recognize or care about their loss of personal freedoms. They have been manipulated into passivity by the oppressive rules of the society in which they live.

In dystopian literature, the story is often unresolved.  The oppression that is tantamount to maintaining control of society is not brought down.  The hero may make a valiant stand against it, but he often fails. However, his attempt gives hope to others. Sometimes the climax is the hero’s escape from the dystopia (e.g. The Giver). Other times the hero fails to achieve anything and the dystopia continues as before.

One cannot help but draw certain parallels between the dystopian societies of literature and the events taking place in the world today. If we are to avoid the dire predictions presented in dystopian fiction, we must take heed of the warning signs present in real life. We cannot afford to be passive observers of the world around us and hope things will eventually work out for the best.  We must take action to preserve those personal freedoms we hold most dear.

Wanda DeHaven Pyle is the award-winning author of Windborne, and the legacy trilogy available now on Amazon and Kindle.

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Facebook Wars and the Art of Persuasion

Whatever happened to civility and common decency?  When did it become acceptable to call people names and publicly castigate those who disagree with us? This is not a political commentary, so before you fire off a response on Twitter or Facebook, hear me out. 

Now, more than ever, we must practice tolerance and understanding. We must seek to find common ground for our differences. To do otherwise is to foster a climate of aggression and hate. In an age of technology, we must remember that words without the benefit of gestures, intonation, a smile or a wink, can easily be misconstrued. Therefore, we must choose our words carefully. There is no substitute for a face to face meeting where ideas can be shared and debated openly and without rancor. 

Our country was founded on the premise of diversity and acceptance. Our forefathers did not agree on everything, but they debated both sides and sought consensus and common ground on which to build our nation. Limiting the defense of one's position to 150 characters on Twitter does not allow for the building of a logical base for discussion. Instead, it only stokes the emotions of dissent. Arguing with strangers on Facebook, when you don't know the circumstances of their argument is futile.

That is not to say that one should never express an opinion in writing, However, one should be prepared to provide solid and substantial evidence in support of that argument. No one wins or is convinced by an argument based solely on emotions. Only the facts can convince someone to change their minds.  If those facts are absent or false, there is no argument. 

I am not naive. I know that sometimes even the facts are not enough to move someone whose beliefs are solidly ingrained. In that case, it's best to recognize the futility of the effort and move on. Save your energy for those who are willing to listen to reason and critically weigh the evidence.

At no time in history has there been a greater need to teach the skills of debate and critical thinking in our schools. This does not mean that educators should take sides in the debate. They should simply teach the art of persuasion as a tool for success in the workplace and in life. At some point, our children will need to convince a superior of an idea that may be different from current practice. They will need these skills to make their case.

But perhaps most importantly, our children need to be able to recognize and analyze the difference between truth and propaganda, even if the adults do not. Our future depends on it.

In Praise of Nasty Women

Have you seen those "Nasty Woman" shirts that became popular during the election? While the original remark was intended as a negative comment against a woman who dared to enter the world of "good old boys" and fight for what she believed in, many women have taken up the phrase as a badge of honor.

Why is it that strong women who display some of the same characteristics that are admired in male leadership are considered "nasty" when they are seen in a woman? Throughout time, women have been expected to take a subordinate role to men. They were considered too emotional or too weak minded to understand the complexities of the male world. Of course, women today consider this view of a woman's role outdated and insulting. 

In the not too distant past, single women were expected to find a husband to provide for them as quickly as possible.  In return, the woman's role was to manage the household and raise the children. I can still remember being told as a young wife who dared to express a political opinion,  that "women should stick to their sewing circles!"  I was also told that the only reason a woman needed to go to college was to find a husband. God help us if we suddenly became single mothers!  If our husbands had not left us financially solvent, too bad!  We were expected to quickly find another man or manage on our own - quietly, without making our plight ruffle the feathers of the existing norms.

At first, I tried to comply...to fit the role that was expected of me.  But that shoe didn't fit. Eventually, I rebelled against a role I found stifling and demeaning...I became a "nasty woman."

In our defense, I don't think any of us really enjoy being nasty.  We felt forced into the role in order to make our voices heard. So it is not without a certain sense of pride that we wear the badge of "nasty women." We have worked hard to get to this point.  We are not going to give it up without a fight.

In The Steel Canyon Legacy, Tessa Kingsley is faced with the same dilemma. Can she find a balance between the life that is expected of her and the life she expects of herself?

Wanda DeHaven Pyle is the author of Windborne and the Legacy Trilogy.  Follow her on Facebook and Twitter at 

https://twitter.com/pyle_wanda        

https://www.facebook.com/wandadehavenpyle

Order her books at http://amazon.com/author/wandapyle

New Blog

Dear Reader,

Thank you for following "School Marms and Cowboys".  I have recently started a new blog at https://wandadehavenpyle.wordpress.com/ that will focus on promoting other independent authors.  I will feature a monthly interview with an author as well as other postings related to the art and craft of writing.

I will continue to post personal reflections on life and living at this site for those of you who enjoy that sort of thing. I will also keep both site updated regarding any new releases I have so you will be the first to know. Thanks again for your support.

Wanda DeHaven Pyle

Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll

The year was 1969.  I was a sophomore at a small teachers college in Kansas.  But even there, the metallic stains of Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida could be heard echoing through the halls. It was the summer of love. In August, more than a half a million people descended on a field near Woodstock, New York for four days of rain, sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. I wasn't there, of course, but I felt the vibe nonetheless.

Nixon was inaugurated as president and the "Vietnamization" of Southeast Asia began. The youth of American were fed up with the "establishment". There were protests on college campuses. Sit-ins, walk-outs, and love-ins heralded the theme of "Make Love, Not War!" We were ready and willing to rebel to change the status quo. It was all terribly exciting and we all thought we were doing something daring by going against the views of our elders.  The more they tried to suppress us, the louder we became.

But then, we grew up.  We became complacent.  We joined the very establishment we had once protested against. We went to work, got married, started families and disappeared into the ranks of the middle class. The once proud and loud "boomer generation" grew silent.

We're older now...grandparents who have set aside the foolishness of our youth. But was it really foolish? It was our generation that pushed for Civil Rights and began the movement for Gay Rights. We championed women in the workforce and pushed for equal pay. We shook things up.

Maybe it's time to shake things up again. Somewhere beneath the expanded waistbands and the grey hairs beats the heart of a "boomer" who thought they could make a difference.

There is still time.

Wanda DeHaven Pyle is the author of Windborne and the Legacy Trilogy.  Follow her on Facebook and Twitter at 

https://twitter.com/pyle_wanda        

https://www.facebook.com/wandadehavenpyle

Order her books at http://amazon.com/author/wandapyle

Enter the Antihero

The social turmoil that the entire world as a community has been facing recently has disposed us to be skeptical of almost everything. As skeptics, we are accustomed to deliberation, evaluation of evidence, and the insistence upon extraordinary evidence in support of extraordinary claims. These traits are not important to the political process, which instead rewards appeals to emotion and the successful manipulation of human passion. It is no wonder that we skeptics are uncomfortable in the political world. It represents everything we reject in our search for understanding.

Enter the antihero. He may not really have any good or useful characteristics, but his character is a perfect example of the struggle that we go through in our daily lives when choosing between good and evil. One example of the antihero in literature is Gollum in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. The good side of him warns those who want the ring, but the dark side of him is infected by greed and makes him do evil things to obtain the ring. This eventually leads to his death.

If used skillfully, an antihero is much more interesting that the more traditional hero. He is represented as an amalgamation of both good and evil.  These darker heroes can be jerks, pathetic, hard, jaded, or mean. They can be used to represent many things at the same time, such as, social flaws, human frailties and political culture. Instead of having two different people represent two opposing extremes, an antihero combines both into one person and thus presents a more accurate and complete picture of human nature.

The character of Thomas Silverton has emerged in the first two books of my Legacy series with all the potential to become a bona fide antihero. He is selfish, ambitious, manipulative, prejudiced and morally corrupt.  But there is something about him that makes us think there is some redeeming quality there somewhere down deep inside him that will save him. We just haven’t seen it yet.  It’s what gives us hope. Perhaps it will show up in the final book of the trilogy.

Wanda DeHaven Pyle is the award-winning author of Windborne, The Stone House Legacy and The Steel Canyon Legacy. Her books are available on Amazon and Kindle at

http://amazon.com/author/wandapyle.

Follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wandadehavenpyle and Twitter at https://twitter.com/pyle_wanda  

HOLIDAYS: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

It's that time of year again. I can already feel the stress mounting as the year winds to a close and the holiday season approaches. 

The GOOD news is that even in this contentious election year, there is a sense of relief that it will soon be over. People will once again be able to have polite conversations without fear of stepping on someone's political toes. I am confident that we will return to a sense of good will toward others. We will smile and wish each other holiday greetings. We will feel triumphant when we find the perfect gift for someone we love. We will delight in the wonder of the season as we see it through a child's eyes.

The BAD news is that the world is still filled with too much sadness and suffering.  There are still children who will not receive a present.  There are families who will not have shelter or food.  There will be missing places at the holiday table for loved ones who have passed on. Charity donations increase during the holidays, but it is only a temporary fix -- a band aid to a much larger problem.

The UGLY news is that, for some, the stress of the season will prove to great to bear. The tingle and lilt of holiday music is a constant reminder of their shortcomings. Suicide and divorce rates tend to increase during the holidays.  Some will escape into binge drinking or drugs in the hopes that when they sober up, the world will have returned to some semblance of normal. Mental health facilities cannot hope to cope with the vast amount of those needing help.  Some may never come forward until it is too late.

My wish for you is that everything that is GOOD about the season is magnified ten-fold, and that there is enough good will in your heart to carry you through in the months after the decorations are gone and the presents are put away. Be mindful of the BAD and the UGLY and continue to look for ways to reduce the stress of the season for those who struggle. Reach out with the hand of fellowship to those less fortunate-- not just during the holidays, but everyday.

Wanda DeHaven Pyle is the author of Windborne, The Stone House Legacy and The Steel Canyon Legacy. Her books are available on Amazon and Kindle at http://amazon.com/author/wandapyle